The Egyptian Republic: A Democracy Game

Tani Coyote

Son of Huehuecoyotl
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The Egyptian Republic: a Democracy Game

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Inspired by the Civ 3 Stories and Tales section, I will be starting a new game(My Enerjakphoria seems to have levelled off a bit, so I'll have to retire Grandfather of All Monsters). I will play the standard Rhye's Map, but with a twist: starting locations are randomised on a world map. The map has also been adjusted so the Americas have a fair share of civs(9); this takes away Europe's tech dominance.

Note that the Democracy Game qualifier does not apply at the start! See below.

I will play as the Egyptians, Agricultural, Cultural, and Industrious. There are a few rules however, that will govern my behavior, and they are as follows:

-Democratic Tradition: Barring the first few turns, I must be in Republic, Constitutional Monarchy, or Democracy at all times if they are available

-Democratic Peace Theory: I can only declare war on non-liberal nations(Despotates, Absolute Monarchies, Communists, Fascists, Feudalists, Theocrats) and can only sign MPPs with liberal regimes. Oligarchic Republics, Constitutional Monarchies, and Democratic Republics are to be befriended; I can only fight with them if they attack me, and I cannot intentionall provoke wars.

-Democracy Game: Upon the change to Oligarchic Republic, you - the readers - become the elites, able to dictate actions of the state. A Constitution will be crafted at this moment, dictating what you can/cannot do. In other words, you will be able to approve/disapprove of wars, trades, etc. Exactly how that democracy works (i.e. whether only a limited number of readers vs. every single reader can vote) will change as well.

To begin this evening; first, there is dinner.
 
Chapter I: The Shrouded Past (4000-3000 BCE)

Spoiler :
Blessed by the Gods, the great power of Egypt began humbly, but with great potential for growth, in a heavily forested region, to later be discovered to be part of th eastern continent of "Europe" - Eurish in the old tongue.

The early Egyptians had many Gods, unlike the later years where Allah was adopted. However, four claimed the most important positions.

Sankh

Water
Spring
East
Compassion, Generosity

Often depicted as a blue hedgehog. His traits was compassion. As such, he often was in high regard by those involved with medicine, though merchants also hailed him due to his role as the God of commerce. A common theme of mythology was his rivalry with Shath, due to the latter's insistence on subtle manipulation of things, a contrast to the laid back Sankh's laissez-faire attitude with regards to mortals.

Shath

Fire
Summer
South
Death, Influence, Wealth, Renewal, Romance

Often depicted as a black hedgehog, befitting his grim roles. Shath had many roles, such as sewing the webs of fate, including bringing death. However, he also represented the cycle of life and death through his control of fire and energy overall, and as such, had a diverse legacy. He would bring sorrow, but also happiness, through his actions, hence his often-described apathy. Those seeking prolonged life, romance, fair judgement for the dead, and those of great wealth often considered him their patron. Politicians likewise often worshipped Shath, as it was believed that he conferred all fortune, good and bad, upon people, through his manipulation of the various individuals.

Mai

Air
Autumn
West
Wisdom

Mai was often depicted as a fox of varying tails. His trait was wisdom, and so he was the patron of scholarly individuals. Artists and other creative individuals likewise hoped for him to bestow upon them ideas in times of need. Maize was named after him due to its yellow coloration.

Nakun

Earth
Winter
North
Valor

Depicted as a dreadlocked being, he was the God of War and Valor. Soldiers hailed him as their patron, as did all those who sought to become brave and strong. Laborers also regularly respected him, hoping he could give them strength.

It was hard to avoid any one particular diety in every day life, though each of the Four Great Gods had a series of retainers, who are more commonly known. For instance, Anpu(known as Anubis by foreigners) was the Judge of the Dead, though he was technically under the suzerainty of Shath. By contrast, since life required land to grow food, water to drink, air to breathe, and energy to live, all four Gods were venerated in such matters as fertility and childbirth.

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The Egyptians' religiosity was readily apparent, given that they named their capital city Neteru, which literally translates as "Gods." Gold deposits in the nearby forest enriched the Egyptian people, and art regularly included trace amounts of gold if patrons of the arts could afford it.

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By 3700 BCE, the Egyptian people hade made contact with the Byzantines, who bordered a great sea they called the Baltic.

By 3500 BCE, Masonry had been "acquired" from a horde of lesser tribes, who were promptly absorbed into the Empire afterward. By absorbed, we mean the least valuable were executed, and the more valuable enslaved. Our predecessors weren't exactly big on being humane.

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3450 BCE, the Aztecs, another major power, were found further west. The Aztecs were aggressive, but backwards.

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3400 BCE, the Arabs were contacted, and they happily traded their secrets of a writing system in exchange for some of the concepts of Egyptian ceremony.

Come 3000 BCE, the Byzantines sold some slaves and all their gold to the Egyptian state in exchange for the tactics of Masonry. The Aztecs did the same. While they each got the technology at a great discount, with only about 70 gold brought in between them, it paved the way for a large treasury, which could be used to buy more technology off the Arabs.

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The deal was sealed between the despotic Pharoah and the Arabic Sultan.

A review of world affairs by spies showed Egypt to have as many people as Arabia, thus keeping things in balance. Egyptian technology was on par with the Arabs and superior to the Byzantine and Aztec efforts thanks to extensive scouting.

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Culturally, Egypt trumped all its rivals, and the senior officials of the government made note of this. In terms of economic and military strength, Egypt had a narrow lead over its foes, but that would be put to the test if rumors of huge population growth in Byzantium were true.

Egypt was off to a prosperous beginning, but could later Pharoahs keep it up?
 
Chapter II: Declining Power (3000-2200 BCE)

Spoiler :
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By the 3000s BCE, the powerful empire of Romacedon was met. While strong in natural resources, they were behind in technology. This was good, as a quick glance at Roman culture showed an intense bloodlust, and Egypt did not want to help them satisfy it!

