Constitution of Sparta

Ratified, on this day, the 8th of August, by the Royal Dominion of Sparta, in it's entirety, the new ruling document of Sparta:

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THE CONSTITUTION OF SPARTA In the name of Admin and his Moderators THE FIRST LYCURGAN ASSEMBLY OF THE SPARTANS RESOLVES

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Adopted August 8, 2009 ~ Twice Amended January 24, 2010

Prologue We, the nations of Sparta, in order to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for Sparta.

This Document is meant to set out the structure, rights and regulations of Sparta. All member nations of Sparta agree to the set rules and regulations presented in this constitution.

PART ONE: BASIC PROVISIONS SECTION 1: THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT ARTICLE I [Basis and Duties of Government] 1. The form of government of Sparta is that of a democratic timocratic dyarchical federal oligarchy. 2. Popular sovereignty is the foundation of government. 3. All powers derive from the Nations and exist for the Nations and the Alliance; they shall be exercised as specified by the Constitution.

SECTION 2: PRINCIPLES OF SPARTA ARTICLE II 1. The underlying principle of Sparta and all Spartans is our loyalty to one another, and above all, our alliance. All Spartans pledge to remain loyal to the alliance, both during times of peace and war. 2. Sparta, acknowledging the generally recognized rules of inter-alliance conduct, pursues the strengthening of peace and of justice, and the fostering of friendly relations between Nations and Alliances. 3. Honor during war time is of great fundamental importance to Sparta. As such, surrender terms given will not be designed to impair the sovereignty of the defeated alliance(s), with specific regard to internal/governmental workings.

PART TWO: INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL RIGHTS ARTICLE III [Individual Rights] 1. All Spartans are equal before the law. 2. All persons possessing the qualifications for membership as specified by law are Spartan citizens. Withdrawal of Spartan citizenship shall be permitted only in case of violations of Spartan law, royal decree, and voluntary forfeiture of membership through lawful resignation. 3. Only Spartan citizens shall be eligible for public service, except as otherwise provided by special laws. 4. Spartan citizens contribute without distinction to public charges in proportion to their means. 5. Every Spartan capable of bearing arms is obligated to contribute to the defense of the Alliance.

ARTICLE IV [Membership] 1. Sparta is a Black team alliance and as such, all applicants will be expected to switch to the Black team should they be on any other when they apply. 2. Nations over 10,000 NS may be granted a temporary exemption from switching colors, but any nation under that level must switch to the Black sphere before they can be considered for admittance. 3. The applicant must adhere to the policies set by the Kings and the Ephor of Mesoa that are current when they apply, in order to gain membership in the alliance. 4. Before an applicant may become a Spartan, they shall take the following affirmation:

---     Ι, [όνομα κυβερνητών] [όνομα έθνους], βεβαιώστε για να κρατήσετε την πίστη στη συμμαχία. Υπακοήν εις το Σύνταγμα, τους Νόμους και τα Ψηφίσματα του Συμμάχου. Θα ακολουθήσω τους ηγέτες μου, και εκτελέστε αμέσως τις διαταγές τους. Να υπερασπίζω, με πίστιν και αφοσίωσιν, μέχρι το τελευταίο εικονοκύτταρο της υποδομής μου, οι σημαίες. Δεν θα τους εγκαταλείψω ποτέ, ούτε θα χωρίσω πάντα από τους στον πόλεμο. Να φυλάττω δε ακριβώς τους Στρατιωτικούς Νόμους, και να διάγω εν γένει ως πιστός και φιλότιμος Σπαρτιάτης. ---     I, [Ruler Name] of [Nation Name], affirm to keep faith in the Alliance. I abide by the Constitution, Laws and Resolutions of the Alliance. I will follow my leaders, and execute promptly their orders. To defend, with faith and devotion, until the last pixel of my infrastructure, the Flags. Never shall I abandon them, nor ever separate from them in War. I shall keep precisely the Military Laws, and I will live in general as a loyal and gracious Spartan. ---     On September 21, 2009 After the Oath was edited to address concerns among the membership, it is acknowledged that the older version of the oath is viewed to mean exactly the same as the new version, but not vise versa. ---

