Rome (Superpowers)

Rome is the nerve center of the most illustrious and powerful country in human history. Founded on April 21, 753 BC on the banks of the Tiber, it has a birth surrounded in legend. Rome is history's favorite child, having witnessed the rise and fall of countless empires from Egypt to China. Other cities may be older but none prospered as long as the legendary Eternal City.

The economic and military authorities of Rome were shared with Constantinople and Carthage in the 8th century for logistic reasons but there no one doubts that Rome is the nation's prime city. Behind its walls live over 23 million Roman citizens, not a one of foreign blood. The constitution itself permits "only people of Roman citizenship to set foot in Italy except under express permission of the Senate." This law applies to all men, women and children.

Earning its title of Caput Mundi, Rome has nurtured a global influence in politics, literature, high culture, fine arts, music, religion, education, fashion, cuisine and sports, putting it at the forefront of the world media. Elsewhere, Rome is called Urbs Caesares or the Eternal City, or simply the Capitol. Despite a worldly reputation, it houses very few international organizations - with the exception of an Alliance praetorium - due to the restriction against non-citizens. However, the largest collegia are based in Rome as a means of gaining extra prestige.

Revered for its beauty as a city, Rome has many of the most noteworthy examples of ancient architecture. Its skyline includes such wonders as the Senate house, Trajan's Column, the Arch of Constantine and the original Grand Colosseum and St. Peter's Cathedral. Destruction caused by an earthquake in 851 CE forced the reconstruction of many of its monuments. Some of the most intricate modern buildings were constructed in the architectural heyday of Aulus Nickolus Tesla. Rome's legacy is ever immanent when one walks its streets.

Geography
The modern shape of Rome, as a circle with an 80 km radius, was designed by Tesla in the 16th century as delineated by the (36 m high) Caesarian Wall around its circumference. Seventeen enormous gates (portae) grant passage into the Eternal City, including the Porta Marina from Ostia, Porta Capena from the Via Appia and Porta Antonina from the Via Aurelia. A porta into Rome is 40 m high, built of gold, silver and marble and adorned with a golden eagle that clutches a medallion of SPQR.

Spreading into the countryside like arteries are the 24 aqueducts (aquae) feeding water into the Capitol. Their physical appearance hasn't changed in millennia but this underlies the internal mechanisms that make them marvels of modern engineering. Powerful turbines drive water into Rome at a combined rate of 600 million liters per hour, the Aqua Marcia alone supplying 125 million liters for the city's center. In some places, aqueducts are physical dividers between municipal districts (regios) while in others they travel below ground.

Attached to the Caesarian Wall, in each cardinal direction, are cenotaphs dedicated to Rome's most legendary patrons: King Romulus, its founder, in the North; Augustus, the first Caesar, in the East; Calvin, the emperor who rebuilt Rome after an earthquake, in the South; and Tesla, the architect of its modern renovations, in the West. Locals continue to protest the honor given to Tesla for not being a ruler of Rome. Nevertheless, emperors have always defended his recognition for the essential role he played in producing the city we see today.

Tesla's greatest contribution to the design of Rome was describing how a terraforming of the Latium countryside from an expanse of hills into a flat plain could be undertaken and how the Ostian coast could be extended a few kilometers into the Tyrrhenian Sea. Once these tasks were done, he included designs for a wall exactly 160 km in diameter with the Forum far south of its geometric center. Only 8% of the space inside the new wall was inhabited at the time of construction, leaving room for future expansion. Today, 12% of Rome is still covered by nature in the form of gardens, fields and parks while the sprawling metropolis long ago reached the walls.

Ecologically, Rome is rife with plant life in its gardens and streets, the emperor's private gardens worthy of mention for its exotic flora. The only wild animals anywhere in the city are small insects - mosquitoes, black flies and fruit flies being exterminated - and GM eagles that kill off other wild birds. Rats have long been absent from Rome due to a combination of the minimalization of possible habitats in buildings, screening of shipments bound for Ostia's ports and safe extermination programs all of which have gone on for over a thousand years. Recently, biological detectors made the process of screening land, sea and air shipments for vermin cheap and effective.

Seven Hills of Rome
The Palatine Hill (Collis Palatinus) is the mound of earth on which Romulus founded the Eternal City; as a result, it became the residence of the Roman emperors, in the  Palatia Caesares (Palace of Caesars). Caesar's Palace, its other name, was built in 867 by Caesar Calvin following the great earthquake. From the palace comes the Via Augusta, that leads into the Forum Palatinum and Tiber River. In the center of the former is the famous Milliarium Aureum (Golden Milestone), official heart of the Roman Empire, inscribed with the names of and distances to the largest Roman cities. The present Golden Milestone was built in 1237 as the Turra Volta, after its owner, the brilliant scientist Lucius Parellus Volta. All roads lead to this tower.

North of the Palatine is the prestigious Capitoline Hill (Collis Capitolinus), known by many as the Capitolium. It is on this artificial extension of the hill that the Curia Imperia (Imperial Senate) resides in all its glory, having those famous words SENATVS POPVLVSQUE ROMANVS written on its face. Ahead of the Senate, also on the Capitolium, is the Forum Magnum, referred to by many as the Forum or Capitolium. Two of the grandest monuments in Rome - the 34 m Colossus Sullae and Arch of Constantine - stand facing the Senate.