By the 2750s BCE, the Byzantines had given up their secrets of how to train warriors, enriching the army tradition of the Egyptian Empire. The Byzantines, close relatives of the Romans, seemed to be gearing up for war... the numbers, the training... the Pharoah ordered them be closely monitored.

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All was quiet for five centuries, until the Russians, also primitive, were contacted. They did, however, have a large population base. The government reasoned Russia was far enough to be written off for now. However, given time and money, they would possibly become a major player, and so, needed to be watched.

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But even better, the city of Memphis was founded south of Byzantine Adrianople. With time, it was hoped, the city would grow, and be able to convince the Adrianopolitans to convert to Egypt's superior culture.

Memphis would also enable more of a grip in the gold trade; after all, Egypt needed riches for its pharoahs and its temples! As well, its ubiquitious value around the world made it a valuable tool in foreign relations. Constant deficit spending being a policy of the Egyptian state in its early millennia, it was important to have valuable commodities besides grain to keep foreign investors confident in the credit rating of Egypt.

A monument was ordered to be erected at Memphis, as Neteru tried to stabilise its population after such a massive migration. A new garrison would have to be erected to protect the city as well; the sole defenders had been sent to ensure the safety of the Settler Band.

A quick analysis of world affairs showed Russia to possess 7% of the world's population to Egypt's 3! The power status had also shifted, with Byzantium being twice as powerful as Egypt!

Culture remained Egypt's strong trait, and that would have to be what foreign policy was dependent on until a better defensive force could be trained.

Egypt did maintain immense technological parity over its foes, however, but that would change if the situation did not.
 
Also... unfortunately, the AI doesn't even aware of

From my game experience, Democracies attack each other without any moral issues.

And promptly collapse into dictatorships I can attack. ;)

Chapter III: Deal With the Devil (2200 - 1625 BCE)

Spoiler :
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The warlike Byzantines, while polite and graceful, were arming for war. But with whom? Either way, their techniques with Bronze were soon acquired, albeit at a large cost to Egypt's technological advantage.

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Contact with the Greeks, who came from a distant part of Asia (Yurashia in the old tongue) yielded some gold and more slaves to the Empire.

The Byzantines were frequently traded with, having rapidly replaced the Arabs as the greatest technological rival. If there was to be a war for domination, it would be with them. But could Egypt hold out until then?

Circa 1843 BCE, embassies were established with several nations, thanks to the techniques of diplomacy being harnessed from the Byzantines.

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Shortly afterward, in 1827 BCE, war with the West was nullified as a possibility - Byzantium was tied to Egypt! (Since we're not a democracy yet, I am allowed to break the rules; I will have to cancel once we democratise) It was a bit of a controversial decision, but since Byzo-Egyptian rivalry was not too tainted with hatred and disdain, nothing came of the criticism. For the time being, the alliance was a sound idea.

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1733 BCE, Scouts in the southern end of "Italia" (as the Romans called it) made contact with the British, who were based in the strategic trading city of London in the central northern coast of Africa (Efrika in the old tongue). The British were primitive, but their gold was useful.

Come 1699 BCE, it was apparent both Byzantium and Egypt alike were trying to build a center of learning, where new ideas would be proposed and old ideas archived - a Great Library. Fortunatelty, Byzantium was wracked by overexpansion, and as such, was not ready for such a project, at least nowhere near as much as Egypt the Great.

Heliopolis' founding in 1626 BCE marked a massive expansion of the Empire, and a monument to the Gods was underway immediately afterward. Once finished, Egypt would be able to swallow up vast swaths of land, allowing a great resource base to be harnessed. In the meantime, Neteru and Constantinople were locked in a cold war, a bit of friendly competition over who would control the world's center of learning for ages to come!

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Chapter IV: The Kingdom Falls(1625 BCE - 1225 BCE)

Spoiler :
1537 BCE, Mounted Combat was engineered by the genii at the Philosophers' Circles of Neteru. As such, the Empire was catapulted ahead technologically, finally having a bargaining chip it could use against its foes.

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1498 BCE, word arrived the Byzantines had carved a second alliance with an unknown power, known as "Carthage." It seemed they wanted a backup ally, as if they did not trust Egypt...

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1405 BCE, the Hebrews were discovered in the southwest of Eurish. They had a unique faith, one that believed in one God, but were so far away their false faith was not openly critiqued. Their time would come later on.

1367 BCE, those "Carthaginians" were met, coming from the large peninsula in the North of Europe. They were polite people with an interest in child sacrifice, but otherwise, were friendly. The Pharoah welcomed warm relations, given their mutual friend of Byzantium. The "Triple Alliance" would dominate Europe for some time...

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1318 BCE, the Pharoah celebrated the completion of the Great Library of Neteru, where scholars from around the world came to debate history, ethics, politics, and countless other topics. Every debate was recorded, and researchers from around the world often found their findings quickly copied and published in the Library. As such, Egypt's technological power was to be secure for some time.

Soon, the idea of a state where the head was non-hereditary, where the people had some kind of voice, began to surface. The ideology of Republicanism gained traction, most especially thanks to the nobility seeing a chance to enrich themselves at Pharoah's expense!

As such... civil war broke out in the year 1313 BCE; from then on, thirteen was considered an unlucky number.

The Romans tried to gain an alliance in 1309 BCE, but the Pharoah said he was kind of busy fending off rebels, so no ties could be made. As such, any alliance would have to await his inevitable victory over those rebels, who were based in Memphis.

The war was made of three factions. First, there was the Pharoah, based in Neteru. Then, there were the populists, who desired a radical change of government, based in Heliopolis. Finally, you had the nobles, based in Memphis, who stated that they would bring decentralisation and democracy to the country. The people believed them.

As such, come 1243 BCE, the rebels finally won after decades of on and off civil war. The nobles proudly rode into Neteru, having rallied the support of moderates in the populist camp.

Before long, the nobility and their supporters met in an isolated location, striving to build a state that enshrined democratic principles, yet also protected the power and privilege of the elites...


