The Eastern Roman Empire, sometimes known to foreigners as the Byzantine Empire, is arguably the true successor to the old Roman Empire that spanned most of Europe and split in the fourth century AD, as no one man in Rome was able to keep the peace on his own. While a succession of weak rulers eventually destroyed the Western Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire continued near-unabated, and reached a zenith encompassing Rome itself in the mid-Sixth century under Justinian. Ever at war with the germanic tribes that would later become the Holy Roman Empire, and with the threat of the Arabs and others from the Middle East at their gates with an army ill equipped to defend such expansive borders, the Easterners abandoned Rome to its fate and set about building a solid empire around the core of Constantinople. They vanquished all comers from the Arab world, taking hold of much of Arabia and, later, Egyptian territories which had once come under Britain's sphere of influence. As such, the ERE have control of much of the Mediterranean as well as the Holy Land. This latter point has brought them into serious contention with the Holy Roman Empire, as well as France and Britain prior to its secession from the Church of Rome.
Crucial to their success against the immense Crusades this germinated are the ancient war-winners once loyal to Solomon, the Army of Heaven's Wrath, as well as mercenaries and militia who form the core of the Byzantine war machine, all paid for by the vast wealth of trade and tax income generated by the Empire's fortuitous position encroaching three continents and a vast trade sea. Following a number of fruitless and unsuccessful campaigns against them, most other nations choose instead to maintain diplomatic relations rather than wage war upon them. Even Britain, the world's greatest power, would not lightly risk a large-scale conflict with them; their public opinion would not stand up to another disastrous campaign such as that they suffered in North Africa.
The ERE is ruled by a Senate body, who are elected from amongst the well-to-do citizenry from 'good families', effectively the old nobilitas, who sit in a single House, presided over by a Consul. None of these are presently Gifted, though there is nothing to stop Gifted applying for the position. This is the primary executive branch that deals with foreign affairs and matters of import for the whole Empire, however more local administration is done at 'thema' level. Each of the themata is led by a 'Strategos', who exercises both civilian and military jurisdiction, while a Judge holds judicial power, making each thema semi-autonomous and with the right to raise its own army and mercenaries from within its borders. The only agreement is that none of the Strategoi may make war upon each other, and it is understood that they serve the same Senate and Consul. Entitlement as Strategos or Judge is not hereditary, but meritocratic.
The Tagmata
The professional Roman Army, made up of the the tagmata, is proportionally very small but forms a solid core around which the more locally-raised militia, levies and mercenaries raised by a thema can be built. The tagmata are doggedly loyal and are considered highly trained and skilled. Tagmata troops are paid in both money and land, with their wages coming directly from the Imperial coffers rather than local thema purses.
The Empire relies heavily on the Army of Heaven's Wrath's warfighting strength, but rely perhaps even more heavily on the abject fear of their near-invincibility. Instead of maintaining a large standing army as other nations do, the ERE Strategoi raise militia and hire mercenaries to make up numbers and quell local unrest and invasion.
The Basilikon Plōimon
The Imperial Fleet, in contrast to the Tagmata, is a large organisation which encompasses both wet-navy ships and skyships in one whole. Seagoing naval vessels seldom set out without skyships to provide air cover, and the only time skyships are routinely deployed without sea vessels is on overland deployments.
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