Archonate (Premysloides Dynasty)

Archonate (form of government)
Archonate is form of government that expanded under Roman Empire after Imperial Restoration and during Imperial Reformation, but had roots before restoration and reformation.

Emperor Romanos wanted to support and improve trade and commerce within Roman Empire, so he allowed forming semi-autonomous "archonates" as special form of government under Roman Empire. These archonates were inspired by "Republic of Veria", oligarchic city-state that supported Romanos claim on throne and helped with funding of Imperial Army after War of Restoration.

Social Structures
Archonate social structures were similary stratified like imperial, but with exception of non-existence of aristocratic class.

Society was stratified among many classes. Every each archon had determined jobs, duties and business interests in city, as you can see in table below.
 * Lowest were slaves. They did not have any rights, except right of protection from violence and murder.
 * Second lowest were freedmen. They had right to own property, but had to live in ghettos and worked in toughest places.
 * Peasants were local workforce in agriculture and they were free citizens, had most of rights, except voting and political rights.
 * Citizens, soldiers and craftsmen were third highest class with voting and political rights, property rights and protection from mishandling.
 * Second highest class was bureaucracy administrating city.
 * Highest were oligarchs associated in "Archonate" (group of oligarchs). They had different names based on number of oligarchs. Their number never descend below three members and as this, they were called Triarchy (three members), Tetrarchy (four members), Pentarchy (five members) or even Hexarchy (six members).

Political Structures
There were not any aristocracy or any other inheriting class. Position of archon was elected. Archon had life terms (until "Imperial Law on Archonate" which limited every term on five years and only three consecutive) and during election, they presented themselves to voters (adult men or widows, who were literate and free citizens with property).

For example, candidate who wanted to became archon responsible for services, he or she (widow) presented their goals and ideas for their term on city forum.

In late periods, archons joined political factions and groups.

Very strange was role of Orthodox Church, as oligarchy confiscated their property in favor of city, but left them very large annuity for their private interests and free-of-costs of all services. Orthodox Church in archonates, in return, supported oligarchic regime.

Supreme ruler of archonate is "First Archon/Praefector Maximus" who is elected by archons for two years term. However, First Archon was rather negotiating authority for foreign affairs and arbiter, rather then absolute ruler and could be deposed, sentenced and executed for tyranny.

Military of Archonates
"Imperial Law on Archonates" granted archonates right to form own self-defense forces composed of two forms: Mercenaries, which were also business activity, as they were rented to various groups and local militia, whos members were all capable citizens able to bear arms.

Mercenaries had own barracks and fortress out of archonates, to prevent coups, rebellions and unrests, while Imperial Army was oblige to provide armament to local citizens. On other hand, archonates had duty to provide each year 15 men for Imperial Army or Imperial Navy, or special tax.

Evaluation
System of archonates had deep and positive impact on Roman economy and society, as it was strategic and important stimule for economic activities and signal that Roman Empire will support merchant class and allow expansion of this class at expense of the Orthodox Church (as archonates controlled local Orthodox Church property) and aristocracy (as aristocracy did not have any political and economical power in archonates).

Founding archonates depended on Emperor will and every city, who want to achieve position of archonate, had present their political and economical plan, their intentions, report about situation and reasons, why they want this. After that, Emperor can grant or decline state of archonate and Emperor had full right to abolish archonate everytime he wanted.

During Romanos reign, archonates became popular, but their expansion were slow, as most of cities were not capable to fulfill conditions. From 1250 to 1312, only 26 archonates were established, but these 26 cities provided nearly tenth of all trade and economic output of Roman Empire. Largest of these archonates was archonate of Nicomedia with 75,000 citizens in 1312.