The Esquiline and Caelian Hills (Colles Esquilinus et Caelius) were fused into a circular platform of earth for the Colosseum Ingens. This magnificent arena is over 1.4 km wide, with a 750 m battlefield and seating for 350,000 spectators. Northward are the form Viminal and Quirinal Hills (Colles Viminalis et Quirinalis) that were excavated to make room in 889 for a marble platform that supports the papal Cathedral of St. Peter.

Fluvis Tiberis
Settlements tend to form along bodies of life-giving water; Rome's source of life is the Tiber River (Fluvis Tiberis). Of the 180 km that run through Rome, 84.7% passes over a marble channel dug into the earth. The channel's depth and width are a constant 4 m and 20 m respectively. Around the Capitolium, the channel is sheathed in gold that sparkles beautifully in sunlight. Before entering Rome from the north, the Tiber's waters are cleansed of salt, fish, nutrients and bacteria through passive filtration. Where the Tiber doesn't flow through a rigid channel there are Rome's three dock, including the famous Argosy Docks near the Forum.

Disposing of food, garbage, liquid waste or bodies in the Tiber is punishable by ten years of exile from the city. The punishment does not expel one from the Imperium nor revoke one's citizenship but is a great dishonor and inconvenience for the exile. However, small boats traverse the length of the Tiber at a rate of hundreds each day, bringing goods straight from the Tyrrhenian Sea and ports of Ostia - river traffic is permitted during the day.

The one spot along the Tiber in which residents can swim is the beach around the Insula Tiberina (Tiber Island) or Insula Interduospontes. Surrounding almost the whole island, the beaches offer a cheap destination for the Plebs who can't afford frequent trips to Tainuria or North Africa, making it very popular among local Romans. Entry is 8 Dn and often must be booked months in advance but once inside residents have access to the beach and luxurious thermae (bath houses) for 6 hours.

Aside from the one beach, people can also enter the Tiber as a river cleaner. While automated boats perform the less intricate cleaning jobs like sucking out what little debris falls in, sometimes a human touch is necessary. The job pays surprisingly well and can be a great way to make a little extra money on the weekend (while sneaking a dip for the purpose of a "closer inspection").

Field of Mars
One of Rome's finest Plebeian residential areas, the Campus Martius (Field of Mars) was once a sacred field for training soldiers, preparing military campaigns and directly voting. North of the Curia is the former location of the Theater of Pompey where a beautiful encircled garden stands. In an election or public poll, the populace will assemble on the Field of Mars - as they always have - for gradual voting. Nearly the entire adult population of Rome will pass through the Field's Saepta Julia before the end of a voting period.

The most notable role of the Campus Martius is as the final stop in a Triumph, where the victorious general separates from his legions to be taken by the College of Pontiffs to the Senate for national recognition. The ancient symbolism of the Field of Mars transcends all its changes in appearance and function.

Climate
Italy's weather is naturally Mediterranean - known for its warm and wet winter followed by hot and dry summers. The countryside and cities, like Naples, around Rome experience this almost tropical climate. Rome, however, has a climate unique to itself due to climate control in and around the city.

Cloud seeding ensures that substantially less precipitation falls on the city than the countryside, keeping rain over the crops and not on the people. Yearly precipitation hovers around 180 mm per year when it used to receive that much in two Fall months. The only period when all manner of climate control are shut down is late December to early January, when Romans usually desire a temporary change of scenery. Towards the end of January they have usually grown tired of the cold and ice, and climate control is reactivated.

In other kinds of climate control, the City of Caesars receives special treatment. Dozens of mirror satellites in tundra orbits reflect extra sunlight towards Rome during the Winter, warming it and extending the day 1.5 hours. Meanwhile, deep geothermal vents beneath the streets can heat it by a further 8 °C. Maintenance costs of these systems approach the billions of Dn so only Rome gets such privileges.

In the Summer, Rome, like other cities, can be cooled by its aqueducts and sewers, the Cloaca Maxima here. Water entering the city need only be cooled to near 0 °C then water leaving need only be heated by the waste heat of public air conditioners. When used in conjunction with street air conditioning, the city can be cooled up to 15 °C by such simple measures. Another advantage of the former is that fountains - of which there are many - are now expelling ice-cold water with which residents may cool down whenever they please.

The preferred temperature in Rome lies between 10 and 25 °C, with actual temperatures falling outside this range when it is desirable. Even when snow is allowed to fall on the city, aqueducts carry hot water in for heating pipes underneath major roads and turning the fountains into hot springs. Nevertheless, many Romans leave on vacation during August or January to escape the seasons' mildly uncomfortable weather.

Cityscape


''This map is merely a representation of the Imperial District. For example, areas that appear to be rows of houses indicate a region with many residences and the actual shapes of the streets, homes and small shops are not accurately portrayed. Likewise, open markets are simply indicated by purple region. Furthermore, small distances and angles are ambiguous and should not be taken at face value.''

The heart of the eternal city is Regio I, the Ora Imperia (Imperial District). This is the spot on which Romulus founded the city, Junius Brutus expelled the last king and Augustus became the first citizen of the Republic. The modern regional administration system starts here at the first of 2,000 regios. Yet despite its prestige, the district is smallest of all regios at only 6.1 km² and with barely 21,000 citizens. Nevertheless, residents enjoy more political clout and privileges than any other regio in the empire.

Therein stand the seats of the Caesar, Senate and Catholic Church - the planet's three most powerful bodies. More fates get decided here than any other spot on Earth. Moreover, the Ora Imperia features some of the empire's grandest monuments such as the Aelian Amphitheater, Arch of Constantine, Cathedral of St. Peter and Milliarium Aureum, displaying the glory of the empire.