5. The Spartans, ghosts and allies shall have certain classes which are listed below:

a) Helots – Non-Members or “Ghosts”; Subject to Spartan laws and regulations but not protected by the Spartan Constitution; Have not taken the Oath of Membership or have had it invalidated.     b) Ambassadors – Members of selected Allied Alliances; Have not taken and do not have to take the Oath of Membership. c) Free Helots – Inactive Members/former Equals; Subject to Spartan laws and regulations and protected by the Spartan Constitution; Do not have the right to vote; Have taken the Oath of Membership; Can re-apply for full citizenship.     d) Recruits – Newly accepted members that have yet to complete Agoge training; Subject to Spartan laws and regulations and protected by the Spartan Constitution; Do not have the right to vote. e) Paidiskoi – New Spartans with 30 days of membership or less; Subject to Spartan laws and regulations and protected by the Spartan Constitution; Do not have the right to vote; and must take the Oath of Membership in order to become Equals.     f) Equals – Spartans that have been members for over 30 days; Have the right to vote per the Constitution; Subject to Spartan laws and regulations and protected by the Spartan Constitution; Can run for and hold office.

Interpretive Clause The Equals and Paidiskoi are the only class that may hold any office within Sparta. Both are subject to discretion when being considered for a role, though Equals may have an advantage by default. Both make up the backbone of the alliance, future and present. They may only lose their standard access if they are demoted to the Free Helot class, put on trial/under investigation, are expelled by Royal Decree, or resign.

PART THREE: THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in an Assembly of Sparta. The Assembly shall consist of a Supreme, High, Middle and Lower Council.

SECTION 1: SPARTAN SUPREME COUNCIL ARTICLE V [Dyarchy] 1. Sparta is ruled by two sovereigns, each known as Basileus (King). The Kings are the supreme leaders of Sparta, empowered to direct the alliance as they see fit, in accordance with Spartan Honor. 2. The unique powers and duties of the Kings are numerous, and include, but are not limited to:

a) The ability to declare war on a foreign alliance.     b) Veto any decision passed by the Gerousia or Lower Council. c) Suspend or expel a nation from Sparta without the permission of the Gerousia.     d) Authorize the use of nuclear weapons. e) Pardon or re-sentence nations that were all ready sentenced by the other Councils.

3. In the event that a King decides to step down from their throne, they will be given the opportunity to choose their own successor. If for whatever reason the King does not choose their own successor, then the remaining King shall choose one. 4. In the case of extreme dereliction of duty, the Ephoroi of Sparta may hold impeachment proceedings to remove a King from their throne in the High Council Chamber. Any member of the High Council may bring forward proceedings, however they may only be held when all members of the High Council are present, and can only last for 24 hours. If a decision isn't made within 24 hours then the proceedings are null. The Ephoroi must reach a majority to effectively remove the King. The Archephor will only vote in the event of a 50/50 deadlock in order to break the tie. In the event of a majority vote for the removal of the King, then the remaining King must select a successor.

SECTION 2: SPARTAN HIGH COUNCIL ARTICLE VI [Archephor] 1. The Archephor is royally appointed to his position by the Kings. In order to be eligible for the office; the candidate must have served as an Ephor. The Archephor is effectively the Overseer of Ephors, and has the responsibility of ensuring the cooperation and effective leadership of the Ephors. 2. The Archephor shall preside over the High Council, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 3. The Archephor may step in for a temporarily absent Ephor, as an “Acting Ephor” with royal approval. An “Acting Ephor” assumes all of the responsibilities of the Ephor they are substituting. The Archephor does not, however, inherit the vote of an absent Ephor in any decision. 4. The Archephor can only be removed and replaced by the Kings. An Archephor is encouraged to suggest a successor for nomination upon their resignation or removal, but the Kings are not obligated to abide by the suggestion. Interpretive Clause The Archephor can be given the honorary and powerful title of Antibasileus (Regent) by the Kings and with this title, they would have the full authority of the absent King until they returned. In the event of an extended absence, the Antibasileus can, with a majority vote of the High Council and approval from the remaining King, ascend to the throne as King himself.

