Making Rome Great Again or how I was born as Constantine IX, Emperor of the Romans ch 47 (Historical Fiction SI)

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The Aegean Sea sparkled with a life that only a few places on earth ever could. In his old life, it already was a natural beauty of great renown. Hundreds of islands to vacation and relax in, the smoothest grains of sand that shone bright with the sun's delight, the waves crashing with relaxing abandon, sent forth with the love of the tides. But here, now, in a world that did not know the Industrial Revolution and its choking wastes of toxic, pluming pollution, that serenity of the earth was magnified ten thousand times. He had passed the Aegean far too many times, it was a busy sea lane after all, but it was a sight that Constantine would never get tired of. 

Their ship bobbed as it approached the quay, in the distance, a crowd of people was there, waiting for their vessel to dock. Despite his instructions to keep any official welcome on the downlow, it wasn't everyday that their island would get to host not one, but three of the Purple-born. 

Constantine felt a tap on his side. He glanced down to see Theodora watching the island, her expression laser focused. "This was the island which caused it all, you know?" 

"Caused what?" he blinked. 

"Emperor Leo saw the volcano here erupt. The island was ruled by fired and ash for days," Theodora explained. "He took that as a sign to ban Icons." 

Constantine's mind went back. Iconoclasm were two volatile periods in Roman history where the image of saints were banned, motivated by the Bible commandment which forbade the making, veneration and worshipping of images. Scholars had touted that one of the reasons for its popularity was influenced by the Arabs forbidding image worship as well and at that time, people likely thought that maybe if they banned image worship, the Empire would have God's favour again. All in all, it was a needless time for theological disagreement, and it soured relations with the West. Luckily, that period had long since been over, and Iconoclasts were regarded as idiots. 

But they were not here for that, as much as it fascinated Constantine. No, they were here for something else, one that would spark envy from any world traveller: an Aegean Island free of RyanAir tourists. 

The ship docked, and a ramp was lowered. The crowds cheered, and Constantine put on his best face. One day, he was going to go out, incognito, and take in the medieval world in peace. The island's officials greeted him, and his sisters. All dressed to impressed, at least with their eager means. It was rather humble, by the standards of Constantinople, but Constantine didn't particularly care for that. The meet and greet took some time. For a smooth vacation, Constantine wanted a relaxed relationship with the locals. He gave to the officials gifts; baubles from Constantinople that they would not miss, but were greatly appreciated by the islanders. His train prayed in the local church, to compliment the clergy, before finally making their way to their Villa. 

The benefit of the Imperial household was its extensive properties. There was of course the Great Palace of Constantinople, and the smaller little Palaces inside the complex. But there were other properties inside and outside the city. Word was sent ahead, and the villa was prepared. It was an old thing, constructed during Hadrian's day though not by the famous Emperor himself. It had undergone through plenty of owners before getting purchased by the Imperial Household decades prior. It's architecture reflected that history: Classical Romanity that had lived in the Aegean for awhile. It overlooked most of the island, with the sea to its back. Olive groves flanked the stone road that lead to it, workers attendng to it in weather-beaten chitons. 

The main structure was a single-story building spread wide, with a terracotta-tiled roof that displayed the wear and care of countless seasons. A central courtyard lay at the heart of the villa, enclosed by colonnades of smooth marble pillars. In the courtyard, a fountain trickled softly, its basin carved with intricate patterns of vines and grapes. The rooms of the villa extended outward from the courtyard with multiple wings. The northern wing was the triclinium, overlooking the sea. But upon his request, that couches were replaced with an actual table and complimenting chairs. No sane person wanted to eat on their side. On the eastern wings, the bedrooms. The best one was at the northern-most side, since it had windows overlooking the sea and the breeze that came from there made for good breathing. And on the west, the kitchens and the store-rooms, and other utilitarian places.  