The Sixteen Districts together form the province of Roma and the sacred region known as the Pomerium, the legally and religiously defined limits of Rome itself. All territory outside of this is either land owned by or not (yet) owned by Rome. Roman generals who still command imperium (control) of an army immediately forfeit it to Caesar upon crossing any of the gates of the Caesarian Wall, unless the general is returning to Rome for his Triumph. Otherwise, all troops within the city are under the direct control of the Emperor himself. Soldiers from the CIst Legion patrol the streets year round maintaining order. As such, Rome has one of the lowest urban crime rates in the Empire.

Forum Magnum
The Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum, on the Capitoline Hill is a primary location for business in Rome. It is bordered on the West by the Curia Sulla, the Imperial Senate House, and is therefore the place of assembly for the Empire's legislative government. Surrounding the Forum are various Basilicae that facilitate commerce in the city. The Basilica of the Archangel Michael is a church designed like the keep of a castle. During war its doors are open so that visitors might pray for peace and if the city is taken, citizens might take refuge inside (modern armor prevents even bunker busters from penetrating). Usually, alliances between the various Collegiates of the city are agreed upon here.

Directly to the east is the Banco Romani, the central bank of Rome. It is open to the public 24 hours a day, 360 days a year. Automated tellers were invented here by the Junii family, the owners of the bank, in 1911. The large building at the south end is the Villa Principia, the residence of the Consul Italii, president of Congress. The Italian Consul is the only man with the privilege to live directly on the Forum because the law states that no private property can be owned there. The other buildings around the Forum are open-air markets, temporarily granted to shopkeepers by special request to the Senate or Emperor. Generally, tradesmen are more successful around the Forum than anywhere else in the city.

Within the Forum are two major monuments, dedicated to half of the four emperors who were posthumously granted the cognomen Magnus. The Colossus in front of the Senate is of Sulla the Great in full senatorial garb and painted to the point of appearing like a living giant. Behind him is the Arch of Constantine, rebuilt in the 1500's and depicting every major accomplishment of Constantine the Great. This triumphal arch is 50 meters tall, so about half the height of the Senate, and 100 meters wide. Two small archways flank a central arch, inside of which is depicted Constantine surrounded by angels (which, surprisingly enough, never actually happened). Evidently, the Romans will not soon forget who brought Christianity to their Empire.

Going further east down the 1 kilometer Forum one finds the Senatorial Reflecting Pools, dotted with fancy lighting to emphasize its fountains, that can spray water 40 meters upward, at night. Stretching East from the Forum is the Via Julia, the largest and longest urban road in the Roman Empire, not only spanning an impressive 30 meters across but also stretching 50 kilometers long before reaching the Caesarian Wall. There it meets the Porta Julia and connects through various side roads (Latin: deverticulum) to both the Via Appia and Via Salaria.

The Fora
Although the Forum Magnum is the most well known, hundreds of other, smaller Fora dot the streets of Rome. The second most recognizable one is the Forum Palatinum, west of the Palatia Caesares. As mentioned before, it is here that the Milliarium Aureum stands. This plaza, which is only 100 meters wide on all sides, has roads extending in four different directions. To the East is the short Via Imperatoria that goes to the Palace whilst to the West is the Via Augusta that enters the Transtiberim District. To the North and South is the Via Palatina, which ends at the Forum Magnum and Acropolis (mentioned later) respectively. The Via Imperatoria is notable for the ten Colossi lining its sides. In order, zigzagging first up then down, they depict: Augustus, Sapiens, Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian, Sulla, Comptus, Aegranus, Alexander I, Constantine and finally, just in front of the Palace, Julius Caesar.

Surrounding the Palatine Plaza are three triumphal arches that venerate the achievements of some of Rome's finest Emperors. Facing West is the Arch of Augustus, the largest of the three. It stands 58 meters tall and is the highest solitary archway in the city. Among the scenes that it depicts are the Battles of Mutina, Phillipi and Actium; the Triumph over Egypt and Octavian being honored by the Senate. The two lesser gates stand 32 meters tall each, the North one dedicated to Emperor Valens and the South one to Emperor Sextus Severus. Both emperors were loved in their time for their protection of the rights of the people through legal documents.

Directly south of the Forum Palatinum are more than half a dozen important civic buildings. Most significant is the Basilica de Sanctus Julius, a cenotaph built to honor the Dictator Gaius Julius Caesar and emphasize his status as a sacred individual under the canon law of the Catholic Church. Opposite that Basilica is the office of the Ministry of War, where military affairs are managed in correspondence with the military capital of Carthage. Nearby are the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerium Peregrani) and Ministry of Municipalities (Ministerium Municipae). To the West along the waterfront is the office of the Ministry of Waterways (Ministerium Aquae), a very important organization for the management of Rome. Offices for a Ministry are referred to as Concilium Res, then the subject which the office concerns itself with. The last major building south of the Palatine is along the Via Legias, the first road branching east, leading to the quarters for the Emperor's servants and a Fortress housing the 800 men of the 101st Legion who patrol the district.

The plaza north of the Palatine is the Forum Maecenam which is dedicated to the arts. Audience entrances for the Odeon Magne (Eng: Grand Theater), the largest permanent theater in the world, are along West end of the plaza. On the Via Maecena, extending to the East, is the Basilica Artifica, a large interior public space open to artists, musicians and actors to practice the skills of their trade. An actor's schools and an entrance to the Taberna Dionysii, the district's only brothel and bar, stand opposite the basilica, on the same road. Within the plaza itself are two statues. If one stands and looks at them from the Theater entrance, the one on the left is the Colossus of Magnus the Great, late imperial Rome's most illustrious patron of the arts and on the right is the Colossus of Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, Augustus' personal friend and de facto cultural minister.

