Byzantine-Roman Setting

[GreyMantle]

So I'm fleshing out a setting for an upcoming game. I've decided it would be appealing for the major empire of the setting to have a Byzantine-Roman feel. So what details could I use to convey this theme?

I can have slavery be a common and accepted concept (my players are mature enough to deal with that). Slaves will be capable of rising to prominence. I can have eunuchs working in powerful governmental positions and as servants and slaves by the mighty. I can have old, politically savvy houses competing for the emperor's throne. I can have most people talk about how much better things were in the old days. I can have an extensive imperial bureaucracy. Chariots and chariot racing can be things people do.

Unfortunately, I am working with preset constraints on most of the major names of the setting. And none of the names sound particularly Greek or Latin. Also unfortunately, most of what I know about the Byzantine Empire has to do with the people closest to the throne. Whereas this campaign is starting in the boonies and is likely to stay there for quite some time.

Any other suggestions?

[Flickerdart]

The ERE spanned a period of about 1100 years. You're going to have to be more specific about which time period you want.

[Knaight]

The ERE spanned a period of about 1100 years. You're going to have to be more specific about which time period you want.

That said, there are parts of it which are more iconic than others. Think the reigns of Justinian and Basil I.

[Ashtagon]

...I can have most people talk about how much better things were in the old days. ...

Not this. We have the hindsigt of history. The Byzantines (who always called themselves the Roman Empire) believed that history was merely a prelude to their current state, which they saw as the crowning achievement of the world. Sure, they no longer directly controlled the former provinces, but they didn't see them as relevant, and even saw holding direct control over them as a burden rather than a bonus. This wasn't entirely without justification - Byzantium was the biggest city outside of China and India by a considerable margin at the time.

[Hyena]

It's probably a good idea to have an analogue of Byzantium-Seljuk war. It was pretty important for the history and shaped a lot of things to come, nevermind the constant warfare.

[LibraryOgre]

You might check out Atlas Games' "The Sundered Eagle: The Theban Tribunal", which is about the Byzantine Empire's holdings in Mythic Europe.

[TheYell]

OK if it's a province of a classical empire:

You should decide the rough geography and history of the province. Was it largely founded by Imperial settlers, or conquered? Was that fairly recent, or is the province in the 5th generation of Imperial service? Is it isolated, bordered by wild ocean and wilderness, or is it full of navigable seas and full of foriegn trade?

The Empire is a paternal autocracy and its main engine will be a uniform and superior military. It will be formed to sustain the superior privileges and culture of the Capital, by divine will.

Socially there will be firm hierarchies. At the bottom, slaves; then local noncitizen freedmen; then local noncitizen authorities; citizens of Empire; Imperial troops and representatives. There will be legal discrimination and at the same time an effort to repress automation and innovations that cause too much displacement - Imperial society is supposed to guarantee each person their proper place.

An isolated province, or one recently conquered, will be harshly under the yoke. The governor will know he is meant to convert inferior people to the Imperial way. Mere wealth, or traditional status, will not cancel out the lack of Imperial citizenship, and may actually be dangerous. The locals will either tend to make extravagant and impractical gestures to adopt the culture, religion, sports and vices of the Capital, or look towards eventual revolt.

A more central and older province, or one prosperous with foreign trade, may have more diversity and a more diplomatic governor. Foreigners with wealth, or traditional leaders, will be welcome guests as long as they are obedient. The governor will insist on the superiority and dominance of the empire, but can trust to pragmatism to demonstrate it. Imperial sports, culture and religion will be celebrated but other forms may also be popular, although nobody will dare suggest they are competing forms.

The existence of an empire will demonstrate the superiority of the Imperial military. It will be the personal instrument of the Emperor in the provinces, the example of the Empire's virtues and religious authority, as well as being competent and deserving of its fierce reputation.

Normally the large units of the Empire remain intact, and are surrounded and augmented by local auxiliaries who do the chores of guarding convoys, scouting, patrolling, carrying messages, and in a large battle, harrying the flanks of the enemy. These auxiliaries may actually outnumber the formal soldiers of empire, but are more likely to be dispersed through the province as the scouts who alert the governor to bring up the legion. The formal units of Empire will be found in formal camps, or forts, or inherited castles. Auxiliaries perform honorable imperial service, and after a term of service are often rewarded with citizenship, which tends to separate them from other locals in the eyes of both local and Imperial communities.

The army will be superstitious, conservative, contemptuous, and disciplined. The word of their officers against noncitizens will not be publicly challenged by Imperial authorities, although a fair and impartial governor will seek to make private amends.

The boundaries of the Empire are often physical barriers such as mountains, seacoasts, or broad rivers. The marches may be relaxed, and marked by a blazed greenway through forests patrolled by auxiliaries, or a formal permanent road along a row of forts, or a fortified wall backed by a road with several Imperial legions as garrison. It will largely depend on who is beyond the border. Given the chance, the Empire will prefer to deploy their frontier a day's march from the nearest enemy, so the Empire has time to organize a reaction to an enemy muster. Wandering beyond the limits defined by the emperor without orders will be discouraged. That can be indifference to a party attempting to sail from the Empire in a major trade city, to actual arrest for escaping beyond a fortified wall into barbarian territory.

[CowardlyPaladin]

If you ahve the time look up the podcast 12 Byzantine Rulers, that should help alot

[ForzaFiori]

The Empire also likely boarders (ether directly, or with a few small buffer states in between) another large empire, analogous to the Parthians, Arabs, or Turks.

EVERYTHING is under the control of the state in some way - this includes religion. The highest priest of the land is either the Emperor himself, or subordinate to the empire.

Depending on how early your looking, there may be some want to conquer a lost or collapsed part of the empire (like Justinian's attempt to reconquer the west) or it may have recently happened, and people are now strongly against trying it again due to it's failure.