Constantine collapsed on his bed. It was humble, from a purely Constantinopolitan view, but it was homey in the rustic sense, and it was a fashion of the Roman court to LARP as tough country folk, despite being urbanites, mostly. The furniture was crafted from fine woods and upholstered with rich fabrics in deep blues and golds. The bed was massive, with soft silk sheets. He turned on his back, and stared at the ceiling. In another life, this sort of experience would have been absurdly expensive. But now, he was living it. This pampered existence, Constantine saw why many nobles were lazy and why many would kill for. Ah, luxury. The root cause of corruption. 

He exhaled, and stood up, and walked over the window, looking out at the sprawling Aegean, and his mind wandered. 

The conquests of his uncle, and his own efforts, they were going to be remembered for all time. But greatness was not something that was permanent, nothing ever was. Somehow, somewhere, a descendant of his line, or whatever dynasty would fuck up, massively, and all the hard work they had poured into this project would all be for nothing. That glaring fact spooked him. It was character for any Empire to have an incompetent ruler fail, by their own merits or due to external reasons. 

He clicked his tongue. No, he cannot prevent incompetence. What he could do was leave behind a strong legacy, and ensure that the foundations of state would provide leverage for any enterprising Emperor to take. He was going to continue his projects, and instil a real sense of civic nationalism that made all Roman. 

He-

"Are you seriously just going to stare out of the window? On your first vacation?" Zoe mused behind him. Constantine turned, and there Zoe stood, a maid next to her. 

"It is a man's activity to ponder," Constantine replied. Zoe rolled her eyes. 

"Well, you can ponder later," Zoe scoffed, gesturing out of the room. "You got us out of the City, I demand entertainment." 

Constantine smiled, his mind thinking to the items they had brought. 

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Zoe watched, head tilting to one's side. 

"You're going to love this," Constantine chuckled to himself. The servants had prepared a table with kitchen items on it. Drawing back his sleeves, Constantine picked up a mortar and pestle, placing a handful of dark, dried things into the bowl. Theodora, reclining on a nearby couch with a book in hand, glanced over curiously. Zoe, however, stood closer, her arms crossed, watching Constantine with a mixture of suspicion and intrigue.

"What is that?" Zoe finally asked, leaning forward slightly to get a better look. The aroma was pleasant to her nose as her brother dried them all into a fine powder. 

"You'll see," Constantine replied, the mortar scraping against the pestle. Zoe huffed, unimpressed by the lack of explanation. She turned to Theodora, who raised an eyebrow but said nothing, her eyes now darting between the book and their clearly insane brother. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Zoe, Constantine finished grinding the substance. A servant approached, carrying a tray with several small cups and setting them neatly on the table. Another servant followed, carefully bringing a vessel of water. Constantine took the vessel as if he were performing a sacred ritual. He poured the water into one of the cups, and then, with a theatrical flourish, he added the dark powder, stirring it with a small spoon.

"Now," Constantine said, setting the cup down in front of Zoe, his grin widening. "Try it."

Zoe frowned at the cup. The aroma was unfamiliar. Very pleasant, Zoe felt, but unfamiliar. "Why don't you try it first?" she countered.

Constantine chuckled. "Fine." He picked up the cup and took a small sip. Immediately, a shiver ran through him, and he closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the sensation. "Ah...I missed that feeling," he said softly, setting the cup back down. He seemed a little brighter, a little more energetic.

Zoe narrowed her eyes. "What feeling?"

"Just try it, Zoe," Constantine urged, gesturing to the cup. "Trust me." 

Zoe sighed. She had sampled all manners of drinks, but this was the first, she thought. After all, it was black. Reluctantly, she picked it up, gave it a cautious sniff, and then took a small sip.

She gagged immediately, her expression twisting into one of utter disgust. "It's bitter!" she exclaimed, spitting the liquid back into the cup. "How can you drink this? It's horrible!"

Constantine laughed heartily, clearly enjoying her reaction. "That's part of the experience, Zoe! You have to embrace the bitterness."

