SV: X to GZG conversions...

> John Atkinson wrote:

> Who makes great Bolos? I've been wanting to add a Dinochrome Brigade

Historical context: Byzantine empire from ca 650 AD and onward (at least until
the battle of Manzikert 1071 AD). Name of the nation, well... if it's
an Earth nation, by rights it ought to be Greece or Byzans :-/

Later,

> You wrote:

> [1]Two points for noting the historical context, 10 points for

7 points, half credit for the latter. I detest the term Byzantine Empire. It's
properly The Roman Empire, although from 800 AD onward I can see The Eastern
Roman Empire. Byzantine is a modern affection, invented by Jackasses like
Gibbons who didn't like the Empire after the Western Emperor lapsed.

The great star empire of the Nea Romanoi, 47 planets (one for each Theme as of
the death of the Bulgaroctonus). Nea Rome replacing Optimaton. Bad, bad blood
between them and the Islamic Federation, and they don't get on too well with
the FSE either.:)

> John Atkinson wrote:

> >> [1]Two points for noting the historical context, 10 points for

> can see The Eastern Roman Empire.

Not sure what they called themselves, but from 800 AD to the end of WW1 the
Roman Empire was definitely the Germany-based one :-) It usually
included
Rome, for one thing :-/

I agree with the remark about Gibbons, though.

Later,

> You wrote:

> Not sure what they called themselves, but from 800 AD to the end of

Like the Full Thrust/Dirtside background I'm using (trying to keep
topical!) the Empire, to the very end, refered to themselves as "Rhomaioi". In
other words, Romans. The Emperor was titled Augustus, Caeser, and Imperator in
addition to the Greek term Basileus. Along
with a lot of other fun things like Isoapostolis and God's Vice-Regent
on Earth...

At least as late as Belisarius the Army continued to march under banners
emblazoned SPQR. So an army of Slavs, Huns, and Anatolians commanded by a
Thracian serving a Dalmatian despot who ruled an Empire which hadn't included
Rome in 70 years could call itself the Army of the Senate and People of Rome.
And get away with it.

And BTW, the Holy Roman Empire ended in the 19th century, when Napoleon
whupped it. But I dispute it's legitemacy in the first place. The
Pope never had authority to crown anyone--Donation of Constantine has
been known to be a fraud for centuries. The Roman Empire fell in 1453.

At any rate, I'm sorry I brought it up, and can we take it to
private e-mail?