User Guide

might call it a bribe). Just click on the button, set the
amount you’d like to send, and then select “Send This
Gift.” A gift will come out of your personal savings. Of
course, you can never be sure if such a gesture will
please or anger the Emperor.
Your relationship with the Emperor may vary
throughout your game, and will manifest itself in
several different forms:
Imperial Favor: This rating is a general measure of
your relationship with the Emperor. It considers
such factors as how well and how quickly you fulfill
his requests, and how much money you send in the
form of “gifts.”
Annual Tribute: The Annual Tribute is a fee that
you pay to the Emperor each year, just for the
privilege of being Roman. The Emperor determines
the amount of the Tribute based on the profitability
of your city, the total amount in your treasury (the
more you have, the higher the tribute), and Imperial
Favor. If the Emperor likes you, he will lower your
Tribute. If you annoy him, he will surely raise it.
Requests: The Emperor may occasionally request
raw materials from you. When this happens, the
best thing you can do is send him what he asks
for — any way you can. This may mean
building a port several months before you had
planned to in order to get the Emperor some
sand. If you fail to give the Emperor what he
requests, he may banish you (and end your
game!). But if you absolutely cannot grant
the request, he may ultimately give you the
GAME MANUAL
59