---

We will be transitioning into a pseudo-democracy game; I will set the rules of it come next post~
 
The First Constitution

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The first Egyptian Republic was established by the Constitution of 1242 BCE. The document was renowned for its extreme shortness, but this was not because of intent of simplicity, but intent of keeping the central government from becoming too powerful. That is, powerful enough to be a power broker in its own right, not dependent on the elites of society.

Crafted over the course of four and a half months, it was finally completed in Spring of 1242 BCE. The transitional military dictatorship that had presided over Egypt after the fall of the Pharoah was ready to step down, and allow a new era of political reform and change.

The first Republic is sometimes called an oligarchy, but modern theorists call it a nomarchy, due to the fact that it vested almost all power in the nomes - or provinces - of Egypt.

The first three nomes would be centered on the important cities of Memphis, Heliopolis, and Neteru. Colonial regions that became prosperous enough (city size 2) would be granted nome status as well, and thus, autonomy. In the meantime, the government in Neteru would manage new possessions.

The central government was given only two powers: the power of establishing standards for the benefit of internome commerce(weights, measures, interest rates, etc.) and national security. As such, its power was rather lax, serving moreso as an executive body than a legislative one.

Each nome had freedom to structure its local government however it wished, and this government would be able to do anything it wished barring seceding from Egypt; nomes were obligated to provide troops and taxes, but not much else. Every nome was told to select a single person, however they pleased, to be sent to the National Council, which was the body that enacted, reviewed, and enforced all national laws.

All the nomes eventually decided to, due to the limited nature of the national government, have their own Governors serve as the representative, meeting every few weeks to discuss national policy, barring emergencies. In the event of wars, the nomes would have their autonomy reduced in that the government could recruit troops without the consent of each nome.

Neteru, strong and proud, became a mixture of democracy and oligarchy, with its leader elected by the two-thirds of the nomal legislature, which was one third elected democratically, one third by sortition, and one third by heredity. As such, the nobility by definition could control the Governor.

Neteru's laws made it so any male over the age of 25 could vote; this protected the propertied and conservative interests immensely. As the Governor of Neteru was first among equals and had the exclusive right to initiate new policies, he was seen as representing the People's interests on the national stage, being directly elected.

Memphis, having been the heart of the nobility's campaign, was quickly turned into an oligarchy, with class determining eligibility for election to the Legislature and Executive. Only those who had served in a commanding capacity in the military or been born into one of the "better" families were seen as fit to rule.

Heliopolis had its voting age as all males at the age of 21, with its Governor directly elected. It was the most populist, and often most radical, of the nomes. The nobles of Memphis and Neteru frequently conspired to weaken Heliopolis as needed.

As gross as the injustices would seem, they were swallowed by the People. The disrepencies in political rights were easily explained away as being precious cornerstores of decentralisation, and that freedom of movement allowed people to move to more liberal nomes as they wished. Point taken, the masses often kept their mouths shut.

But such a rigid, locally-centered system couldn't hope to stand the test of time. Alas, that is a story for another day...

===

-I fulfill the functions of the Governor of Neteru. Two readers will have the voting power of the other Governors; just claim the position and you get it. First come, first serve. I shuffle the positions every 20 turns. For now, the Governors will serve until Turn 100.

-In my capacity as Gov of Neteru, I propose treaties with the other nations; I must obtain the approval of both other Governors to ratify them. This means, I cannot sign any trade agreements, sell techs, buy techs, go to war, etc. without the permission of the other two Governors.

-With regards to domestic policy, Governors will instruct me how to run their city. For now, production is so low you need only instruct me once every term. Later on, I will check in more frequently. Be as specific or as vague as you like with your orders, but if vague, give me areas to work with (i.e. build troops, build economy, build culture, etc.).

-Wonders are built without the consent of the Governor of each city. Why would you refuse such an honor?

For now, the Democracy Game will be very simple due to only three people participating; it will grow more complex and inclusive as the game goes on.
 
No claimants? Guess I get to continue my rule as dictator! :goodjob:

Chapter V: Illiberal Democracy (1225 - 550 BCE)

Spoiler :
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1142 BCE, the Gods' armpits surely exploded with joy upon hearing that a magnificent set of granaries were constructed on the outskirts of Neteru. The conditions were perfect for preservation of grain, and as such, cities around the Egyptian Republic always had a fresh supply of food, allowing growth rates to explode.

Come 1112 BCE, the Russians demanded Philosophy. In response, production of War Chariots was amped, in the hopes the Republic could protect itself.

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Come 977 BCE, the Byzantines desired to end the age old alliance of the Egyptian and Byzantine Empires. However, it was decided to pay a fair sum to renew it. Secretly, insurgents were funded while Egyptian diplomats were in the country. Within two decades, the Byzantine Emperor was executed, and the Byzantine Senate became the sole power in the country.

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892 BCE, Elephantine was founded north of Neteru, so as to relieve the overpopulation of the capital. It would also enable Neteru to carve a sphere of influence which it could use to combat the power of the other nomes.

837 BCE, the "Inca" offered an exchange of goods, and Egypt was all too happy to oblige. It was discovered they existed far, far to the south, in the Near East.

The primitive Portuguese were discovered soon after, locked on their island of "Albion." They were easily written off.

819 BCE, expeditions to Asia met the Babylonians of the Far East.

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773 BCE, the nome of Alexandria was constructed around the city of the same name, to the southeast of Neteru. As a result, two more sources of furs and one source of iron were added to the Republic. Three nomes had expanded to five, and there seemed to be no end to expansion, given the incredible productivity and population growth of Neteru.

By the 750s BCE, travel along the "Silk Road" had led into the heart of East Asia, where the Mongols were discovered.

The Asian trade bore fruits; Greece gave up nearly 500 gold in exchange for some Egyptian teachers instructing their scholars in Mathematics. Knowledge of math would help stimulate commerce over in Asia, and in turn, open more markets for the Republic.