"Well, I don't want to embrace it," Zoe said firmly, pushing the cup away as if it were poison. "It's awful. I'm not drinking more of that."

Constantine shook his head. "Patience, Zoe. Patience." He gestured to a nearby servant, who quickly brought over a small jug of milk, a pot of honey, and a bowl filled with tiny cubes of ice. With practiced ease, Constantine added a generous splash of milk, a dollop of honey, and a few ice cubes to the drink. He stirred it all together until the dark liquid transformed into a lighter, creamier concoction.

"There," he said, setting the cup back in front of Zoe. "Now try it."

Zoe eyed the cup suspiciously, still unconvinced. "No," she said flatly. "I'm not falling for that again. You drink it."

Before Constantine could respond, Theodora spoke up from her spot on the couch. "I'll try it," she said, closing her book and standing up. She approached the table, curiosity lighting up her face as she took the cup. She sniffed it delicately, her expression softening. With that, Theodora took a sip. Her eyes widened slightly, and she paused, savoring the taste. "It's...interesting," she said finally, glancing at Constantine. "Sweet, creamy, but still with that bitterness underneath. Not unpleasant, though."

"See?" Constantine said, turning back to Zoe triumphantly. "Theodora gets it."

Zoe crossed her arms again, still unconvinced. "She's just being polite."

Theodora raised an eyebrow. "I actually like it," she said, taking another sip. She shivered, unintentionally. "I'd like to finish this." 

"Go ahead," Constantine smiled, pleased. Watching Theodora return to her couch, then glanced to her. "I am pleasantly surprised, I thought you would like it, and Theodora would like the other one," Constantine tutted. 

"What other one?" Zoe raised an eyebrow. 

Constantine smiled slyly and gestured toward a servant standing nearby. The man bowed and brought over another mortar and pestle, along with a small sack. The faint rustling sound of the sack's contents hinted at something different from before. As the servant set it down on the table, the rich, earthy aroma of dried leaves filled the air.

Constantine opened the sack and took out a handful of the fragrant, brittle leaves. 

"Leaves?" she asked, frowning. "You're making us drink leaves now?"

"Patience," Constantine said, his grin widening as he began to crush the leaves with the pestle. Theodora, still holding her cup of the first drink, watched intently, her curiosity piqued.

As Constantine ground the leaves into smaller pieces, their fragrance grew stronger, filling the room with a warm, inviting aroma. Even Zoe couldn't help but inhale deeply, her expression softening as the scent tickled her senses.

Once the leaves were sufficiently crushed, Constantine carefully added them to a fresh vessel of hot water, stirring gently. The liquid slowly began to change color, turning a rich, golden-brown.

Zoe peered into the vessel. "It smells...nice," she admitted reluctantly, her nose twitching at the fragrant steam rising from it. "But so did the last one, and look how that turned out."

Constantine chuckled, pouring the golden liquid into a small cup. He handed it to Zoe with an encouraging smile. "Go on, try it."

Zoe hesitated, holding the cup in her hands as if it were some strange, magical potion. "You first," she insisted, narrowing her eyes at Constantine. "I'm not falling for this again."

"Fine," Constantine said with an exaggerated sigh. He took the cup from her, raised it to his lips, and sipped. His shoulders relaxed, and a contented sigh escaped him. "Ah...just as I remember. A perfect balance of warmth, aroma, and flavor." He set the cup back on the table, looking visibly more at ease.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "You always make everything sound so dramatic," she muttered, but she couldn't hide her growing curiosity. Tentatively, she picked up the cup again and brought it to her lips. The aroma was even more inviting up close, and she took a cautious sip.

Her expression shifted as the liquid touched her tongue. Her eyes widened, and she slowly lowered the cup. "It's...bitter," she said, but was less accusatory than before. "Not like the other one, though. It's...acceptable. Not awful."

Zoe glanced at him, then at the cup. She remembered how Constantine had transformed the first drink with milk and honey, and she set the cup down with a determined expression. "I want the milk and honey."

