Augustine

Augustine, officially the Augustine Republic, is a federal constitutional republic located in southwest Avanor. Bordered to the north by Caliane, to the northeast by Averra, to the east by Nalore, to the south by the Summer Sea, and to the west by the Mithran Ocean, the nation's borders encompass nearly LAND AREA square kilometers, and has a population of 101,189,990 people according to the latest census data. The capital and largest city is the ancient city of Augustine, though other important settlements throughout the nation are Nervis, Oea, Flaviae, and Aesica.

Augustine had its origins in the aftermath of the classical period, when Decletian the Great was crowned Emperor in Augustine by the Great Octum in 412 CE. Augustine would go on to fight numerous wars, defeating Thanic invaders from the north, while also conquering Nalore and Caliane by 810 CE. Augustine would become independent under Gaiva I in 1123 after the Imperium was split between the three children of the old emperor.

Augustine is a Great Power, and is a member of the Union of Nations, as well as the Avanor Union. The nation is also a member of the World Council, and the Avanor Defense Organization, taking an active role in world politics, defense, and diplomacy. The nation is also a leading economy, with a strong social market economy, marked by high levels of prosperity and innovation. The economy relies on its reputation for its strong and creative businesses, its innovation, and its reputation as a source of luxury goods. Important industries include tourism, viticulture (having the largest wine production in the world), agriculture, financial services, fashion, machinery, food, and luxury goods.

Etymology
The name Augustine has largely unknown origins in history. The region around the city of Augustine was referred to largely as Asteko by Paravantene explorers in the 2000s BCE, but and this soon became transliterated as Augustii by the ancient Imperials,

High Middle Ages
With the Treaty of Braves in 1390 signed, the Second Ligurian War was decided - and was a decisive loss for the Augustine. The defeat came at the earliest point of Arellius III's reign, and as such weakened his position as Imperator from the earliest point of his rule. As such, the nobility placed the blame of the defeat in the war at his feet, and demanded several concessions from him in return: most notably the returning of many powers to the Imperianstrium, more or less turning him into a constitutional monarch - with the new Imperianstrum having powers over taxation and expenditure, as well as the right to oversee declarations of war, succession, and constitutional reforms.

This reform of society from an absolutist imperial government, to a constitutional monarchy would spur on calls for more social change. With the Imperator's spending powers curtailed, mercantile classes were able to build their wealth further, and scholars and philosophers began questioning old teachings - with many going to Paravantir and bringing back many of their scholarly advances to Augustine, prompting drastic leaps in science and philosophy. This influx of new ideas and scientific advancement led to the emerging Great Reformation beginning in the 1390s.

Exploration & Colonization
As the Great Reformation took hold across Augustine, new places of learning and research sprouted across the nation. The University of Augustine, the University of Oea, and the University of Nervis all were established as centres of learning in this period, while many new philosophers and writers appeared, questioning the status quo. Writers such as Mucius Taurinus who wrote works such as "On Good Governance" and "The Philosophy of Statehood", which attempted to use classical ideals of what makes a good ruler to education statesmen on how to run the country. Others like Lucius Quintinus wrote works on scientific and philosophical questions - with Quintinus working to invent a new version of Paravantene ships that could sail longer distances than Avanoran ships of the time. The result was the Imperianstrum and Imperator Aurellius V ordering the construction of a new navy of these ships in 1410, which would then be used to explore the coasts of northern Korasha.

Aurellius V died in 1417, and afterwards his son, Nactos IV, took the throne after being confirmed by the Imperianstrium. Despite him being of reasonable health and ability, he failed to unite the Imperianstrium behind his rule and struggled to enforce any agenda of his own. Instead, the emergence of seven families dominated the political sphere beginning in the 1420s: the Houses of Callicles, Mulier, Barbatus, Lutorius, Albinius, Petrus, and Telestis. These families had financed the exploration of the northern Korashan continent, and were now profiting from the trade they had established with the many cities and cultures of the region - particularly the Ossamites and Paravantene. However, despite the profit these trading outposts were bringing in, the Augustine did not expand their colonial reach to settler colonies, preferring to instead rely on trading posts garrisoned by soldiers armed with the newly distributed muskets, which were invented in the 1430s.

Government, Law, & Politics
Augustine is a semi-parliamentary federal republic. According to the Augustine Constitution, the nation elects the Federal Parliament every three years, as well as a head of state, the President. The President selects a candidate from parliament to form a government to govern the country, serving as head of government as Prime Minister. The Parliament consists of 305 members, which are elected using the d'hondt method of elections, where any party wanting seats in parliament must receive 3% of the vote. The last election was held in 1922, and produced Gaiva Caelius as Prime Minister, from the People's Party.

Economy
Augustine is a highly developed and innovative world economy which leads in the fields of luxury goods production, viticulture, automotive manufacturing, information technology, robotics,