Republic of Lotium

The Republic of Lotium is an aristocratic mercantile republic centred on the city of Lotium. It is the largest of the Eastern Republics, and one of the most powerful democratic polities in the world. It has historically been a major mercantile power due to its formidable trade fleets and strategic position between the Wyrmsea and Great Expanse, and this status has grown even further since the discovery of the New World in 819.

Political Structure

The Republic of Lotium is ruled by a Doge, who is elected from among the nobility by the citizenry. The Doge rules for life, serving as the chief executive and commander of the Lotium's military. In order to both advise and counterbalance the Doge, the Senate elects the members of the Council of Nine, who serve as close advisors of the Doge in matters of state and warfare, and possess the ability to depose the Doge with a two-thirds majority vote. The Senate also appoints the members of the Council of Ten, who serve both as the highest court of the republic, and as the head of the state's security force.   In order to elect both the Doge and the members of the Senate, all Lotiumite citizens aged 25 or higher who wish to vote gather in the city's fortified acropolis to form the General Assembly. The Assembly gathers annually for five days following the summer solstice, electing Senators to replace those who have reached the end of their 10-year terms, died, or otherwise need replacing. If the Doge has died or otherwise left office, they will also elect a new Doge. All Senators and the Doge must be of noble heritage, as recorded in the Golden Book of Lotium, which was established in 559 to keep records of which families are of noble bearing. Senators serve 10-year terms, such that typically 12 are replaced each year, and are responsible for passing legislation and appointing most magistrates.   Lotium's government has been criticised by some pro-democracy thinkers for a lack of a clear separation of powers, and for disenfranchising non-noble citizens. Lotium's daughter city of New Lotium (sometimes spelled New Yotium) adopted a substantially different constitution and governing form under the advice of Jack Baker, which has received praise from republicans and harsh criticism from monarchists for its liberal and inclusive institutions and separation of powers.

Society

The Republic of Lotium is a cosmopolitan society, with members of many different faiths and races making up its population. Just under half the citizenry are adherents of the Colossean Pantheon, while roughly a third are Teghneists. Other religious groups include adherents of the Mekonite Pantheon, Shroud Cultists, and even some dragon-worshippers. While over three-quarters of the Republic's population are human, the city of Lotium itself contains numerous large racial enclaves, and there are several smaller towns and cities in the Republic populated primarily by non-human races, particularly lizardfolk and dwarves.   Lotiumites pride themselves on their democratic traditions, and their society is highly plutocratic. While Lotium does have a noble class, wealth matters as much, if not more than one's heritage, particularly since noble status can be purchased with the Senate's approval. This focus on wealth and republicanism has given rise to the saying: "Lotium has no king but the ducat". Largely a a result of their political and economic systems, the Lotiumites have developed a highly competitive and innovative culture, which has brought the Republic to the forefront of technological and magical innovation in Colossia. Famously, Lotium is the origin of most modern ship designs, including the caravel, carrack, and galleon. It is also the home of Jack Baker, arguably the most influential magic-user of the 9th Century.

History

The city of Lotium is alleged to have been founded in the 79th year after the Discovery, after a group of Dukhalan refugees were guided to its location by either Unilim (according to the Teghneist account) or Petos (according to the Fivist account). Regardless of its origins, Lotium had grown to a major trade centre by the mid-Second Century, and had adopted a system of direct democracy. It was conquered by Colosse during the Wars of Faith, and its government replaced by an appointed military governor called a Dux. In 330, after the end of direct hostilities between Colosse and Nicilia, the people of Lotium petitioned for the right to elect their own Dux, and were granted it as part of the ongoing decentralising reforms of the Imperium. This traditionally marks the beginning of the Republic of Lotium.   Initially, political representation was restricted to the nobility, who were descendants of the Colossean military officers who had settled in Lotium after its conquest. However, a cultural renaissance began in the 5th Century following the increase in trade with Nicilian-aligned cities, and agitation for a more democratic system began among the lower- and middle-classes. A Niclian-backed revolt occurred in 479, in which a popular uprising drove out or killed most of the nobility and proclaimed the establishment of a pure democracy, though one still subject to Colosse. Despite their assertions of loyalty, the Imperator dispatched five legions to besiege the city and reinstate the aristocratic republic. The revolutionaries were divided on how to respond, and were unable to come to a consensus. As a result, the radical party raised an army of some 7,000 and marched out to ambush the approaching legions in the marshes. Despite an initial victory against the force's vanguard, the army was destroyed, with at least half of its number killed by the Colosseans. Upon hearing this news, the remaining revolutionaries formally surrendered, and some fled to the Nicilian Khaganate. The leaders of the rebellion were brought to Colosse and executed, while the other members were granted amnesty.   Despite the failure of the 479 Rebellion, democratic ideals remained popular in Lotium, and over the course of the next 80 years, gradual reforms were implemented, which culminated in the adoption of the first version of Lotium's current constitution in 559. All citizens were given some say in government, and the possibility of ennoblement was established, but the existing noble families maintained most of the political power.   Lotium took part in the Great Rebellion of 753, alongside cities such as Agrinon, Hagios, and Akrai, and gained full independence from Colosse in 759. By the turn of the 9th Century, organised crime had become a major problem in the city, and the Lotiumite government was variously unable or unwilling to counteract it. A Nicilian organisation called the hand of Discipline established a presence in Lotium during this time, and sought to bring an end to the criminal presence in the city by any means necessary. While this was occurring, Lotiumite fishermen reported being blown off course in the Great Expanse, and ending up on a new landmass - the New World. Several expeditions were quickly financed to capitalise on this new opportunity, including a famous one headed by the elven Esoteric League Member Edroth Burningswift, and including the group that would come to be known as the Heroes of Sorligien.   In 820, while the Burningswift expedition was in the New World, the Hand of Discipline staed a coup d'etat against the government of Baruch the Lawgiver, and invited the Nicilians to occupy the city and purge it of its criminal element. Lotium was subsequently used as a supply hub by the Nicilians in their siege of Hagios, a strategy which backfired when the Heroes of Sorligien returned to the city and liberated it from Nicilian occupation, restoring Doge Baruch to power. The Heroes also saw to the final elimination of organised crime in the city, and the Doge's reforms saw that it did not resurface for some time.   Since the Ciprosian Wars and the rise of the Ciprosian Regnum, Lotium and the other Eastern Republics have found themselves sandwiched between Nicilia and the Ciprosians. Some of the Republics have opted to simply join the Regnum, while others have aligned themselves with the Nicilians. Lotium has become the effective leader of the non-aligned movement in the region, seeking to maintain the independence of the city-states, and possibly to cement itself as a regional power. It is aided in this endeavour by the increase in trade in aftermath of the discovery of the New World, which Lotium has positioned itself as the gateway to. Additionally, the refurbishment of the ancient Dragons' Canal between the Ciprosian and the Wyrmsea by the Ciprosian Regnum has seen Lotium's position become even more strategically important. However, these factors have raised concerns among some that Lotium has become too valuable a prize, and that it is only a matter of time before one of the great powers seizes it by force.