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Asia became confusing, however, when it was discovered two "Greek" Empires existed! It appeared that the East, while bountiful, was split between two rival dynasties, the Spartans in the North and the Athenians in the South. It was hoped that some sort of profit could be gleaned from this rivalry. (Seriously, how the heck...?!)

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666 BCE, the Oracle of Neteru began to make his first prophecies, of which countless came true. As such, Egyptian belief in Shath planting visions of the future in people's heads strengthened, and accordingly, prophecy and Oracles sprouted up all over the Republic, though few were as prominent as the one at Neteru.

By 550 BC, plans were underway to expand to the "Caspian Sea." Securing a harbor would reduce dependence on the road networks for trade, as well as allow control of the Volga River.

In the meantime, over the course of 700 years, the Egyptian Republic had established contacts as far east as the Pacific Ocean, with embassies in the capital of every major power that was known. Wealth continued to pour into Neteru as research efforts were relaxed(other powers' research rapidly diffused to Egypt thanks to the Library), while cultural dominance was unquestioned(total value of 1912 to Babylon's 367).

At 1% of the world's land and 8% of its population, Egypt was also the largest nation overall, rivalled by Russia, at 6% of the world's people.

Egypt still lagged behind militarily, but with alliances and a powerful base for economic expansion, the army would naturally be able to be trained as needed.

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The nomes of Alexandria and Elephantine have joined the game; as such, there are four Nomes that can be partially managed by readers.
 
Chapter VI: Seizure of the Volga (550 - 150 BCE)

Spoiler :
In the middle of the first millennium BCE, Egypt's leaders were debating the next course of action. Some wanted to go north, and establish a port on the frozen seas there, so as to be able to access the Atlantic, albeit over a long and perilous journeys. Others wanted to head east to Siberia, while others wanted to secure the Volga River, which would allow entry to Asia as well as block off European expansion into the East.

Inevitably, the quest to conquer the Volga, that river which had nourished Egypt since its infancy, won out.

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Come 515 BCE, the Russo-Roman War started when the Romans attacked Russia without provocation. It was not the northern Latins of Byzantium, but the southern Latins of Romacedon that needed to be watched! The Aztecs and Arabs, meanwhile, signed a mutual protection pact, seeking to contain the Byzantine-Egyptian alliance.

Before long, Rome and the Aztecs also signed a MPP. As a result, it was expected that the Aztecs, and Arabs in turn, would be drawn into a war against the Russian Menace. A good thing, as it would weaken Russia.

500 BC, the Middle Ages were entered by Egypt, showing its supremacy over its foes.

...by the 430s BCE, however, word arrived the Russians had recruited a genius known as Sun Tzu to their side. Sun Tzu revolutionised their military, improving their army quality immensely. Rome would need all the help it could get!

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Come 397 BCE, at long last, the Caspian was put in the grasp of Egypt. A harbor city, which would enable more easy access to Asia's interior.

Russia also sought out allies in its war on Rome... the Greeks. ...the decision was laughed at at many an Egyptian dinner party, given how far away and inconsequential the Greeks were to Mediterranean affairs.

The potential for a grand European war worsened, however, when the Israelites and Russia aligned. All it would take was an attack or two, and the entirety of Europe would be at war! Egypt of course, had avoided such entanglements... it hoped the Byzantines followed suit.

Southeast Asia was discovered to be inhabited by the benevolent, pacifistic Hindus and Buddhists of "India." As such, it was decided to keep an eye on the state; given time, they could be the best ally in the region due to their incredibly peaceful stance.

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242 BCE, Giza was founded, and the Empire rejoiced! Thanks to its founding, the entirety of the strategic Volga river, which nourished the Egyptian Republic, was in Egyptian hands. The Arabs' expansion eastward, furthermore, would now be easier to scrutinise and protect against.

173 BCE, a new Settler band was ready to settle the eastern wastes, and claim them for Egypt's glory.

However, even with that glory, Egypt would soon be changed forever..

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The Islamic Republic

In 149 BCE, the Prophet Muhammad made himself known in the tiny town of Giza. His ideology preached there was only one God, a la the rising Christianity in Russia or the age-old Judaism of the Hebrews. Islam didn't stop at religious belief, however; the Quran detailed not just the spiritual, but the political and moral. Everything from how to respect God to how to govern a nation to how to wash one's feet was described in the various religious texts and proclomations of Islam.

Muhammad's teachings naturally caused a clash of beliefs, and the nobility feared the new faith as much as the clergymen. However, it was eventually decided to give Muhammad compromises - a theocratic republic was soon constructed.

The system radically changed. While every nome maintained autonomy as before, the old system of the Governors becoming the Councilors was modified immensely. Due to increasing complexity, many Governors stopped becoming the officeholder, instead appointing a delegate.

Every nome was to send one representative, as under the old system. However, the Governor of Neteru lost much of his prominence, and a new leader - the Caliph - took it for himself. The Caliph was elected by the heads of the mosques in an increasingly hierarchal election system, where the believers were far from the actual decision-making.

The Caliph was the head of all religious functions, and the Council continued to rule as the legislature and executive of foreign policy, but lost much of its judicial power. This is because the Caliph was given the power to interpret Islamic law, and make sure that all laws were compatible - including local laws.

As such, while the national government didn't make many laws of its own, it still had the power to review all laws at any level... making the central government very omnipresent.

Step One: Every nome sends a representative to Neteru, however they desire, to serve on the National Council. At the same time, the members of every Muslim congregation vote for someone to represent that chapter.

Step Two: The National Council decides legislative policy, but nominates one of its own members to serve as Chief Executive, who directs the government and initiates legislation and treaties. The Muslim representatives continue to move up in a chain from suburb, city, county, nome, etc. until there is one representative from every nome; these Islamic representatives serve for life barring recall, and elect the Caliph, who likewise serves for life barring recall.

