Century of Conquest

The Century of Conquest is the time period between the founding of the Imperium by Marius the Great and the Unification of Aegeron in A.I. 108. During this time the Imperium methodically conquered the realms of Aegeron, some with millitary force, some with threats and some with diplomacy and guile. While there were some setbacks, in time all those who once boasted of their right to rule were forced to kneel in front of the Emperor. By the year 108 all resistance was crushed, all freedom fighters and rebel heroes had fallen and the Age of the Imperium began.

Methods of Conquest
The economy of the Imperium during the Century of Conquest was very different from the (more humane) one it had in the following centuries. During this time the entire empire was essentially a giant war machine that was continuously fed by the spoils of war (loot, slaves). Unlike other realms the Imperium greatly relied on slave labor, which was supplied by the expansion of the empire. The Imperium was willing to use slaves even as soldiers (Crimson Tide) who were forcefully conscripted from the newly occupied lands and then thrown against their former countrymen.

After the conquest the Imperium seized and then redistributed all wealth, robbing the former ruling classes of their powers, while leaving the property of commoners more-or-less alone. Then, after a transitional period, the inhabitants of the land were granted citizenship and they also started enjoying the spoils of future wars.

When the Imperium encountered an enemy that was too powerful to defeat with conventional forces they often relied on the shock-and-awe effect of Edicts. For especially powerful enemies (e.g. the ancient Azure Federation) they often employed underhanded tactics, where they used bribes and promises of power to turn important figures against their fellow countrymen, dividing their enemies.