Municipal government

[Aldarion]

OK, so political-military organization of my Empire approximates that of Middle Byzantine Empire with thematic system: landed soldiers etc. You can read more on historical background of such a system here. As for my world, it came about during Fomorian wars, when what remained of the Empire suddenly found its revenues completely insufficient for needs of defense, which then led to establishment of essentially stratioka ktemata / pronoia system. Question is, what would that imply for local government? Would it be possible for cities/towns to have organic / internal / bottom-up government (which would then lead to some being duchies, some republics etc.) in the vein of Holy Roman Empire, or would they all be governed by governors appointed by the central government? Or maybe there would be a combination of two systems (akin to Imperium from Warhammer 40k) where city handles most of its affairs by itself, but there is an imperial governor to keep an eye on whether city's obligations are fulfilled?

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

I would think that it would be likely to have a caste system among the leaders in such a society, with Emperor>Monarch>Prince(ess)>Duke/Duchess>Count(ess)>Baron(ess)/Baronet, whether or not you actually use those names of course. It could have words that are different to describe the same thing like:
Emperor>High Monarch>Low Monarch>Spibble>Splat>Sporp
But it's really up to you.

 

[Aldarion]

I would think that it would be likely to have a caste system among the leaders in such a society, with Emperor>Monarch>Prince(ess)>Duke/Duchess>Count(ess)>Baron(ess)/Baronet, whether or not you actually use those names of course. It could have words that are different to describe the same thing like:
Emperor>High Monarch>Low Monarch>Spibble>Splat>Sporp
But it's really up to you.

That sounds like a feudal system, nothing like what I envisaged...

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

You said

duchies

and that threw me off

 

[Aldarion]

You said

and that threw me off

Yeah, that was my mistake; it would actually be closer to a count but what I meant is basically a single person ruling a city and its surrounding area (which would be equivalent to Roman municipium).

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

Ah, so city states under an empire. Yes, that's an excellent idea.

 

[skip.knox]

I don't see why you couldn't have one of everything. There was certainly a wide variety of forms of local governance historically. And fictionally you have an even greater range of possibilities. In fact, maybe even take a crack at inventing something new. Political science as creative fiction!

 

[Aldarion]

I don't see why you couldn't have one of everything. There was certainly a wide variety of forms of local governance historically. And fictionally you have an even greater range of possibilities. In fact, maybe even take a crack at inventing something new. Political science as creative fiction!

That was actually one of ideas I had. Have cities have freedom of internal governance and then explore different types of government.

 

[S.T. Ockenner]

That could be pretty cool if executed correctly

 

[Gurkhal]

OK, so political-military organization of my Empire approximates that of Middle Byzantine Empire with thematic system: landed soldiers etc. You can read more on historical background of such a system here. As for my world, it came about during Fomorian wars, when what remained of the Empire suddenly found its revenues completely insufficient for needs of defense, which then led to establishment of essentially stratioka ktemata / pronoia system. Question is, what would that imply for local government? Would it be possible for cities/towns to have organic / internal / bottom-up government (which would then lead to some being duchies, some republics etc.) in the vein of Holy Roman Empire, or would they all be governed by governors appointed by the central government? Or maybe there would be a combination of two systems (akin to Imperium from Warhammer 40k) where city handles most of its affairs by itself, but there is an imperial governor to keep an eye on whether city's obligations are fulfilled?

I suppose it will depend on how you want your empire to work internally.

If we would however go by the Hellenistic Kingdoms who did to my knowledge have a policy with local self-determination under the "guidence" of a royal agent, then yes it could absolutly work. You may want to take a look at the Antagonids who to my knowledge experimented a bit with how to control Greece, with mixed results.

As for diversity of forms of government you should know that its risky to have other political ideologies in power except your own as they will be more inclined to rebel if given a chance, and band together with like-minded. But if there can be a royal agent to supervize the city and a royal garrison to back him up, then it could absolutely be so that it could work with local self-rule.

One think you may think about is the legal powers of that agent and how he, or she, operates. Some way for the agent to essentially cause a stop to activities that goes counter to the empire's interests but also a way that can be used without humiliating the local rulers in public, make the emperor look like a tyrant or making local rule a farce.

 

[Miles Lacey]

The United Arab Emirates is made up of seven Emirates which run their own affairs. They are ruled by an Emir. The Emir of Abu Dhabi is the President of the United Arab Emirates and Head of State. The Emir of Dubai is the Prime Minister and Head of Gvernment. Each Emir rules their Emirate as an absolute monarch. Thus, there's no reason why other territorial entities, such as a city-state, couldn't be ruled by a single person. No matter what system of governance you have it's likely something similar to what you have in mind has existed in the real world but you may need to do some hunting around.

