Rome (Superpowers)

Rome, commonly known as Urbs (The City or Imperial City) is the political capital of the Roman Empire, founded on April 21, 753 BC. It began as a city that became one of several in the Roman Kingdom, but during the Republic and Early Imperial years it was the municipal capital of the province Italia. In 1067, during the Aegranian Reforms of the government, Rome became its own distinct province, the second municipal one in the Empire, after Melita. Although Rome was originally the only capital of the Empire, in 771 CE the Emperor Valens split its power into the cities of Constantinopolis and Carthage,leaving Rome itself as the nation's political capital.

The city of Rome is located on the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River and is not organized into any single district of the province. Enclosed within its walls, as long-term residents are about 23,860,000 Roman citizens. Due to a law passed in 1191 as part of the Constitution, "no person born of even one non-Roman [citizen] parent can set foot in Italia et Roma, except by permission of the government". Though initially this meant slaves were still allowed in, the 1449 Professio de Patronatos de Omnium et Servorum ended this as they were no longer seen as property anymore, but real people.

Amongst its titles are other names such as Caput Mundi and The Eternal City, both of which it has rightly earned. Its global influence in politics, literature, high culture, the arts, music, religion, education, fashion, cuisine and sports have led many to call it the City of the World. However, very few international organizations are based there, with the exception of the Roman Headquarters of the Alliance, as it is rather difficult for foreigners to so much as even enter the city. Still, Roman organizations and business often make their headquarters in Rome, especially as a means of earning further prestige.

Although the city has been continually inhabited for more than 2700 years, very little of its ancient wonders are still left standing. Buildings such as the Curia, Coliseum, Trajan's Column and Constantine's Arch have been either rebuilt in an even grander fashion, or had near perfect replicas built in the city to fit into its layout. Many of the grandest buildings in the city that are still standing were built following the 851 Earthquake that destroyed many parts of the city.

Through its unique status as a municipal province, the laws governing the layout of Rome differ greatly from those of other cities, even Melita. No non-government buildings are permitted to exceed 40 meters, and for several centuries, constructing a building 20 meters or more has required paying a heavy tax. These laws are intended to make the city of Rome as ascetically pleasing as possible and so the layout of the city at the present, meaning its roads, major buildings and walls, was designed over half a decade by some of the greatest architects of the mid-1500's.

Geography
The city of Rome is arranged as a perfect circle with a radius of 80 km, or 20 kilometron, as delineated by its city walls. Four gates at each point of the compass act as the only entrances into the city, Melista or Caelum are not permitted within another 80 kilometers from the city walls. Each of these gates is made almost entirely of gold and silver and stands at 40 meters tall. Above each one is a marble archway that is topped off by a golden two-headed eagle standing atop the symbol of SPQR. The Golden Gates are typically left closed but open automatically whenever someone approaches them from either side. Directly on both sides of each gate are bastions that each house 100 members of the Praetorian Guard dedicated to the protection of the city. However, no weapons or artillery of any kind are visible anywhere around the walls.