The last building around the Forum Maecenam is the Musaeum Romanum Artificis (Eng: Roman Museum of the Arts). Built in 1232 as only the second public museum in the world, it is 0.1 km² in size and possesses works of art that go for almost 2,000 years into Roman history. A special exhibit even features the hut of Romulus, with pieces that date to the 8th century BCE. The MRA remains the largest art museum in the world and is, as most critics agree, the greatest one as well.

In the Imperial District, there are two Fora situated on the banks of the River Tiber. The northernmost one is the Forum Scipium, denoted by Scipio (II)'s Column at its center. The 34 meter high column is known for being part of a fountain that shoots a stream of water an additional 20 meters into the air. Amazingly, the mechanism is designed so precisely that without strong winds, the stream splits in two and falls down to the water receptacles below without touching the column again. The southernmost of these two plazas is the Forum Plebeium where the Basilica Res Publicae is situated. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, usually for several hours, the Emperor stays in this minor Palatia to hear the pleas of his people. The entire base floor is a waiting room capable of comfortably holding over a hundred people, or uncomfortably containing half a thousand. Wax tablets are posted on the doors when they are closed and Caesar is not receiving anyone. People may write their names in the waiting slots available for the next session to reserve a spot. If anyone has ideas about erasing someone else's name, they had better be prepared to deal with the two guards stationed there for most days of the week. Unsurprisingly, it is rare that anyone cancels once they've already signed up. The Forum Plebeium earns its name not only for the Basilica where Plebs can voice their concerns with Caesar but also for the marble replicas of the Roman Constitution on the building's inner walls and statues of famous Plebs, including Tiberius Gracchus, Marcus Agrippa and Gaius Archaedavincus, inside and outside the building.

Aside from the Plebeian Basilica, there are three other buildings in the Imperial District with their own plazas. The Forum Sacrum, formed in 887 CE around the uncompleted Cathedral of St. Peter, contains three monuments dedicated to the Catholic Church. These are the Obeliscus Crucifica, an obelisk stolen from Karnak and adorned with a three meter tall golden crucifix; the Monumentum Apostolum, that depicts Peter as the Apostle; and the Monumentum Pontificum, that depicts Peter as Pope (in mid-imperial era papal regalia).

Another minor plaza in the Imperial District is the Forum de Sancta Maria at which the former Pantheon, now the Basilica de Sancta Maria de Roma (Eng: Basilica of Sacred Mary of Rome), is situated. This Basilica is a popular site of pilgrimage for the nobility that wish to pay respect to the Ancient Romans, their ancestors, as it is the only Roman church with a shrine in memory of the old Roman Gods.

The last of these plazas is the Forum Alexandrium around the Mausoleo Alexandrios. This building contains the remains of the Emperors of the Alexandrian dynasty from its builder Alexander VI to Alexander XIII. Alongside the tomb of St. Peter and the four other imperial mausoleums, the Mausoleo Alexandrios is one of the few recognized burial places within the Pomerium. State and religious laws forbid burials in most other cases.

Diversoria Diversorium is the Latin word for a particular kind of hotel, one whose closest English equivalent would be a resort. Given the Romans propensity for holidays, and therefore going on long vacations, diversoria are incredibly important to them. Rome alone has seven resorts that are designed as vacation destinations in themselves, one of which even caters to Plebeians. A further 859 public residences also serve as Stabulum (inns) for people travelling in the city, whilst the rest of visitors can stay with a hospes, a friend offering the hospitality of their home, or the dreary cauponae that provide free public housing to anyone in need. The grandest resort in Rome is the Diversorium Imperium Magnum in the Transtiberim District (Regio III), west of Tiber Island. The Imperial Grand Hotel was built around the Forum Claudium, owned once by the vastly wealthy Claudian clan, specifically the Claudii Horatii family. It was during Tesla's renovation of the city that Gaius Claudius Horatius (IV), seeking support from the Senate to get his censorship, built this stunning resort for rich non-residents.

The base price for a room at the Diversorium Imperium Magnum is 160 Dn a day, though hourly rates are also offered for a tenth of that (it was natural for Roman inns to additionally offer rooms by the hour). However, those who want something really sumptuous need to pay 800 Dn for a day to get one of 42 super high-class rooms. At that price you get the options of a butler, a mini-tavern or even a taste from the onsite brothel, each for a small additional fee. Lastly, the great and the good (i.e. the disgustingly rich) can rent a Golden Suite at the daily price of 2800 Dn, or more than the average Roman makes in a year. Evidently, a guest in one of the 10 Golden Suites gets what they pay for as these rooms are regarded universally as the finest in the world, earning the resort itself the nickname Caesar's Palace, which is not to be confused with the Caesar's actual palace.

Another notable diversorium was built as part of the Villa Aleari (Eng: Gambler's House) to provide rooming for its clientele. The first Villa Aleari was built in the 5th century by the Esquiline Collegiate after it had received permission from the Senate to provide a gambling house to the people of Rome. This was at a time when the Christianizing Empire was regulating such practices as gambling and prostitution by ensuring that they only took place in authorized public buildings. The Villa has since been rebuilt several times, with the most recent incarnation built in the early 1800's. It remains the only lawful place for public gambling in the whole of Rome.