I modelled the local and central governments of the Empire in my WIP on the German Empire of 1871-1918 with some elements of the 1919-1933 Weimar Republic, the Maori King of the Waikato-King Country tribes here in New Zealand and the Hanseatic League tossed in.

 

[Aldarion]

I suppose it will depend on how you want your empire to work internally.

If we would however go by the Hellenistic Kingdoms who did to my knowledge have a policy with local self-determination under the "guidence" of a royal agent, then yes it could absolutly work. You may want to take a look at the Antagonids who to my knowledge experimented a bit with how to control Greece, with mixed results.

As for diversity of forms of government you should know that its risky to have other political ideologies in power except your own as they will be more inclined to rebel if given a chance, and band together with like-minded. But if there can be a royal agent to supervize the city and a royal garrison to back him up, then it could absolutely be so that it could work with local self-rule.

One think you may think about is the legal powers of that agent and how he, or she, operates. Some way for the agent to essentially cause a stop to activities that goes counter to the empire's interests but also a way that can be used without humiliating the local rulers in public, make the emperor look like a tyrant or making local rule a farce.

I only just remembered, but this is what I have written about political organization:

Political organization

The Empire began as essentially a union of cities. Term "Empire" comes from imperium, that is the area that is under authority of Vetronia, but states little of overall organization. Due to history of independent cities as well as limits of communication, decentralized government is a necessity. Each city is allowed to manage its own affairs, but under different terms. Normal arrangement has local municipal government – formed on city's own terms – overseen by imperial governor, whose duty is to make sure city fulfills its obligations (in terms of tax, military obligations etc.) to the Empire. As long as these obligations are fulfilled, no interference by central government will happen.

Empire as such is divided into provinces. Each province is both civilian administrative area, as well as administrative and recruitment area of a field army. Provinces are further subdivided into areas which are administered by individual legions of a field army, and legionary areas are divided into areas administered by individual cohorts. Commander of army of a province is thus also governor of the same province. Unlike soldiers and officers to the rank of legate, governors and other high officials are not given lands: they draw their income wholly from wages provided by the central government. This discourages any separatist tendencies.

Overall organization is as follows:

• Provincia – Field Army – Magister Militum per [province name]
  
  
• Consularia – Legio – Legatus
  
  
• Praesidia – Cohors – Tribunus
  

As noted, commander of each unit holds military and civilian authority in the area assigned to support unit in question. Cohors is the smallest military unit with assigned corresponding territory, and thus the lowest level at which military and civilian command are unified.

Most day-to-day governance however is carried out at individual settlement level. Many laws – those which concern internal governnace of cities – are in the hands of city assemblies. These assemblies can range from only richest people in the city to the entire adult male populace. Cities may also however be under rule of an individual, or a small ruling council. Citizenship is hereditary and strictly regulated – foreigners do not have the right of voice, though what counts as a "foreigner" varies from city to city (with citizenship requirement being from several years to – more usually – several generations).

At the head of the Empire is the Emperor. Citizens can bring issues to Emperor's attention in one of several ways:

1. daily reception (salutatio)
   
   
2. public banquets
   
   
3. religious ceremonies
   

Common people lack most of these options, but can bring issues to attention by organizing protests and demonstrations at forums or at public games. In extremis, traditional option to invade the palace and throw the Emperor out of the window (defenestratio) is also available. Provincial populace expresses its political interests through the army, which itself is drawn directly from provinces and is heavily localized.

Emperor himself is proclaimed after securing the acclamation of the Senate, the people and the army. In practice, since Senate has little real power and people of provinces are represented by the army, only acclamation by the army (both central and provincial) and by people of the capital truly matters. There is no hereditary principle; as such, successor must be proclaimed Emperor – and prove himself capable – already during predecessor's life. This means that Emperors usually declare a junior Emperor to rule alongside them, and succeed them after their own death.

Emperor is commander-in-chief of the army, and head of the Church and the government. He can appoint and dismiss officials at will; thus status in state apparatus has no connection to wealth other insomuch that certain level of wealth can secure necessary education. Emperor may also confiscate properties of landowners. In day-to-day governance, Emperor consults with a circle of advisors, the comitatus. Emperor is thus uncontested lord of the Empire, with only provincial armies able to check his power, and even that only if several governors reach agreement.

Imperial Senate is significant in interregnum, when it essentially takes over governance of the Empire (alongside palatial officials) and may also elect or at least suggest candidates for the throne. In normal day-to-day governance it acts primarily as an advisory body, and also as a highest court in state for cases such as high treason.