Imperium Romanum

Preamble
The Imperium Romanum, formally established on the 23rd of January, 2009, is committed to spreading the Pax Romana over her loyal members. Under the guidance of our founders and Imperator, the Imperium Romanum shall establish peace and prosperity for all those that seek guidance under her banner.

I. Membership
All nations in good standing may submit an application for admission to the Imperium Romanum. So long as said nation is not being targeted by another alliance, does not have a prior record of indecency, and meets any other criteria for membership that may be in place, they will be accepted into the Imperium Romanum with open arms. By becoming a citizen of the Imperium all members pledge to commit their nations to the preservation, upkeep, and defense of the Imperium.

II. Rights of all Members
All members of the Imperium Romanum are entitled to equal protection and aid from the Imperial Government and will be treated with fairness by their fellow members and leaders. Furthermore, all members of the Imperium Romanum are guaranteed the freedom to make their opinions on the running of the alliance heard through discussions in the Senate. Opportunities to display their abilities and gain advancement in the Imperium are a right for all members who so desire it.

III. Membership structure
The membership shall be divided into three groups based on service to the alliance and ability. The better a member serves the Imperium the farther said member shall advance, attaining greater opportunities, responsibilities, and a greater voice in the discussions that run the Imperium.

A. Citizens

The first, and largest, class of members is that of Citizen. Upon admittance to the Imperium a member automatically gains the rank of Citizen and is afforded the protection of the Imperium and access to aid. Citizens receive all the basic rights of the Imperium and may voice their opinions during discussions in the Senate, but may not raise or vote upon any issues. In order to advance from the rank of citizen a member must display his or her dedication and commitment to the advancement of the Imperium. This may be done by taking an active role in debates in the Senate or by displaying his or her ability by volunteering for a position in the government of the Imperium. Ultimately the Principate decides when a member has proven his or herself.

B. Senators

The second rank of membership is Senator and is comprised of those individuals who have proven their dedication to the alliance and have earned the right to have a say in the direction the alliance takes. Senators are eligible to serve in the Upper government positions of the Principate and can influence policy through raising, debating, and voting on issues in the Senate.

C. Principate

The Principate is the primary decision making body. Members are either senators elected by their peers or have been appointed by the Imperator. Members of the Principate have access to the most classified government discussions and play the greatest role in deciding the direction of the alliance.

IV. Governing Structure
The governing structure of the Imperium Romanum will be divided into two components, the Senate and the Principate.

A. The Senate

The Senate is comprised of all members of the Imperium Romanum in good standing and is the body in which all members can voice their opinions regarding the running of the alliance. All members may partake in debate but only Senators may raise and vote upon issues. The Senate must approve any declarations of offensive war that is not mandated by mandatory treaty obligation. The Senate will also act as the Judicial Branch of the Imperium by overseeing all cases of impeachment and misconduct. Votes regarding war require a 2/3rds majority of non-abstaining members to pass, all other votes require a simple majority of ½ +1 vote of all non-abstaining voters.

B. The Principate

The Principate consists of the Imperator, the Caesar, the Magister Militum and his/her deputies, the Speaker of the Senate, and the Consuls of Foreign Affairs, Domestic Affairs, and Economic Development and their deputies. All members of the Principate may voice their opinions on all matters yet deputies are excluded from any votes that take place. The Principate serves as the primary advisory body to the Imperator, who holds the final say on all decisions relating to treaties, foreign relations, and domestic development unless otherwise stated in this charter or delegated by the Imperator to another. The Principate is responsible for determining which members may attain the rank of Senator. In order to approve a member’s advancement the Principate must approve the advancement with a simple majority of all non-abstaining voters in favor. The Principate may overrule or veto a decision of the Imperator by 2/3rds vote of all members of the body.

V. Imperial Government Offices
The government of the Imperium Romanum will have the following offices:

Imperator - Leader of the Imperium Romanum, holds office for life or until impeachment. Presides over the Principate. Caesar- Designated successor of the Imperator. A member of the Principate.

Consul of Foreign Affairs - Consul in charge of maintaining the Imperium Romanum’s image abroad as well as establishing and maintaining diplomatic contacts with other alliances. A member of the Principate.

Consul of Economic Development - Consul in charge of overseeing the economic development and growth of the Imperium Romanum through aid, tech, and trades. A member of the Principate.

Consul of Domestic Affairs - Consul in charge of acquiring new members for the Imperium Romanum through in-game recruiting and is responsible for maintaining communication in the alliance. A member of the Principate.