Pomerium
The Sixteen Districts together form the province of Roma and the sacred region known as the Pomerium, the legally and religiously defined limits of Rome itself. All territory outside of this is either land owned by or not (yet) owned by Rome. Roman generals who still command imperium (control) of an army immediately forfeit it to Caesar upon crossing any of the gates of the Caesarian Wall, unless the general is returning to Rome for his Triumph. Otherwise, all troops within the city are under the direct control of the Emperor himself. Soldiers from the CIst Legion patrol the streets year round maintaining order. As such, Rome has one of the lowest urban crime rates in the Empire.

Monuments
Within Rome's sixteen districts are over 500 monuments, that range from cenotaphs, mausoleums, columns, colossi or even just arches. Here is a list of the primary monuments found in the Imperial District. They are mostly of the form MONUMENT (LOCATION).
 * Regio I:
 * Grand Colossus of Sulla (Forum)
 * Equestrian Marcus Aurelius (Forum)
 * Colossi of the Imperials (Palatinum)
 * Colossus of Augustus
 * Colossus of Hadrian
 * Colossus of Sapiens
 * Colossus of Marcus Aurelius
 * Colossus of Sulla
 * Colossus of Aegranus
 * Colossus of Alexander I
 * Colossus of Constantine
 * Colossus of Comptus
 * Colossus of Julius Caesar
 * Grand Arch of Constantine (Forum)
 * Arch of Augustus (Palatinum)
 * Arch of Sextus Severus (Palatinum)
 * Arch of Valens (Palatinum)
 * Arch of Aegranus (into Regio VII)
 * Arch of Agricola (into Regio VI)
 * Arch of the Republic (into Regio II)
 * Scipio II's Column (Scipium)
 * Volta's Tower (Palatinum)
 * Obelisk of the Crucifix (Sacrum)
 * Monument to the Apostles (Sacrum)
 * Monument of the Papacy (Sacrum)
 * Colossus of Adam (Sacrum)
 * Colossus of Maecenas (Maecenam)
 * Colossus of Magnus II (Maecenam)
 * Campus Martius (Field)
 * Legacy Palace (Field)

Economy
Rome is an international hub of commerce that controls an enormous portion of Roman business endeavors. Alongside the cities of Kyoto, Teotihuacan and Temujin, it is considered one of the command centers of the world economy. Assets from the Middle East, to the New World and even Mars are managed by businessmen based in the Eternal City. Despite Rome's economic power, Constantinople actually has more technical control of the Roman economy, at least as far as bureaucratic management is concerned.

Many of the wealthiest guilds (Latin: Collegium), the Roman term for a legal body, have their primary headquarters in Rome. Most of them can be found in the Golden District (Ora Aura or Regio IX), the central business district of the city. The Collegium Danuvius Labora is just one of may guilds headquartered there, but it happens to be the wealthiest corporation in the world. Alone it has a revenue of 10 billion Dn ($500 billion US) a year through its assets in 57 provinces and four other countries.

Collegia
Some guilds have been in existence for over two millennia, such as the Collegium Panificis Romana (Roman Baker's Guild), and hold a great deal of clout in civil affairs. As such, the Collegium Mercatura (Trade Collegiate) was founded in the tumultuous days of the Second Imperial Civil War to protect the assets of prominent commerce guilds in the city. This organization is one part council and one part gang. Every guild head in the Collegiate has equal ranking and therefore has the power to call assemblies. It is there that things like bread prices for the next month are decided and familial disputes are settled. Unsurprisingly, given the incredible power of the Collegiate, its Centurio - the captain or boss of a collegiate - is inherently one of the most influential men in Rome. The organization's affairs are all managed from the Basilica Crassa, a building given as a gift to the Trade Collegiate from Emperor Alexander I.

Other prominent collegiates help the central government manage Rome's various districts. In the densely populated Aventine District (named after but unrelated to the Hill), the reigning Aventine Collegiate essentially serves as the local law enforcement. Often the government pays this collegiate to keep the peace, administer justice and distribute the state allocated grain ration (the Annona) and olive oil ration (the Amphora) that only residents of Rome receive. Meanwhile, the Trade Collegiate serves a similar role in the Golden District and the Valerian Collegiate as well in the University District.

It is important to remember that there are several differences between a collegiate and a guild, given that both are called Collegium in Latin (as are political and religious colleges). The only legal difference is that a guild is a publicly owned organization whilst a collegiate is privately owned by whoever is in charge. Leadership itself is another difference. In a guild, the owners of its assets elect a Magister to run the guild's affairs whilst in a collegiate the previous Centurio (Eng: Captain) chooses his successors. The last difference lies in reputation. Nearly all collegiates are recognized for their role in administering private justice and providing jobs to people who are out of work.

Demographics
Rome the most populous city in the Roman Empire and the world. More than 23,863,000 residents inhabit the Pomerium, which amounts to 1.11% of the Empire's total population. However, its growth rate of +0.5% a year, which has slowed down in recent decades, is not especially high. Historically, Rome was a rapidly expanding city. On several occasions, laws had to be enacted to curb its population growth. Between 1900 and 2000, the population went from 13.8 million to the 23.8 million it is today. This constitutes an increase of about 10 million people (+72.5%) in just a century. Such an increase in inhabitants has never occurred anywhere before.

The Eternal City's population density is rather low compared to other Roman cities due to the lack of skyscrapers and the plentitude of gardens and monuments. Conversely, Rome has been rated one of the greenest cities by both national and international publications. This is unsurprising since 12% of the city is covered in gardens and parks. However, a few parts of the city, such as the Aventine District, have more normal population densities, the latter having one of 4,300 inhabitants per km².