Step Three: With the elections complete, the Councilors jointly direct legislation, with the Chief Executive guiding policy as well as maintaining legislative initiative at all times; he requires consent of all Councilors to push policy. The Caliph, meanwhile, often puts his opinion in on matters of foreign policy, but otherwise, manages the Sunni Islamic faith, as well as regularly responding to cases of "un-Islamic" laws at the lower levels.

Within a decade, many local laws were struck down in favor of Shari'a. Fortunately, the Caliph never addressed any laws that endangered the power of the military or financial elites.

(The office of Caliph is wholly ceremonial in terms of the Democracy Game; however. The old system of pick one city to manage/cast one vote on foreign policy is still open. Until 1/3 of all seats are filled, however, I continue to rule as dictator for obvious reasons. XP)
 
Asia became confusing, however, when it was discovered two "Greek" Empires existed! It appeared that the East, while bountiful, was split between two rival dynasties, the Spartans in the North and the Athenians in the South. It was hoped that some sort of profit could be gleaned from this rivalry. (Seriously, how the heck...?!)

Really, how? Greece presented by two different colors (???) Cool country names, btw: Magyarabia, Romacedon, Brithage, Russopotamia :lol:

PS. As for my commands... I am very lazy governor. I prefer to lie on the couch, drink wine, watch the dances of my concubines, and sometimes - listen to storytellers :lol:
 
I don't mind having absolute powers, so no qualms from me. ;)

As for Greece, I dunno. These games can be glitchy. On one of my games, Carthage somehow existed without Settlers or cities.

Likewise, in this one, I have all 31 civs enabled, yet only 29 were spawned. Dunno how the double Greece happened... but at least, they both are in China, so it actually enriches the story. I checked the file too; there's only one Greece. :confused:

As for combining names, you can blame BuckyRea's stories for starting the trend; he for instance, named a Zulu Empire in Brazil "Brazulu." :p
 
Chapter VII: The Rise of Islam Part I (150 BCE - 70 CE

Spoiler :
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132 BCE, news arrived the Hebrews had declared war upon Rome. It was predicted that Europe would soon cascade into chaos, which was good as it meant less competition for land in the east. Athens, likewise, soon declared war on Rome as well. It was wondered if this war could continue to escalate, or fizzle out. The Egyptian state hoped for the latter, for aforementioned reasons. The army was keeping Byzantine settler bands at bay, but it wouldn't last forever.

115 BCE, the Aztecs demanded Furs as tribute. They were soundly turned away at the door, and told that if they returned within ten years time, their messengers would be executed. The Aztecs believed the threat, but did not follow up on their own. It became clear more armed forces were necessary!

72 BCE, after 443 years of constant warfare, the Russians and Romans finally declared a peace accord. However, would Rome merely re-ignite the war with attacks upon the Hebrews? A bad idea, seeing as the Athenians had made friends with the Indians of Southeast Asia, and by friends, we mean allies. As such, Rome would face constant war with the East as well as the West. The Caliph suggested spreading Islam to Rome more than once, if the latter was to prove weak...

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69 BCE, concerns of Western expansion were shelved by enthusiasm over eastern expansion. Crossing the Urals, one could find great mineral wealth in the north and suitable farmland in the south. As such, Byblos was founded far to the east, near areas where cows and horses alike grazed, and where wheat grew plentifully. Sitting along a river, it could easily send goods upriver to Neteru and the rest of Egypt.

43 BCE, the Library began to decline, as did the Oracle of Neteru. Prophecy was increasingly considered the works of demons by the Islamic culture, and so, oracles fell out of use - Allah would reveal his vision to the faithful as needed. The Library, meanwhile, fell out of favor for varying reasons: for one, the archconservatism of the Caliphs was making research harder, and the nations were also becoming more secretive about their research efforts thanks to extensive loyalty checks on all who might be privy to information. Finally, the constant wars made flow of information difficult, and as such, the Library fell out of use, instead becoming a monument of Egyptian history, rather than one of Egyptian learning.

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12 BCE, the start of a new era, was marked by the Russian Bear trying to befriend the Egyptian Sphinx. Under ordinary circumstances, such an alliance would have been considered(as the Russians were a Republic), but they were at war. Propaganda would have surely drummed up some reason as to why infidels were being sided with; barring that the alliance would be secret.

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19 CE was the beginning of new foreign policy approaches, with the declaration that Jihad could be freely waged against all who were hostile to Islam. This was a moderation of more extreme camps of Islamic thought, which believed any non-Muslims not tributary to Islamic states should be forcefully subjugated. Never mind that, more still believed there could only be one Islamic state; all others had to obey the Caliph or perish.

Due to this new doctrine of holy war, special, fanatical groups were formed to carry the fight to any who would hurt Islam or its believers. These special soldiers would be the elite due to their training and fanaticism for ages to come.

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67 CE, the government oversaw a further expansion of central power: an intelligence agency. For the most part, it was used to monitor foreigners. However, it would sometimes be used to monitor enemies of the state... most of Egypt's history is one of repression, subtle or overt.

69 CE, war between Russia and Rome resumed thanks to entangling alliances. The Caliph and the government drank to that; the more distracted Russia was on a fruitless war, the better. Their constant bickering with fellow Christians would ensure the dominance of not just Egypt, but all of Allah's chosen.
 
Chapter VIII: The Rise of Islam Part II - Magyarabia's Demise (70 - 210 CE)

Spoiler :
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97 CE, at the cost of 300 gold, Kufah was convinced to switch sides, giving the Republic a naval base on the Black Sea. With time, the Republic could extend its influence to the Mediterranean... in the meantime, one more nome had been crafted, putting Egypt one step ahead of her competitors.

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Immediately thereafter, the city of Damascus fell after a bloody civil revolt, also at the cost of 300 gold. The Arabs had lost two of their strategic cities to Egypt, though few people resided in them, so the losses were written off. Besides, the cities that defected adhered to a more Egyptian-esque branch of Sunni Islam anyway... important, as Magyarabia was dominantly Shi'ite.