ARTICLE VII [Ephoroi] 1. Effectively the Kings' right hand men within the alliance, the Ephoroi are the designated heads of each Village within Sparta. The Ephoral Villages are listed under SECTION 6, ARTICLE XI. 2. Ephors are nominated by the Kings and then elected by the Spartan Lower Council to their position by a simple majority. In order to be nominated to become an Ephor, the candidate must be a member of Equal status and must either be, or have been, an Advisor or an Elder. 3. Ephoroi will have authority over the two Elders elected to represent their Village and will give them positioned titles with predetermined duties. 4. The High Council can override or uphold decisions made by the Middle and Lower councils, exempting Ephoral Impeachments. It may also bring present issues to both the Middle and Lower councils and have them vote on a solution. 5. If an Ephor is deemed unsatisfactory in his/her work for an extended period of time, the Kings may replace said Ephor without prior notification. An Ephor is encouraged to suggest a successor for nomination upon their resignation, but the Kings are not obligated to abide by their suggestion. 6. In the case of extreme dereliction of duty, the Gerousia of Sparta may hold impeachment proceedings to remove an Ephor from their position in the High Council Chamber. The Gerousia must reach a 75% +1 super-majority to effectively remove the Ephor. Interpretive Clause Ephors, including the Archephor, must allow for at least a one week notice, stating their full intentions, should they decide to resign from their position or the alliance.

SECTION 3: SPARTAN MIDDLE COUNCIL ARTICLE VIII [The Gerousia] 1. The Elders of the Gerousia are permanently elected to their position but may be removed by the Kings, if they deem it necessary. The Council is a single body and Elders are to work together for the betterment of Sparta, regardless of title. 2. All Elders are equal and none have any authority over another, as an Elder. 3. The Kings will share a single ninth seat in the Gerousia, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 4. Elder Election:

a) Candidates shall be chosen based on ability by the Village Ephor. Once approved by the Kings, the nominated candidates shall be presented to the Spartan Apella for voting. A candidate is considered nominated once royally approved.           i) If more than one candidate is nominated for a position, then a 48 hour election shall take place. Whichever candidate receives a majority of the votes shall win the election. ii) If only one candidate is nominated for a position, then the 48 hour election shall act as a vote of approval. If the nominee achieves a majority of approving votes, then they can assume the position. If the candidate achieves a majority of disapproving votes, then a new candidate or candidates will need to be nominated and a new election held.     b) High and Supreme Council members are not eligible to run for the Gerousia. c) Should a tie exist between the nominees, then the Kings will be the tiebreaker.

5. The predetermined duties of the Gerousia are:

a) Act as liaisons for the Ephor from the Village that they are representing. Ephors have authority over the Elders from their Village and can task them with duties.     b) Ratify new treaties proposed by Kings and Ephors in peacetime. c) Vote on and propose constitutional amendments. Amendments passed in the Gerousia must be signed by the Kings, Archephor and all Ephors before passing into law. The previous version of the Constitution must be archived in a safe and accessible location when an amendment is to be added.     d) Listen to suggestions, comments and concerns of the Spartan Apella. e) Hold impeachment hearings for delinquent Ephors or Elders.

6. An Elder can be removed if both Kings or at least a 75% super-majority of the Gerousia agree. Elders can also voluntarily resign from their position, so long as they give at least four days notice prior to relinquishing their duties. 7. When vacancies occur in the Elder representation from any village, a new Elder shall be nominated and elected as defined in Section 3; Clause 4. 8. The Gerousia shall have the power of Ephoral and Elder impeachment. 9. The Middle Council has the power to overrule Lower Council decisions.

SECTION 4: SPARTAN LOWER COUNCIL ARTICLE IX [Apella] 1. The Spartan Apella is the main center of activity within the alliance. Here, all alliance policy discussions will take place amongst the members of Sparta. Debate and discussion are the key responsibilities of the Apella. 2. All active Spartans that have been in the alliance for at least one month and both attain and maintain the class of Equal are members of the Spartan Apella. 3. The Kings, Ephors and Gerousia can bring issues to the Spartan Apella to vote on and a simple majority is all that is necessary to for a decision to be reached. 4. The Spartan Apella shall be headed by the Politarch