Poverty in the city is lower than almost anywhere else in the Empire, only Melita, Parisium and Constantinopolis have less poor. The average income in Rome is 2500 Dn, 19% higher than the national average. The Valentissima District (Regio V) for instance is rated the richest "area" on the planet, as all the Senators in the Bureau own residences there, as do a few thousand other members of the Patrician class. The average wealth of a resident there is somewhere in the millions of Denarii, not thousands. Others such as the aforementioned Aventine District have rates closer to the national average, something along the lines of 2260 Dn per person.

Ethnically speaking, Rome is a perfect representation of the original provinces of the pre-colonial Empire. Although about 86% of inhabitants are ethnically Roman, or mostly Roman, 5% are Greek, 2% are Egyptian, 3% are Phoenician, 2% are Judaean and 1% are Celtic or Brythonic. Furthermore, visitors from all across the Roman Empire can be spotted in the streets of Rome, though the law still only allows citizens entry into Italy. Education in the Empire's capital is also of such a high level that languages of all kinds can be heard spoken in the city's streets. Even non-native languages such as Nahuatl and Nipponese are practiced by hopeful students learning them in school.

Education
Like many other areas, Rome is renowned for its academic facilities. It has nearly 2,800 public schools and around 850 private or religious schools. In Latin these are all called Grammatici. A little over 1,730,000 university students attend either any of the city's two main universities (Latin: Universales) or four academies (Latin: Academiae). Within the Roman education system, a University is defined as any group of facilities which consists of multiple Academies that are part of the same organization and offer concurrent education. The largest is the Grammaticus Universalis, the historical model of a Roman university. Its student body consists of about 720,000 students that attend at least one of its eight different on campus academies. These academies are for Engineering, Theoretical Sciences and Mathematics, Anthropology and History, Law and Politics, Business, Teaching, Medicine, and Philosophy.

The other Universalis is the Academia Imperia Scientiae, which has extensive educational facilities on top of those dedicated to research and scientific discussion. The Quattuor Academiae that make up this Universalis are the Physics Academy, the Chemistry Academy, the Medical and Biological Academy, and the Academy of Advanced Research, the latter of which works together with many full-fledged researchers. About 590,000 students attend the AIS, making it the fourth largest university in the world and third in the Roman Empire. Some of the most significant advancements have been made in the Academies and their research facilities, including the discovery of 24 elements, the invention of almost a thousand materials and the founding work for both Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.

Each of Rome's solitary Academies offer a more detailed education on their dedicated subject area, allowing a student to finally receive an Academy Degree and be named a Doctor (Eng: PhD) in their respective field. Rome's four academies are: the Academia Lingua, for the study of Latin and its literature; the Academia Artificis de Roma, for artistic study; the Academia Mathematicae Teslae, for advanced mathematical studies; and the Academia Legis de Roma, for advanced legal studies. Altogether, these four academies have a total student body equaling 420,000 people, though it is important to note that their campuses and organization are completely separate and this is simply an aggregate number.

Crime
The streets of Rome are monitored by three policing bodies: the Praetorian Guard, the 101st Legion and the Collegiates. The first of these three dedicates 10,000 guardsmen to the defense of the city, patrolling the Imperial and Valentissima Districts in particular. As is the custom, the lictors (freedmen bodyguards) of magistrates are replaced with Praetorians for their stay in Italy and so there may be up to 20,000 guards in the city at any one time.

The 101st has 6,000 legionaries stationed in the city to patrol the Imperial, University, Golden, Transtiberim - as well as all the others to a lesser extent - and to prepare areas of the city for the arrival of the Emperor. Their general is no one but Caesar himself and so nothing is done without his consent. For the most part, the 101st legionaries are the policemen most favored by the Roman populace because they lack the arrogance of Praetorians and have greater discipline than collegiate members.

Most Districts in the city, barring the Imperial and Valentissima Districts, have a collegiate dedicated to maintaining order and providing government doles to the Plebs. These include: the Aventine Collegiate (Regio XII), the Trade Collegiate (Regio IX), the Tiberian Collegiate (Regio III), the Baker's Guild (Regio IV and VIII) and the Caelian Collegiate (Regio XIII).

Crime in the Eternal City is incredibly rare and mostly limited to minor gang battles between rival collegiates, which the government tolerates up to a point. There are about 34 homicides and 860 robberies a year, both attributable to the almost non-existence of poverty. Others causes may be that firearms are prohibited in Rome, except by direct government authorization, and the physical condition of buildings in the city are up to a very high standard.

Administration
Roman government is unusual in its capacities as a city and province. Administrative duties are in the hands of the Federal government of the Imperium. Ministerial representatives given to most cities are replaced by the Ministers themselves, so management efficiency of waterway, road, banking, etc affairs is high.

De jure Head of the Eternal City is the Caesar, praetor of the Roman province, governing from the Palatia Caesares. Other sections of government such as the legislative government, in the Curia Sulla, and the Justice system, in the Supreme Court of Rome, are likewise in Rome's Imperial District. The governing body of the Roman Catholic Church, the Curia Episcopates, and the Cathedral of Rome's Bishop are there as well.

Howbeit, Rome's Sixteen Districts, Regios I to XVI, are represented by Senators just like any other Regio. Therefore, whilst the Federal government controls Rome, its inhabitants receive just as much representation in parliament as any other Roman citizens, a problem which similar OTL establishments have been plagued with. The 18,000 residents of the Imperial District receive particularly prominent representation as they elect their own representative.