Magister Militum - Overall Commander of the Legions of the Imperium Romanum. The Magister Militum is responsible for ensuring that the military forces of the Imperium are well trained and prepared for battle. Unlike the Consuls the Magister Militum serves at the discretion of the Imperator. A member of the Principate.

Speaker of the Senate - In charge of maintaining relations between the Principate and the Senate, oversees elections of the consuls and the Speaker. Is the Senate’s delegate to the Principate.

Proconsuls - Chosen by the Consuls of each respective department to help them in the running of day-to-day affairs.

Count - Chosen by the Magister Militum to lead each of the Imperium Romanum’s Legions. They serve at the discretion of the Magister Militum.

VI. Elections
Elections for the positions of Consul of Foreign Affairs, Consul of Economic Development, and Consul of Domestic Affairs shall be held every two months on the odd numbered months (January, March, May, etc.). The elections for Consul of FA will be held on the 4th of the month, the election for Consul of ED will be held on the 14th of the month, and the election for Consul of Domestic Affairs will be held on the 24th of the month. The nominations phase will run for one week prior to voting. In order to be placed on the ballot a senator must be nominated and seconded by two different senators. Voting shall run for 48 hours and the nominee with the most votes at the end of the period will be the winner. The Speaker of The Senate shall maintain the polls and oversee the consular elections. In the event of a tie a runoff election will be held between the tied candidates immediately following the close of voting.

The Speaker of The Senate shall be elected every two months on the even numbered months (February, April, June, etc.). The nomination period for Speaker shall last for one week beginning on the first of the month; the voting period shall last for 48 hours. In order to be placed on the ballot a senator must be nominated and seconded by two different senators, the senator with the most votes at the end of the voting period will be the winner. In the event of a tie a runoff election will be held immediately following the close of voting.

In both cases a debate period of three days will be had prior to voting. In the event a position in the Principate is left vacant due to resignation, impeachment, or for other reasons the Imperator may appoint a Senator to fill the post.

VII. Organization of the Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of the Imperium Romanum will be divided into a volunteer army and a conscripted army.

A. The Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard will be an all-volunteer force comprised of dedicated fighters willing to engage in battle at a moment’s notice. The Guard will bear the brunt of day-to-day tasks associated with defending the Imperium, such as dealing with tech raiders, ghosts, etc. The Guard represents the Imperium’s first line of defense, as such its volunteer members will be held to a higher standard of preparedness than the average soldier. Command of the Guard lies with the Imperator or the Imperator’s designate.

B. The Legions

The Legions of the Imperium is the primary fighting force of the Imperium Romanum and consists of all members of the alliance that have not volunteered for service or have been designated alternate roles by the military command staff. The Legions will be divided into individual Legions of 50 members each. Within each Legion, cohorts will be organized according to Nation Strength. The Magister Militum will appoint a Count to lead each Legion, each Count will then fill the Cohort leadership positions as they see fit through either election or appointment. The Legions will primarily only be called upon when the Imperium faces grave military crisis beyond the abilities of the Praetorian Guard to defend against.

VII. Impeachment
The Impeachment of a member of government (be they member of the Principate, Senate or the Imperator) may be instigated by either a member of the Senate or a member of the Principate. When the issue of Impeachment arises it takes precedence over any other discussions occurring in the Senate at the time. A call for impeachment may be made if either a Senator or a Consul feels that one of the official in question has: In order for an Impeachment to be successful it must be passed by a 2/3 vote of the Senate.
 * 1) taken actions with the express intent of undermining the stability of the Imperium Romanum
 * 2) has knowingly and maliciously committed a gross violation of this charter
 * 3) or has demonstrated through his/her actions that he/she is either unfit or incapable to hold his/her post.

VIII. The Removal of members from the Imperium Romanum
Any member of the Imperium Romanum may be banished for 1) violating the charter or 2) acting with the express intent of undermining the stability of the Imperium Romanum (this includes acts of espionage and treason). A member having violated points one or two may be banished at the discretion and authority of the Principate. If a Consul has been successfully impeached by the Senate under points one or two of clause VII then that member shall be permanently banished from the Imperium Romanum and subject to further punishment. If Impeached successfully under point three of Article VII then the member shall be stripped of his/her post.

IX. Amendments
In order for this charter to be amended an amendment must receive a 2/3rds vote in favor in both the Senate and Principate.

The powers of the Senate and Imperator as established in this charter may not be removed through amendment.

Postamble
Let it be known that the Imperium Romanum stands for peace, order and prosperity; we look forward to fulfilling these goals in the coming days, months and years.