SDN World/Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire is Fingolfin_Noldor's nation in SDN_World

General Information

General Statistics

• Population: 55 Million
• Gross Domestic Product: 2.5 Trillion (as of 2008)
• Currency: Solidus (s), Solidi (p)

Government

Monarchy

The Government is that of a constitutional monarchy, with the Emperor of Byzantium being the head of not only of state, and the commander in chief, and also exercises duties in the Orthodox church. The Ecumenical Patriarch is head of the Orthodox Church and is the Emperor’s spiritual adviser. The Emperor however believes in free spirited worship and will not impose his will on the people, and he will also hold back with a tight leash any of the religious radicals. He is a firm believer of Science and its most steadfast patron. The Emperor has a court of advisors appointed by the Senate. The Emperor has control over the Defence and Foreign Ministries and as such commands the Armed Forces of the Empire, as previous Emperors of the Roman Empire have. The Emperor is served by two Exarchs; one serves as the Foreign Policy Adviser and has powers of a Foreign Minister, while the other serves as the Military Advser and has powers of a Defense Minister. The Emperor has a Chief Adviser who serves in as a Chief of Staff. The current Foreign Minister is the Exarch Decius, and the Defense Minister is Exarch Selenov. Basilleus is the current Chief Adviser.

Senate

The Senate is elected by the people and has legislative powers to decide domestic policy and to enact laws. Laws, however, only come into effect only after the Emperor has approved the said laws. The Senate has control over rest of the government ministries, such as Finance, Health, Education, Interior, Law, Environment, Science and Technology, and Trade and Industry. Military and foreign policy remain the purview of the Emperor, as it has always has been. During wartime however, the Emperor has the powers to take over the entire government. Typically both Emperor and Senate try to maintain a cordial relationship and are heavily involved in discussions of the state although, as always, disagreements will inevitably occur.

Judiciary

The Judiciary is independent and its independence enshrined in the Constitution, though the Byzantine Emperor has powers to override a court's judgment but this power is rarely ever used in modern times. The Supreme Court is composed of 12 Judges, appointed by the Senate and the Emperor, often in a 50/50 arrangement. The Laws of Byzantium are considered to be among the oldest in the world, dating as far back as the Theodosian Codex and the Justinian Codex. The current law follows the Marcellius Codex, which was formulated by the Emperor Marcellius in the 18th Century.

Relgion

The Ecumenical Patriarch is the spiritual leader for Orthodox Catholics across the world. Jerusalem and Mecca represent great importance to Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

Current Religion Demographics:

• 80% Orthodox Catholics
• 15% Muslim
• 4% Judaism.
• 1% Others

Racial composition

Much inter-marrying took place in the Byzantine Empire between Latins, Greeks and Slavs over the last few centuries. To some extent, there is no true Greek, Slav, or Latin any more.

Current Racial Demographics

• 70% Greek/Slavic/Latin
• 4% Jew
• 24% Kurd/Arab
• 2% Others

Themes

The Empire is divided into 7 Themes. The Constantinople Theme overlooks all of Northern Greece, the Athenian Theme covers all of Southern Greece. The Western Anatolia Theme is centered at Nikea, the Central Anatolia Theme at Ikonium, while the Western Anatolia Theme is centered at Antioch. Jerusalem and Arabia are consolidated under the Syrian Theme.

Konstantinoplis, Thessaloniki, Athens, Korith, Nikea, Smyra, Ikonium, Antioch, Trepezond, Sinope, Jerusalem, Tarsus, Ephesus (There are of course more, but these are the key cities)