Culture
The city of Rome is one of two cultural centers of the Empire, the other one being Parisium in Lugdunensis. Rome was the starting point of the highly influential Veritamilis, (Eng: Realist) style of painting and the birthplace of Aulus Motias Lugius, the founding father of the Renascie movement in theatre and music. Additionally, the city is the location of one of three art only academies and the Academia Lingua for the study and improvement of the Latin language.

The Musaeum Romanum Artificis is a vital icon of Roman culture within its capital. As well as featuring some of the finest artistic pieces taken by Rome's Legions, it possesses the greatest collection of Imperial art in the world. There is an entire wing dedicated to the works of Archaedavincus, with originals or replicas of nearly everything he ever drew for the public. The rest of the museum is organized by the artistic style and time period of its pieces. An estimated 36,000 works are on display here, of which about half are paintings. One of the most respected displays contains a reconstruction of Romulus' hut, with parts supposedly from the original structure.

Undoubtedly, the museum's most famous section is its Hall of History, a two hundred meter long hall on the top floor of the north end that has the finest paintings that depict scenes from Rome's history, from the Raising of Romulus and Remus to the Moon Landing. The exhibit begins with the aforementioned hut and ends with a 28 feet tableau called the Massacre of Wentria, depicting the nuclear destruction of a Roman city in the last World War. The Museum as a whole receives over 14 million visitors a year, more than any other museum of art in the world.



The iconic Academia Lingua is the operational center for the Lingua Latina, spoken by almost four billion people around the world. Founded in 1221, the Academy has since organized the grammatical rules and managed the addition of new words to Latin. Over 940,000 distinct words have been added by the organization, and another 100,000 modified to a simpler more logical form. However, the greatest invention of the Academy was the Latin Codex, created in 1764. Based on Korean script that they had learned from Japan, Roman linguists designed the Codex to convey the maximum amount of information as effectively as possible. The Code consists of 60 typolus symbols, representing sounds, that are combined to form words about the physical size of Japanese script. This new code, due to its simplicity and conservation of space became common on government issued forms and other written or typed messages. However, it is rarely used on public signs or for personal messages as only about 24% of Latin speakers are "fluent" in its writing (49% of the Empire's population).

Entertainment and Performing Arts
The Odeon Magne, built by Emperor Magnus II, is the largest theater in the world, able to house upwards of 20,000 people at any one time, with a maximum capacity of 20,530 seats. Typically, two theatrical plays are held there a day, by either local or travelling performers. However, there are several other events at the theater, including nearly a dozen traditions that the theater follows through with on either a weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Sunday evenings the latest blockbuster film is shown on a screen put over the stage, whilst mornings of the same day there is the showing of an old classic film. Wednesdays usually feature day long musical concerts, featuring entire orchestras which play in succession usually starting from 10:00 am. As well there is the yearly performance on January 16 of Surgum Augusti, widely considered to be the finest play in all Roman theater. Not including banquet events and the like, the Odeon Magne receives about 21 million visitors a year, as measured by the number of tickets sold.

Aside from the Odeon Magne, 15 other theaters exist throughout the city, most of which can hold between 2,000 and 8,000 people. These all feature various theatrical events, usually one or two times a week, and are places of meeting for their local community, for public announcements usually. As well, movies play everyday from these theaters, though seeing them here is usually not as popular as seeing them at dedicated movie theaters. In any case, Rome features more theaters than any other city in the world, and its combined theater visiting rate exceeds those of the next five cities combined. The selection of movie theaters in Rome is likewise very impressive. Although none exist in the Imperial District, the city as a whole contains about 310 movie theaters, ten of which have more than one screen. The Pinacotheatrum in Regio III is the largest, featuring 22 screens in total and seating for 17,000 people at any one time.

Cuisine
Rome has a reputation as an innovator in the culinary that stems from the diverse mixture of recipes brought in by its equally diverse inhabitants. No other city can boast about such a widely varied palette of foods. Though the city's tabernae tend to serve only local Italian food, there are countless specialist restaurants that exclusively serve Egyptian, Celtic, Greek, Chinese and other foreign dishes. Likewise, Roman markets sell food that comes from all over the world, allowing them to meet the tastes of even the most peculiar Romans.

Public restaurants and delis serve one of two Roman meals - depending on the time of day - the prandium, a kind of brunch and the cena (Eng: dinner). This is the same for nearly all Roman cities. However, Roman establishments, like those of Parisium, are known for their policy of being the location for lavish dinner parties hosted by the nobility. The best restaurants will usually have a plaque on them saying CAESAR HIC EDIT (Eng: Caesar ate here), regardless of whether this is actually true or not.

Tourism
Rome was the center for global tourism for nearly two millennia and it is not about to lose that honor any time soon. Though very few international visitors come to the city, due to the laws restricting their entry, tourists from within the Empire itself are incredibly common. An average year sees somewhere around 102 million visitors to the city, nearly 30% coming from elsewhere in Italy or from Greece and another 45% from other European or North African provinces.

Though cultural and historical monuments attract tens of millions of visitors alone, Rome's numerous museums, theaters, religious sites, hotels, restaurants and the like are equally attractive. At any given time, the city's population is swollen by the additional 2 million tourists visiting its sights.

Despite the prominent tourist culture that exists in the city, most of Rome's establishments cater to its citizens first, and only to visitors by coincidence. Nevertheless, this attitude to non-residents only makes people more willing to visit the city as it ensures they will get an authentic experience of its lifestyles.