The fall of Damascus enabled a land route to Kufah, however narrow, thus helping solidify Egypt's newfound presence in the Black Sea.

An study showed that assuming no growth, each city would pay itself off after 100 turns; however, growth and investments in the cities would narrow that down surely.

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132 CE, with 120 gold expended, the depopulated city of Baghdad, at the start of the Rhine, was also flipped, as their persecuted branch of Shi'ism would be tolerated in the Egyptian Republic. Arabia had lost half its cities to Egypt in less than fifty years! Once expanded, Baghdad would yield Dyes.

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203 CE, a great monument to Islam, The Black Stone, was placed in Neteru, and surrounded by a massive mosque to protect it. It is said that, over time, all the believers rubbing it for good luck ending up smoothing it down.

212 CE, it became apparent Rome was dying. Their early victory of Jericho in Italia had been retaken by the Hebrews, and the Balkans themselves were low on cash, men, and will to fight. They were ripe for the picking, and within a year, the state of four cities had spy rings planted throughout it.

...However, the powerful Catholic theocracy of the Romans prevented diffusion of Islamic power there. Alas, Rome would have to fall on its own. Perhaps the cities conquered could be taken via their conquerors? 13 units, after all, guarded 4 cities, and it was likely most of those were in the capital.

Arabia, however, was suffering massive depopulation - 9 Archers across 3 cities, with 3 Settlers being held off on expanding. It was decided to let the Arabic settlers through the blockade, while the cities of Arabia would be attacked financially to force their subjugation.

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Medina, in the heart of Europe, was soon convinced to switch sides to the far superior Egyptian Empire. Magyarabia was in flames, confined to its original homelands.

With the fall of Medina, so close to Mecca, Arabia was surely finished. The Arabs were losing their grip fast, and Egypt devouring Europe. The Arabs lost their wines, as well as half their supplies of horses and iron, to the Egyptians in these massive political and religious uprisings.

They were doomed as well; every home city taken put more pressure on the other home cities, in turn forcing them to depopulate to produce settler groups. Likewise, settler groups would be on the fringes of Egyptian civilisation, far away from Mecca... making them vulnerable to coups.

There was a storm brewing to the east of most European states, a quiet storm, one that could easily conquer the whole continent given time, without firing a single shot...

---

Stats:

3% of world area - Rival is Greece at 2%
9% of world population - Rival is Babylon at 8%
Cultural value of 4952 to Greece's 1859
VP = 1361; Russia is a rival at 1393

Power Bar:

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As can be seen, Egypt has improved with slow, steady militarisation(churning out at least one unit per turn), as well as the assimilation of cities, however, the battle for supremacy has only just begun. Russia keeps teching ahead, so they will lead the pack for a while.

Misc. stats to be proud of are the fact Egypt is the most productive state in the world, and has the highest life expectancy at 46 years. 3 of the world's greatest cities are Egyptian. Good lord, am I playing Regent or Chieftain?!

My "cultural steamroller" - rather than military steamroller - strategy is working! Build lots of culture, propogandise, build culture in seized cities, repeat.
 
As nome of the city of Al-Madina(Medina), I would like the men at the barracks to train a second unit of Crossbowmen. And, if Arabia exists as a despotism or a monarchy, then perhaps we should take over the city of Makkah(Mecca).
 
Arabia would be a fellow Republic, Dumanios. We must take them over peaceably, lest we look like hypocrites! :mischief:

I will begin executing your orders immediately(well, past this update anyway), given that... well, there's not exactly competition.

Chapter IX: Expanding Frontiers (210 - 470)

Spoiler :
211, seemingly to mend relations, the Arabs were given movement rights through the Egyptian Republic. In reality, it was hoped they would swiftly escort their forces eastward, creating new targets for capture. Letting the Arabs through quickly would also enable the closing of the "Gates" to Carthaginian and Byzantine Settlers.

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227, El-Armana was founded, enabling the further conquest of the Urals.

228, the Order of the Sphinx (tasked with gathering knowledge) and the Order of the Manticore (tasked with assassinations) had managed to plant themselves in the Republic of Israel. They were tasked with undermining Hebrew power in Italia.

The Russians inked an MPP with the British in 232, hoping to expand their influence in the Mediterranean, as well as get another friend against the Romans, ones who could tap the power of the seas.

The Order of the Sphinx stole the Roman map of the world in 247, enabling knowledge of the Mediterranean and its trade routes.

By 292, Rome had lost its northwestern city, ruins left in its wake. Rome was a patchwork of level-1 cities, and there was no hope for it now.

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342, the Governor of Hebrew Bethlehem found a noose around his neck. As he lay dying of oxygen deprivation, he could only regret the ill treatment the Jewish state had given the Catholics of the region...

The Republic of Sicily was crafted from the fall of Bethlehem, and over time, would enroach upon the island and Italia as a whole. It joined the ranks of the Helvetian (Baghdad) and Austrian (Medina) Republics, states too far away to become nomes, but close and fragile enough to be dependent on Egypt for defense and financial solvency.

Sicily would further the objectives of Egypt in the Mediterranean, being a direct port. It helped ensure that despite the anarchy of the various European Wars, trade could be conducted far away. This, combined with its income of +6 per term to the Republic, helped justify its 300 gold price tag!

355, Rome convinced Israel to sign a peace treaty, likely thanks to the fact Israel was now experiencing the "Yellow Peril," the fear of Egyptian dominance. It was named the Yellow Peril due to Egypt having Yellow as its national color.

372, Rome signed a peace accord with Russia as well. Provided it played its cards right, Rome would be able to slowly rebuild, but would never be able to regain the former status it once had.

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397, Khurasan, which had only been under Arab rule for but nine years, was swung to the Egyptian side at the cost of 100 gold. Giving 6 per term from the start to Egypt, as well as providing additional troop relief, the investment was definitely worthwhile. It was hoped the Arabs would settle closer to the coastline, but alas, the city was nonetheless well placed. It became the heart of the Republic of Styria.

