Editing EternalEmpire:Arqualan (section)

== The Commonwealth ==


Discerning Arqi do not see themselves as part of an empire, and indeed consider such a view to be rather rude and unsophisticated. Proper empires are founded predominantly on conquest and subjected peoples and feature little in the way of decentralized autonomy or identity in any case, and here especially Arqualan fails to meet the definition of ‘empire.’

For that matter, they do not see the massive political upheaval that periodically marks their long history as any sort of interruption or transition. Since the earliest days of the proto-Arqi chiefdoms to the current day, their government has been quite secondary in their self-conception as a society. Besides that, politicians and their regimes had traditionally been distant, ephemeral, and relatively weak when compared to the powerful and timeless institutions of kinship and religion that truly marked Arqi society. As such, Arqualan is defined much more by shared values, ideals, and common heritage than borders and leadership. So, while visionaries and tyrants have risen and fallen and feuds between the ancient aristocracy, the emperors, and the population have shifted the balance of power many times, the ''covida nostry'' endured. 

In these translations, that part of  “Our Common Life” that deals predominantly with institutions of the state and especially with the organization of territory will be referred to as the Arqi Commonwealth. 


=== Provinces ===

Although referred to as provinces for the sake of simplicity, these are not simply administrative subdivisions that exist to facilitate the actions of the Emperor or the Optolecton. In fact, almost all of the provinces have a wide degree of latitude in internal legal and economic matters, as well as how they enforce the pronouncements of the Optolecton and the Illuminarch. A few provinces are so highly autonomous that they have complete control over internal questions and bow to Arquesel only in matters of foreign relations or disputes within the commonwealth. Of course, just what constitutes an ‘internal matter’ and what is the proper domain of the national government is a sticky matter, and the relative power of the outlying provinces waxes and wanes depending on who can get the upper hand on this issue.
All true provinces are governed by a Probite, elected at large from the jorian comestia of that province. Several other Monitari assist the governor, including Amboys and Restori, some of which are appointed by him at the comestia’s approval, or are likewise elected at large, depending. Generally, the Probite has a combination of executive and legislative powers, counterbalanced by the various comestiati and Curasori of the province. Fully autonomous provinces, like Clestrîca for instance, often have separate legislative and advisory bodies akin to a miniature Optolecton, or may use different titles for their officials. There are some smaller and usually thinly settled territories that have not been made provinces, usually due to their status as a military frontier or because of disputes arising with foreign powers. These territories may be governed by an Amboy dispatched at the head of a provisional or military commission, or other officials under the direct authority of the Illuminarch. An example of such a territory would be the Arqi colony of Tamboro on Anducydo.


'''Provinces:'''

Arqualan (Ar)

Cappodan (O)

Coñeldo (O)

Conestanz(O)

Dantrina (P)

Dyanoga (P)

Impelado (P)

Isleesia (I)

Lacoma (P)

Metronia (P)

Nepritol (O)

Oranido (I)

Otolens (O)

Pellesant (O)

Pizoria (P)

Pranatol (O)

Sanga (P)

Sanulado (O)

Seguemeda (O)

Stanido (O)

Syobia (O)

Venguatol (O)

Venjavan (P)

Zeliat (O)

Zelstadden (O)

Zacta Ponensus (O)


'''Autonomous Provinces:'''

Amblend (O)

Clestrica (O)

Loswath (O)

Renoga (P)

Sarmonath (O)

Sirania (P)

Somuza (O)


'''Auxiliary Territories:'''

Ato Tensel (I)

Mena Sorpozion (O)

Tamboro (An)
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''An - Anducydo; Ar – Arqualan; I – islands; O – Otovan; P – Provendo''