Dark Ages NES

[laurentius]

The New Roman Empire




Hail new era of prosperity! Hail Rome! Hail United Italy!


The people gathered at Forum Romanum cheered as Caesar Augustus Licinius Fortis Concors I finished his speech at what was left of the rostra, the speakers podium. The Forum had certainly seen better days and many of its buildings were in fact in ruins. Looters and constructors had used marble from the former administrative buildings. The once vibrant and powerhouse of the Empire had been neglected for centuries, its infrastructure was crumbling and war waeriness had made people religiously deterministic and apathetic. With the vigour of a 21-year old bankers son, the new emperor had made some decicions.

By appointment of the Senate and people of Rome I have laid out a new plan to revive the City and the Empire. This New Deal is meant to correct the past mistakes and breathe some of that famous Roman spirit once more to these hills and valleys.

- Land reform; village by village, all the private and state lands will be given to the peasants. The owners of the latifundii will be compensated and have the right to purchase their land back if the peasants are willing to sell. This applies only to every village and community that sends 25% of their men aged 16-27 to serve at the army for a period of 5 years when called for. This mandatory service will be later taken into account in issues of law and applying for public positions and vacanciens. Meeting the conscription goals will also result in reduced taxation for a village or community.

- Rebuilding of Rome; Milan, Venice, Florence and Naples are required to pay a small extra tax to revive the Capital District. Money will be spent in repairing the Aqueducts, state institutions, police and fire services as well as rebuilding the port facilities in Rome.

- Rationalisation of the army and relabeling it Roman Defence Force. As you all know the legions were if anything an aggressive attacking army. It is time to develop its defense capabilities. Teaching of Aristotlean geometry and maths will be main subjects in the new Military Technical Academy based in Milan. The selected officers will study and generate new fortification methods, materials and weapons.

- Every literate man or woman in the City of Rome will have to enlist next saturday at the Trajans Forum for a possible civil service assignment . We need to build a working government and bureucracy and everyone is needed.

- Looting of the ruins, including Circus Maximus, Naumachia Augusta, Stadium Dominitiani and Colosseum will now on be punishable by the death. Same applies to stealing, murdering and raping. Throwing litter or human waste to the streets will be punished and wagons to collect such material will be organised by the city. The Bari Defense Force will be relocated to the Pretorian barracks in Rome to maintain law and order in the city.

- The same City orders will be applied to the whole empire but other cities are given a 3 year transitional period.

- Local councils will be given more power to decide how to spend their tax income in best possible way to the benefit of their respective voters. They will all get to send their representative to the state senate which will get a new Curia as soon as possible.



This potrait of Caesar Augustus Licinius Fortis Concors I was taken before his hair caught on fire after a wild retirement party to his fathers banking colleague Gaius Valentius.

After reading his 7 fold reform plan the Emperor declared a 2 day feast for all the people to enjoy. The poor and the peasants were particularly happy about the promises of social justice. While the rich and powerful were somewhat uncertain about the future of their properties. To calm them down they were promised an insured account on the state bank and most favoured supplier status in grain and cattle deals for the army and state.

Orders

- New army bootcamps will be established in the vicinity of Milan, Rome and Naples.

- In Venice building of a new grand arsenal and naval base will be commenced. Ports will remain open for traders from all over the world and goods are to be either tax-free or minimally taxated.

- Move the Milanese Army away from the border to Milan.

- Move the Bari Defense Force to Rome.

- Start the New Deal.

[laurentius]

Rome to Bavaria:

We have some excellent wine and lemon spirits. Perhaps your people would like to try them for for a reduced price?

Rome to Iberia:

Thank you for you gesture of good will. We shall move our Milanese Army inwards to the city as a well.

[appleciders]

Surrounding Tribes to Bavaria:
We'd love to enter a mutual protection pact.

UMK to NRE:
We're thrilled to be allowed access to your ports.

[foolish_icarus]

The old Roman buildings were looted largely in part because most things associated with brutal, heathen Rome, were of course considered brutal and heathenish, and despised or at least looked down upon. Be careful how much you associate yourself with pagan Rome.

[Gamecube64]

Bavaria to Iberia:
I mean a common man would have felt so enraged by your blatant disregard and disrespect for our established religion that he would feel the need to kill you. I, being the leader of Bavaria, have a much calmer temper, but would advise you to not insult our highly held beliefs. Would you insult another kingdom like Rome or Byzantium, as you have us?

[Gamecube64]

Bavaria to Rome:
We wish to try these, variety is what makes life great after all, correct?

[laurentius]

While I'm not a religious fanatic, I'm certainly not an apostata either. See that monogram pictured above? Its the officialsymbol of the Emperor of the New Roman Empire.

Our state motto : "Pax tibi Marce, Evangelista Meus" (Peace to you, o Mark, my evangelist)

Our state flag:

[Tassadar500]

Arabia to Bavaria:

Do not be offended by my Muslim brother. He we just trying to say that by converting to Islam, that your nation would be blessed by Allah, and you would gain rewards both spiritually, and in this world.

[foolish_icarus]

to Bavaria :

What he said.

[bipolarbear]

Wow, familiar map. It looksl iek the U.M.K. is still uncalimed and I am just the dude to do so.

[Tassadar500]

Excellent. Once Micha comes back, we will have a full house.

[appleciders]

Yep. This is all surprising to me; I expected Byzantium to be among the first to be picked.

[Gamecube64]

I think an infantry or pillaging special would fit well with Bavaria

The Kingdom of Bavaria

Envoys will be sent asking surrounding tribes to give us soldiers to guard the border with Iberia. Tribes that do so will have a construction crew sent to their village which will build wooden watch towers. The tribes north of us will be asked to warn us of any Iberian movement in the north, so we may quickly rally our forces.

Military training centers will be built in Lyon and Vienna. They should have enough space for marching, sparring, and an archery range, and have a blacksmith nearby to make weapons and armor. Soldiers stationed in these cities will teach the recruits how to march and spar with them to tech them how to fight. Every able bodied young Bavarian man will be enlisted in the military, recruiting in both Lyon and Vienna.

The light infantry in Vienna will move to Lyon. The archers and heavy infantry in Vienna will remain there.

[appleciders]

I think that's about right, since the Bavarians are mostly descended from the Goths anyway. Anyway, 2 orders in, of a total of 5.

[foolish_icarus]

Every able bodied young Bavarian man will be enlisted in the military

Will Bavaria be needing us to sell it food, textiles, metalware, pottery, commercial crops, artisan goods, et al?


As is custom, non-Muslims will be tolerated and free, but residents have to pay a tax unless they convert.

As relations with Arabia are tense, we will be expanding our trade with the other Mediterranean powers to compensate. Our agricultural and manufactured products can be traded for other countries' stuff. This includes sea-trade with the low countries, allowing us access to northern European resources and markets.

Aqueducts improve agriculture in dry parts of Spain, and we continue to translate the great intellectual works that we have access to, opening several new universities for medicine, study of religion, architecture, math, and astronomy.

Move that Roman border guard army to Tolosa.