a) The Politarch is the manifestation of the will of the Spartan people, a figure responsible for representing the current and general opinions of the Spartan public in accordance with the principles of Spartan Honor.     b) The Politarch is an elected official, candidates shall be chosen from among the most distinguished Spartans outside the administration to represent the individual Spartan. Elections shall take place once every two months. c) A pool of no more than six suitable candidates shall be nominated by the people, from among the people. The Politarch shall be elected from among these candidates by a simple majority. If no candidate receives the necessary 51% of the vote, the candidates with the two lowest percentages of the vote shall be struck from the ballot, and the ballots re-cast. This procedure will repeat until one candidate receives the necessary majority.     d) The primary responsibility of the Politarch is to represent the general currents of Spartan society, in accordance with the concept of Spartan Honor, to the Ephoroi, such that they may be taken in to consideration when making general policy decisions. The Politarch is to collaborate with the Archephor on the direction of government. e) In addition to his role as the executive representative of the Equals, the Politarch is tasked with the general maintenance of Spartan honor, the upkeep of public morale and increasing general activity and debate on the forums.     f) In order to properly fulfill his function, the Politarch is tasked with gathering statistics concerning alliance activity, as well as conducting opinion polls on the issues of the day, the effectiveness of appointed officials and their policy decisions and government popularity in general.

SECTION 5: SPARTAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM ARTICLE X [Spartan Justice] 1. The judicial power of Sparta shall be vested in a Supreme Court, High Court and Middle Court. 2. The Supreme Council is the Supreme Court of Sparta. It is embodiment of the Spartan Dyarchy and as such, consists solely of the two Kings. This Supreme Court is the highest appellate court of Sparta and has the power to uphold or overturn any decision made by the lower courts and can do so without appeal at its own discretion. 3. The High Council is the High Court of Sparta and the first tier appellate court of Sparta. The Court shall consist of the four Ephors of Sparta and shall be presided over by the Archephor, who shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. Gerousia court decisions can be appealed to the High Court with the approval of the Archephor. 4. The Gerousia is the Middle Court and shall be comprised of the eight Elders. The Kings will share a single ninth seat in the court, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

5. The judicial power of the Middle Court shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the common laws of Sparta, the Spartan Code of Conduct, which follows in clause 7, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority;--to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls;--to controversies to which Sparta shall be a party;--to controversies between two or more Villages. 6. The Middle Court shall be presided over by the Ephor of the Village of Mesoa, who shall have no vote. 7. The Spartan Code of Conduct is the foundation of Spartan law. Breaches of the following code will be met with severe ramifications.

a) No Spartan can be a member of another alliance while a member of Sparta.     b) Spartans are to be a credit to their namesake. Wit and humor are integral facets of the Spartan identity and, as such, their use is strongly encouraged. However, crossing the line and offending Spartans and/or foreigners, especially through “flaming”, will not be tolerated. Spartans shall not make extremely racist, profane, sexist, or religiously discriminatory comments anywhere. c) While military prowess is of course encouraged within Sparta, no member nation may attack nations without prior consent from a senior military official. "Tech-raiding" is forbidden.     d) Nuclear Weapons may only be launched with approval by either of the Kings on the official Spartan forum. e) The use of in-game spies without prior approval from a Military Official is prohibited.     f) No member of Sparta may conduct espionage on any Alliance or pass classified intelligence to any Alliance or third party. g) Spartans shall not breach or abrogate any type of deals or agreements with foreigners or Spartans. In addition, Spartans cannot aid foreign nations who are at war without senior government approval; deals may be postponed in such cases.     h) Insubordination, especially in war time, in any form, will not be tolerated. i) Leaving the alliance in war-time for reasons other than real life complications or without Royal Approval is prohibited and will be labeled as “deserting”. Likewise, if a member fails to contribute to the war effort in any capacity, then they will be considered deserters. Ἢ τὰν ἢ ἐπὶ τᾶς - With it, or upon it.     j) If a Spartan is ordered to do anything illegal then they are to report it to a higher authority as soon as possible.

8. Aside from the Code of Conduct, Spartan law will be dictated by precedents set in the Spartan courts as a form of common law.

SECTION 6: GOVERNMENT PERIPHERIES ARTICLE XI [Villages] 1. Sparta is divided into four different, but connected, Villages. The names and roles of these Villages are as follows:

a) Philoxenia (Foreign Friendship) – Foreign Affairs     b) Mastropeia (Pimp Town) – Economy c) Mesoa (Interior Village) – Internal Affairs     d) Lykoi (Village of the Wolves) – Defense

Interpretive Clause Any Villager may have as many jobs within their Village as they please, and may apply and join multiple Villages at a time, as long as they meet the requirements set forth by the Ephor in each Village.

