Roman Empire (L'Uniona Homanus)

Etymology
The name 'Roman' comes from the city which gre to control a large Empire in three continents. The city of Rome, 'Roma' in the native language of Latin, was the origin of the Empire and was its largest city throughout its history. The Germanic people of the north of Europe call themselves 'Romisch' as translated to their vernacular. In the Balkan Peninsula the greek language refers to the citizens of this Empire as 'Romanoi' a term which includes themselves, despite their national pride and history. In the Parthian provinces the people of the Empire are 'Romali' and that is the same term in North Africa, Arabia, and Ethiopia. In the porvinces of the far edge of the Mare Suebicum (Baltic Sea), the Roman people fall under the term of 'Romer' or 'Romski'. All of these languages are heavily influenced by the native Latin of the Empire but over time the languages have blended.

Geography, Climate, and Environment
Being so large, the climate and environment of the Roman Empire are different from province to province. The Center of the Empire is the Mare Mediterrani (Mediterranean Sea) whic functioned as the original domain of the early Empire and the Republic prior. In only the European provinces can be found several rivers, mountain chains, vast coast, diverse resources, plains, tundra, and an almost tropical climate in places.

European Rome
In the Italian Peninsula, the origin of the Roman Empire, lies the Appenine Moutnains which used to be a barrier to interaction from the Mare Adriaticus to Tyrhennius. Above Italia sits the great defensive chain of mountains known as the Alpes. From the Moutnains come the major Rivers of Europe, most notably the Ister (Danube) and the Rhinus (Rhine). In the large region of western Europe called Gallia (Gaul) is mostly Plains and Pasture. On the Iberian Peninsula in the north is the Pyrenees Moutnains and west of them is the Cantabri on the shores of the peninsula. Despite these large chains and some smaller ones throughout the rest of the land, much of the land of Hispania, Lusitania, and Baetica was arable and became a source of food and wealth for the Western European Provinces and those of Northern Europe. In Britannia and Caledonia there are a great number of rivers, lochs, cliffs, and mountains, especially in Caledonia. Similar features can be found in Scandinavia, Suebia, Islia and the Campus Asius, however all of these have glaciers. The Carpathian Mountains are found in the eastern European province and play a large role in the economy of that region as well as providing rivers for the surrounding area. Overall, Europe is the msot fertile of the areas under Roman control, Rome itself lies there. However the other regions provide many other resources and information taht would not otherwise be available if Rome were only a European Empire.

African Rome
North Africa is rich with grain in the Northern Shore and along rivers like the Nilus (Nile) and Nigerus (Niger). Despite these, the Desertum Africanum (Sahara) is a large obstacle to the development of Africa. The cities of African provinces are in a way trapped along rivers, shores, or lakes in order to fight the desert which could consume their city at any time. Mauretania is the best example of how people can fight their predicament and improve upon it. The great canal system that leads from the Mediterranean into the Sahara brings in not only water and fertilizers so that things can grow around the canal but also trade and acess to the resources underneath the desert. This canal system and several others have fought the largest and most persistent problem for the African Romans, the great desert on the continent. Without the money from the tremendous trade and development of the Roman Empire these would not be possible and the cities of the Romans might be reclaimed by the sands and the desolation of the Desertum Africanum.

Asian and Arabian Rome
The provinces of what were the Persian and then Parthian Empires were incorporated into Roman hegemony after the conquest of their central city in Ctesiphon. The Arabian Peninsula was taken first with claims to the open desert of teh area and later bribing what civilizations did exist to move north into the more developed areas of the emprie. From the Tigris and Euphrates rivers came most of the fertile land of these provinces. Many other parts were filled with further desert lands. The ancient knowledge of these civilizations, which developed much earlier than Rome, became a great resource for the scholars, astrologists, and other scientiests. The biggest change between Asia and Africa was the closeness to a foreign coutnry. India and, not so far off, Sinica effected the Asian Provinces first and then spread to the other parts of the empire. This bridge effect made the culture of this area not simply from Parthia, or Rome, or India, or Sinica but a mixing pot. The prerogatives and attitudesof their leaders was an even further unique quality for the Provinces furthest from Rome.