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Islamic missionaries had carried the faith far and wide, even into Southern Asia.

That became readily apparent in 408. The city of Ulaanbaatar threw off Mongolian shackles and joined the Republic, all at the cost of 80 gold, while it would give 6 gold per term to the Republic. Due to location, Ulaanbaatar enjoyed considerable autonomy.

Ulaanbaatar also had great economic importance, giving the Republic a source of spices and ivory, as well as a window on Asia.

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Just a few months later, Hieraconopolis was founded in the Urals, Egypt's status as a power increasingly unquestionable - while all the Europeans were bottled up, the rivers of Siberia were being opened to Egypt and Egypt alone.

442, the Mongols came and asked for an alliance; they were declined, being anarchists. The Mongols had hoped to secure the alliance of Egypt so as to not only nullify the threat of Ulaanbaatar, but also to possibly expand into Europe at a later juncture.

468, a new band of Settlers began a trek from Alexandria eastward across the Urals. They would settle a fertile farmland in between the Siberian rivers, and thus be another step on the staircase that led to the Pacific!

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Egypt now ruled 4% of the world's landmass and 12% of its people, thanks to extensive manipulation of local politics. Could Egypt keep it up against Greece's 2% of the land, and Russia's 7% of the population? The cultural value of 7179, while strong, also showed signs of slipping to Greece's 3012.
 
Chapter X: Wedding of the Sphinx and Bear (470 - 610)

Spoiler :
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489, the Mongols found themselves losing Mandalgovi to Egypt as well, yet another addition to Egypt's Indian outposts. It was now possible to monitor the Persian Gulf; the Inca naturally felt threatened. With the city came saltpeter, Dyes, Iron, and most importantly, at least 7 more gpt, a good investment given the 130 it took to take it.

491 CE, it was discovered the Byzantines had become a feudal monarchy, thanks to generations of rogue Generals. The Latins were written off and the alliance dissolved.

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Ah, who better than the second most powerful nation on Earth, the Russians?! Well-trained, rich, advanced, populous and the closest in power to mighty Egypt, they'd assist in dominating Europe and indeed, the globe!

The Russians were willing to pay top dollar for an alliance, effectively erasing most of the deficit. Even better, Russia's alliance with the British would give this "Triple Alliance" rule over not just Europe, but the entire Mediterranean.

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523, Leonardo da Vinci, an expatriate fleeing persecution in Mexigaul, set up shop in Neteru.

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525, Abydos was built in the east, having plentiful farmland. It was one day envisioned that Egypt would stretch all the way to the "Great Eastern Sea," now known as the Pacific.

542, the Mexigauls declared a Crusade, a struggle endorsed by the Papacy to spread Christianity and protect it against threats. The Jihadists and Crusaders would be rivals for many years, but would their rivalry spill into actual conflict? Only time would tell...

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551, Carthaginian Sabratha, a small colony in the Ural Mountains, was flipped by agents in the city. Europe knew for a fact now that Egypt would not stop until every European city east of the Urals was absorbed into the Republic. In the meantime, Sabratha yielded 5 gpt between taxes and research, and as such, paid off quickly.

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565, a second-generation immigrant from Brithage, William Shakespeare, began to write and perform at a theater in Memphis. Over time, he became so prominent the central government would sometimes have him perform his plays for them, but it was after his death that he became renowned for his contributions.

Throughout the 500s, it was not uncommon to receive alliance offers, from India to Israel to Greece. With Russia in Egypt's pocket, there was no need.

582, Medina had finally developed its marketplace, and so the Governor's long-awaited command to build the largest horde of Crossbowmen in the empire was finally accepted.

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609, the concept of an actual banking system spread from Russia, where it had already been tried, and it spread like wildfire. While the nations of the world had long adopted flexible currency systems, there hadn't really been any major banks.

A slight centralisation of the banking system occurred due to national regulations, passed under the proviso of financial stability and standardisation. The largest banks in the major cities would exchange customer information, and as such, it became possible to deposit money in say, Neteru and travel all the way to the mouth of the Volga at Pi-Ramesses, and still withdraw funds. While this system would be endangered with the emergence and normalisation of multi-chapter banks, in a system of independent banks, this worked quite well, as no banks had an incentive to monopolise information.

As well, the government took an active hand in helping prop up banks in all the cities and even towns. Banks allowed people to pool money for later use and gain a bit of interest on it, as well as allowing funds to be injected into those trying to satisfy the demands of an economy. A bank in every sizable settlement, therefore, was good policy, despite the cries of excessive government interference by those not standing to gain from it.

And in turn, the banking system would give rise to the wealthy banking families, a plutocracy that would rival, and eventually help undermine, the aristocracy. Egypt was changing, but whether that change would be for the better or worse, history would decide.

===

-Egypt has 20 cities, containing 13% of the population and 5% of the land (rivalling Greece's 3% of the land and Babylon's 7% of the population)

-Russia, the technological power, has 9 cities

-Athenian Greece has 9 cities as well

-With Magnetism due in 5 turns, there's a surplus of 144 gpt, adding onto a bank account of 1290 gold.

-The "barricade" - a line of troops that distract the AI settler bands and funnel them in such a way to nullify their effectiveness - has been disbanded and rival settlers allowed to seep through. As money is accumulated, spies have been placed in several non-theocratic capitals. Cities can be scooped up as they are settled, so we are effectively letting the AI settle for us, and then picking up the cities at a cheap rate (~70 gold per propaganda attempt on a size 1 city).

-Only real wars would be Mongolia vs. Carthage and that has no real effect obviously.

-the power bar is holding mostly steady

-Culture wise, Egypt has 8375 points to Greece's 3674. Efforts are being made to increase the gap. Most states are far, far behind, with Greece just being the France of an AoI scenario to Egypt's Britain.
 