PART FOUR: AMENDMENTS FIRST [Freedom of Expression] Sparta shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, internally, which is supported by the Spartan Code of Conduct; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. SECOND [Sovereignty] Noting the sovereignty of Sparta as an independent alliance, any document or agreement forfeiting Spartan sovereignty to any extent can be neither ratified nor valid. This includes, but is not limited to, pacts including mutual aggression, terms imposed on Sparta by a foreign alliance or allowing foreigners to directly affect Spartan foreign and domestic policy. Mutual Defense Pacts do not apply to this amendment, as they are not considered a forfeiture of sovereignty, but a vow of trust and willful support in defense of another Alliance. THIRD [Right to bear Nukes] A well regulated nuclear force being necessary to the security of a free Alliance, the right of the People to keep and bear nuclear weapons is highly encouraged. FOURTH [Nuclear Policy] Recognizing the fact that Nuclear Missiles are simply another weapon in an alliance’s arsenal, Sparta reserves the right to use them as such, in all military operations. FIFTH [Capital Punishment] Sparta considers the sentencing of a nation to eternal zero-infrastructure (EZI) on new characters as capital punishment and does not permit its use on Spartans, nor does Sparta permit its use as a Spartan punishment on enemies of the state. Sparta does, however, permit the use of permanent zero-infrastructure (PZI) as a punishment for anyone sentenced to it by the government, and likens PZI to a life prison sentence. If a PZI sentenced player re-rolls, whether as a different character or otherwise, yet still commits acts of aggression towards Sparta, The Court of Sparta reserves the right to immediately pursue another PZI sentence. PZI is not to be taken lightly and shall only be used for the most heinous of crimes, while (single) zero-infrastructure (ZI) will be used for high crimes. Petitions for removal from PZI shall be heard. In addition, PZI sentences shall be reviewed by the Gerousia every month, and sentenced nations may be allowed the possibility of parole. SIXTH [Poaching] The poaching of Spartan members is considered as an act of aggression against Sparta, and shall be treated as such. Poaching is defined as any attempt to convince a Spartan member to leave Sparta or join another alliance. SEVENTH [Expulsion] Members can only be expelled at the discretion of the Kings or through an expulsion sentence from the Middle Council.

IN CLOSING In the immortal spirit of the Doric people, those great ancestors to whom we owe the wealth, prosperity, and Honor with which Sparta is endowed, and for which we will fall--defiant, noble, and ineffaceable in the eyes of history, in this great Spartan spirit we give our oath: to Honor the laws of Sparta, the word indivisible from the spirit, to pay homage to our Kings, great arbiters of our people, and never to abandon our brothers so long as they still draw breath.

As form is bound to spirit, so is a Spartan to his oath.

Long live Sparta!

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Originally accepted, on the 8th of August, by the Former Government of Sparta, in it's entirety, as the new ruling document of the alliance.

Kings of Sparta ~ Tulak Hord and George the Great

Ephor of Foreign Affairs ~ Sethly Ephor of Defense ~ Andrewbw Deputy Ephor of Defense ~ Derka Derek Ephor of Economy ~ Darklink Ephor of Internal Affairs ~ Wilhelm the Demented

The Final Senate of Sparta

ARC Captain Brian Blessed Is God bwactor913 fectasupreme Glenfield Jango697 Lukapaka ronpau17 Roxxo tjayh913

First Amendment Ratified on September 21, 2009 by the following Government of Sparta:

Kings; Tulak Hord and Wilhelm the Demented Archephor; Andrewbw Ephor of Philoxenia; Seth Muscarella Elders of Philoxenia; Drostan, Necromancer V4L, Matthew Conrad Ephor of Lykoi; Solace19k Elders of Lykoi; TheLifeguard, AdamX, Hyperion321 Ephor of Mesoa; El coggins Elders of Mesoa; Jango697, Libertine, Hiro Nakara Ephor of Mastropeia; Darklink7748 Elders of Mastropeia; Fectasupreme, Cooldude247, ChiefRantu

Second Amendment Ratified on January 24, 2010 by the following Government of Sparta:

Kings; Tulak Hord and Wilhelm the Demented Archephor; Trinite Ephor of Philoxenia; Olaf Styke Elders of Philoxenia; Matthew Conrad and Mesapod Ephor of Lykoi; Lycurgus Elders of Lykoi; ARC Captain and Unholy Ephor of Mesoa; El coggins Elders of Mesoa; Libertine and Templare Ephor of Mastropeia; Darklink7748 Elders of Mastropeia; Cooldude247 and SYKEA6568

Doxa Sparta!