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Putting the corruption of the political system and internal strife aside.

Lets assume a Roman empire, something like Trajan's border, type empire that has a decently strong central government, but not too central, and just wants to continue existing in the world without major problems.

Problem is the something like Roman empire became so big that it had to be split up and it did not exist in that huge state for long. I guess that Rome is not the only empire, but Rome is an excellent example of a classical period type large empire that is well known.

I know the big points are something along the lines of: Agriculture, trade, roads, tax collocation, legal system, military power, identity...etc.

So my questions are about specific points as well as the general concepts especially those not well known. But I'll put a list below.

So keeping in mind that their tech is mostly pre-1600 stuff And that the empire has reached it's peek in all aspects. And that it has a pretty good central power, monarchy or senate. And that while there are other continents with people in the world, the empire control it's own with only a couple of deserts and countries beyond oceans, they have trade but they pose little direct threats.
And that the current ruling body has absolute power and wants to start enacting laws and putting measures to insure the survival of the empire for the next 10000 years.

  • How can they keep in touch with technological advancements?
  • How can they maintain strong standing armies while they have reached their maximum border expansion?
  • What exactly to do with corruption in government? Like tax collectors tend to be so corrupt that they just cause uprisings, but the new ones don't stay honest for long.
  • What to do with those huge different people of the empire? Leave them alone as long as they pay taxes? Try to create a new culture?
  • With no external opposition what would society do?
  • With no new territory, no new blunder...etc can the empire just keep itself wealthy on it's own?
  • What will trade be like in this society?
  • Society is table now. But how to prevent future civil wars and class problems and all that?
  • With the good living conditions and wealth that means people are more likely to produce and stay alive, what to do with that in the long terms?
  • Will warfare and military arts be viewed the same?
  • What other aspects that I'm missing or seems to be huge important point on the topic that I need to address?

I know this is a big and general question. So I'm just happy to get answers addressing one issue or most of them

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    $\begingroup$ Which query would you actually like to have answered? Since you're freely admitting that your question is too broad (which assessment I agree with), I'll ask you to pare it down. Stack Exchange likes focused, single issue questions. $\endgroup$
    – elemtilas
    Nov 29, 2019 at 1:11
  • $\begingroup$ Most if not all of these bullet points are themselves too broad. Internal trade in a large empire could cover several textbooks, for instance. $\endgroup$
    – Cadence
    Nov 29, 2019 at 1:55
  • $\begingroup$ @elemtilas, I'm hoping to get both general and specific answers. I know it should be about focus but since most of them are connected to the general idea of how to guide the entire empire into the desired path. $\endgroup$
    – Seallussus
    Nov 29, 2019 at 1:59
  • $\begingroup$ @Cadence, Yes. You are right. As always it's the job of the writer to only use the relevant parts in the story $\endgroup$
    – Seallussus
    Nov 29, 2019 at 2:00
  • $\begingroup$ Don't be Rome-centric. There have been other large empires, some have been larger, and some have lasted longer. Look at the history of China, for example. $\endgroup$
    – user535733
    Nov 29, 2019 at 2:15

1 Answer 1

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One could try to argue that Rome failed because the political system did not keep up with the size. Electing co-equal magistrates for a year, sending ex-magistrates to govern provinces, the whole tax-farming principle, making troops dependent on their general for a decent retirement, all that could have been modified.

  • Make every resident who meets the cultural and social requirements a citizen of the Empire. (No universal franchise is necessary at this point in your history. Only males who are not poor, or slaves, or otherwise unfit.)
  • For that matter, keep slavery in check to boost the yeoman farmers.
  • A local assembly of citizens elects a representative who goes to the provincial senate. (No travel allowance, so only the rich can be elected. No need for social revolutions at this stage.) The provincial senate elects representatives for the Imperial senate.
  • To take a page from the Chinese, there is a professional bureaucracy. Entry is by competitive examination in an established cultural canon, administered by the previous bureaucrats.
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