Coronaria

Coronaria is the capital city of the Achaean Empire. It rests upon the Axios River, also called the Darkwater, in the the far north of Old Achaea. Originally a city-state called Coria, it was renamed after its king - Exar I - conquered all of Achaea with his son Xandros the Conqueror. They renamed their city - the seat of their power - after the High Imperial word for "crown". To its inhabitants and many other citizens of the Empire, Coronaria is informally known simply as "the City".

Coronaria quickly became the largest city in the land, with several new rings of fortified walls being constructed every time it expanded too far for the old ones to be effective. The central ring of walls, called the Gold Ring, still protects the great Citadel from which the Emperor and his advisors rule the land. Surrounding it lies the Silver Ring, occupied by many of the oldest patrician families and houses in Achaea. Next is the Bronze Ring, populated mostly by newer wealthy families, including rich merchants and knights of the Ordo Equester. Finally, the largest and outermost ring is the Iron Ring, in which dwell the poorest citizens - the mob. Since the inner rings are more elevated than the Iron Ring, the nobles of Coronaria constructed the "Sky Bridges" - great highways standing high above the slums below, so that the nobility does not have to ride among the mob to enter and exit the city. The Iron Ring also contains the fort of the legendary First Legion, sworn to protect the capital at all costs.