Chapter XI: The First War is Always the Hardest, Right? (610 - 790)

Spoiler :
The backward Mexigauls soon approved of a transaction - Magnetism and their entire treasury of 49 gold in exchange for Physics.

607, 5 of the 14 War Chariots were upgraded into Horse Archers. Egypt wanted to demonstrate it could field a very potent armed force. Arabia had only 7 Archers across its three cities, and with such cities being so weak, it was deemed that conquering them would be a savvy move, gaining the important city of Mecca, putting Egypt closer to Russia (Russia has two or three VP locations to Egypt's one!).

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633, Byzantine Caesarea defected to Egypt, thus encircling the Arabs further. Mecca, with its 1 pop and Najran with its 3, were tempting targets. At only 69 gold, it started generating 6 gpt in research and finance immediately.

In the meantime, the culture gap was examined - 8588 to Greece's 3788 in 630 and 8809 to 3907 20 years later. The gap had increased from 4800 to 4902, so the gap would increase by 100 every twenty years... as such, Greece would be out of the way for a long time, and Russia was behind them considerably.

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The Russians sold the secrets of Astronomy in exchange for being taught some of the renowed Egyptian culture. Many a knockoff of Egyptian theater soon followed.

The Byzantines settled near Arabia's source of camels in 642, and as such, Arabia lost its supply. Without the camels, they lost one of their lucrative tools in warfare.

Soon after, the Russian world map was purchased for a staggering 400 gold. But if the price didn't shock the Egyptian leadership, the contents did - Russia had scouted all over the world, having built outposts in the Maldives and Madeira Islands for a start.

Come 669, it was noticed the Arabs still had but 7 forces. Their workers, settlers, etc. had all been disbanded. It was clear they were running a deficit and eliminating them accordingly.

692, that number had dropped to 6 archer bands, spread thin across 3 cities. With Mecca and Najran stagnant and 12 Horse Archers within range, the order was given - it was time for Egypt to test its military power on a "volunteer."

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Firstly, however, Byzantium lost Chalcedon in the north of the Urals. While the city didn't have many growth prospects, its price tag of 138 was justified by the 5 gpt it brought in, and of course, the pride that Egypt now had a seaport. A usually-frozen, possibly harassed by Phoendinavia seaport, but a seaport nonetheless. It would be possible to directly trade with the world via the oceans!

With that, Najran was attacked in 693. The first archer band fought valiantly, but was crushed by one Horse Archer group, simply unable to keep up with the latter's mobility.

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With one other attack group emerging victorious, the Arabs found themselves curbstomped. Egypt would now have a straight march to Mecca and its riches. The Arabs were able to set up enough of a hinderance to prevent a direct attack for two decades, but once those decades were up...

706, archery and pikes seemed obsolete with the advent of Firearms. However, a powerful lobby had prevented the tapping of saltpeter in Egypt for centuries, and it would continue for quite some time until it was absolutely necessary to have a musket-oriented force. (This allows me to exploit cheaper units and then upgrade them cheaply later on)

Furthermore, in 709, the Black Death hit tiny El Armana. Fortunately, its tiny size would keep the plague from doing too much damage. As such, those who felt it a punishment from Allah for a war on fellow Muslims found themselves drowned out by resounding approval.

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Mecca fell in 711 at the cost of one Horse Archer unit. The ferocious archer band proved a tough nut to crack, but they soon failed their Malik, and Arabia became no more - Basra rapidly declared independence as the Emirate of Basra, promising his religious loyalty to the Caliph and his secular to the First Councilor, however, he was ignored, and Horse Archers began their march southward into Roman territory with the latter's permission.

Meanwhile, as plans were made to bring down the scimitar on the Basran Emir' sneck (as well as secure another seaport), the autonomous republics of Europe found themselves increasingly less autonomous. More and more centralisation was justified as a wartime measure... though in reality, the fact the Arabic territories linked all the central European republics to Egypt proper meant their autonomy was no longer convenient.

The Romans paid an "insurance fee" of 30 gold on the right of passage agreement, ensuring that Egypt would keep its word on it, lest the Egyptian reputation be tarnished.

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712, Smyrna defected to Egypt, removing Byzantium's camels and putting them in Egypt's hands instead! The strategem of "let our rivals expand for us" was paying dividends already - besides the resources, Smyrna paid 5 gpt and took only 69 gpt to acquire. Growth would make it pay off even quicker.

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At the cost of 71 gold, Sardica fell even further east, all the way on the eastern side of "Kazakhstan." Sardica only brought in 2 gpt from the start, but would nonetheless help keep an eye on the southern frontiers of the Republic.

All of Byzantium's minor expansions had been scooped up, yielding more resources, territory, and prestige to the Republic.

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Siberia was further penetrated by Asyut's founding in 769. The city was further along the river, and Lake Baikal was only within two settlements' distance.

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At the cost of but 172 gold, Megara, in Nippon, was seized. The locals had been oppressed by the Spartans in their quest to destroy Athens, and were all too eager to befriend the mysterious, yet tolerant, Muslims.

790, it was time to end that which began in 693.

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Three Horse Archers fell, making the total Egyptian deaths four Horse Archers, but a great deal of territory and prestige had been earned, and the world now knew to respect Egypt or face the consequences. Rome was now eclipsed by two juggernauts, and would play nicely lest they too lose their independence. Basra became the Republic of the Peloponnese, and like Sicily, enjoyed great autonomy.

Egypt now boasted a hearty 29 cities, several with great potential, and possessed colonies abroad in south Asia and even on the Pacific Rim. Whereas Russia gained its colonies through toil and long years of hard labor, Egypt gained its own through savvy use of money and politics. Egypt engrossed 7% of the planet's surface to Athens' 3, and 16% of the population to Babylon's 6%. What's more, the strong economy showed no signs of slowing, and an ever-expanding military was being financed to provide the metal of the sword; the cultural achievements were the sheathe.

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(The various autonomous republics are outlined in red circles for easier spotting)
 
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