Sports
The sporting center of Rome is the Great Colosseum, or Aelian Amphitheatre, in the Imperial District. Each day up to ten individual events might take place in this enormous arena. These range from public announcements, to religious processions, to sports and gladiatorial combat. Although several of these occur on a regular basis, each day has its own unique schedule. The only constant is a morning announcement by either the Emperor, the Consul Italii or a prominent member of the military at sunrise to announce the events of the day. This goes on all year round, every day, without exception. The only difference is the significance of the announcement, which is elevated on special occasions.

The Forum around the Colosseum is perhaps the busiest plaza besides the Forum Magnum itself. Entry to the base of the Colosseum, though not the seating area, is freely available through any of its 720 archways at ground level. Contestants enter the arena directly from underground passages (Latin: Hypogeum), but when the home team is playing, they come in from the Emperor's private entrance.

At ground level there are four staircases inside the Colosseum, each leading to different classes of seats. The Sedis Vilis are entered from the south staircase and are free to everyone. These stairs go to a hallway at the top floor of the Colosseum, where the marble benches are located. The east staircase leads to the marble chairs called the Sedis Paris. It costs a mere Denarius to get in here. In total there's enough seating for 200,000 spectators on the Sedis Vilis and there are 100,000 Sedis Paris.

The north staircase goes to the 40,000 Sedis Lepidis that cost 40 Denarii each. The chairs there have comfortable cushions on the back and arm rests as well as the seat itself, all of which are removed and washed monthly. The next best place to watch from are the 9,000 ''Sedis Pulchris. ''Though they cost a hefty sum of 150 Dn, the chairs are recliners (not unlike a Roman couch) and snacks and refreshments are provided by paid workers over the course of one's stay. Once anyone has paid to enter, they may stay in the Colosseum for as long as they want but must pay again if they go back to ground level for any reason. Additionally, there are 1,000 arena-side cubicula with lecti for four people each and a table in the middle where meals are served and a palatial spectator zone with a throne for the Emperor and lecti or chairs for up to 16 of his guests.

Fighting remains the most popular Colosseum sport, though it has become significantly toned down since the bloody combat of Ancient Rome. The kinds of fights featured include: Roman or Chinese martial arts; staged spectacles between anachronistic warriors, that occur every month; battles to the death between criminals sentenced to die anyways and classical gladiatorial combat. The latter sort of combat is particularly interesting as it was banned in Rome since the Great War ended in 1704 but was replaced with a non-lethal version of fighting in 1962. The Gladiator's Guild, which received most of the profits from Colosseums around Greece and Italy, invented suits of armor and complimentary weapons that whilst non-protective and fragile respectively, produced electromagnetic fields that could measurably impact each other. If a sword struck an opponent in the chest, or any other lethal area, the opponent's suit locked up to indicate they had been "killed." Additionally, blows to other parts of the body cause those specific areas to lock up. The technology has since improved, making modern gladiatorial combat in Rome uncannily similar to real combat.

The Colosseum features four other major sporting events. From Thursday to Friday there is the weekly track and field tournament, which is open to anyone who thinks they have what it takes to compete in it. In the Winter, Ullapilla matches, from the Mayan sport ullamaliztli, are occasionally played in Rome as part of the yearly Nike Tournament. Additionally, most days feature horse or chariot races, on which bets are placed. All transactions for gambles on sporting events go on in the Villa Aleari, since public gambling is outlawed elsewhere in the city. Another large sports tournament is the Bellatoria Cup every Summer, featuring a sport invented by legionaries in the conquest of Germania, and developed into a civilian sport in the 900's CE. This is now Rome's national sport and is played by well over a billion people in leisure tournament conditions.

Besides the sports, there are numerous other events that take place in the Aelian Amphitheater. Though mock naval battles are certainly the most spectacular, the public particularly enjoys the plays and concerts put on there as well. Furthermore, any large event, like a state funeral address or technology exhibition, is often held in the Colosseum when occurring in Rome. When the Ludi Capitolani are held in Rome - the Host province is changed each time - many of its events, all of an Olympic nature, are performed in the Colosseum. Since one Ludi can last up to three months, the spectacle that arises from hosting it is incredible. The last time that Rome was the Host province was in 1932, when the Emperor cancelled the games in Athens in an attempt to bring a pleasant distraction to the Roman people after the Second World War.

Transportation
Nearly all forms of transportation in the city originate from the public sector and are managed directly by the Ministry of Transportation, operating out of Regio III. Rome has one of the most unusual underground railway systems in the Empire, one of only three cities that does not follow the square grid pattern. Instead a complex but highly organized network of 18 separate lines spans underneath the city, offering transport from virtually any area to another. Most importantly, one line in particular stretches far away from the city to the Caeliportum Gentilitionum Romano (Eng: National Airport of Rome), another to Julian Station where all the continental trains meet, and a third which goes to the municipal car parks, and these are 90, 30 and 60 kilometers away respectively.

About six of the municipal train lines pass through one particular station in Regio IX, the city's central business district. Known as Tesla Station, the structure extends about 260 meters underground, with nine floors, and is one km across at its longest part. By most estimates, the station serves about 11.3 million passengers a day, and an annual total of 3.9 billion (1999). There are six entrances and exits to the station, each going to separate locations within the district.

Unique to Rome, public transport is free. No pass or ticket of any kind is required to enter its tube system. Nevertheless, most residents use the streets to get around their own district, mostly to enjoy the atmosphere of the city. Small personal transport, like bicycles and small electric vehicles are allowed along conventionally designated routes (as in they are not marked but everyone knows where they are on the road). Walking is however more common than anything else.