Constantine laughed, gesturing for a servant to bring the requested items. Once they were on the table, he handed them over to Zoe with a flourish. "Go ahead, then. Make it how you like."

Zoe carefully poured a splash of milk into the cup, followed by a spoonful of honey. She stirred it slowly, watching the liquid turn a lighter shade. She lifted it to her lips once more and took another sip.

Her face lit up. "Oh! This is good!" she exclaimed, turning to Constantine with genuine delight. "Why didn't you just do this from the start?!" 

"Because, dear sister, you need to experience the drink in its purest form first. Only then can you truly appreciate it," Constantine chided. 

Zoe scowled. "You just wanted to see my reaction, did you?" 

"That too," Constantine admitted with a grin.

Theodora, having finished her first cup, approached the table and picked up a fresh cup of the golden liquid. "If Zoe likes this one," she said, pouring herself a small amount and adding milk and honey, "then it must be worth trying." She took a sip and nodded approvingly. "It's soothing. The first one was better, though. What was that?" 

Zoe perked up. "Yes, what did you make us drink?" 

​Constantine's eyes flashed. "The Arabs called the first one qahwa, and the second one, shai." 

​"Ka...wa? Shy?" Theodora repeated. 

"Close enough," Constantine shrugged. "I had heard about it through the mouths of Saracens, and I wanted to try it out. So I tasked some people to get some for me." 

He tapped the vessels bearing the drink. "I am of the mind to have these introduced as flagship products of my own private enterprise. Trade is one of the weapons that Rome uses to her advantage, I say we corner that!" 

Thedora rolled her eyes, and Zoe snorted. She knew about Constantine's private ventures, of course. He told her. "Again with trade. What are you, a Jew?" 

"Zoe!" Constantine clicked his tongue, scandalized. 

"What? It's the truth," Zoe defended. 

"That aside," Constantine cleared his throat. "I intend for my investments to be proper. In fact, I intend to make it into a institution. We already control trade in the east, might as well make it official." A glimmer went to his eyes. "The East Empire Trading Company. That sounds delightful."  

The purple-born stared at him, lost. They knew of course where the riches of the Empire came from, they were not ignorant. "A Trading Company...?" Zoe trailed. Was this going to be some new Collegia? 

"Imagine a centralization of trade, under the Emperor," Constantine explained. "We would be a juggernaut, our power would be cemented. You know of course of how foreigners wish to trade with us, the sheer prestige of it." 

​Both women did. 

Zoe thought of the profits this would generate, the sheer wealth accumulation of a centralized bureau. Knowing her Uncle, assuming he approved of it, would ensure it would be tightly controlled. Theodora on the other hand, thought about outside reaction. They already traded well enough with the east, and the goods would flow northwards and westwards. If such a company would be formalized, she thought of the Italians that traded with them, and the panic of facing such a juggernaut. And of course, the reactions of the collegia. And the Dynatoi. 

"How well have you thought about this...?" Theodora asked. 

"For awhile," Constantine admitted. "Why?" 

"Because it just sounds like you are announcing to us about it, but you don't really have details for it," Theodora advised. "I would like to hear details, brother." 

"I as well," Zoe announced. "How would this be organized?" 

Constantine paused, then turned to each one of them. "Alright. Let's talk." 

And thus they did.

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Constantine sighed, steam in his nostrils. Night had come, and Constantine finally found the time to relax. 

A bevy of hot springs thrived in the Aegean. Thera had many, courtesy of the nearby volcano. A part of him laughed at his situation. This was supposed to be a retreat, not a business meeting. But no, he just couldn't resist himself. And his sisters were smart. Very smart. Theodora focused on the specifics, the important technical details of his plan. Zoe, bless her heart, thought of the social impact. In principle, it was agreed that a Trading Company would be very profitable, but if he wanted to put it into practice, he would need help. 

Meaning he would have to talk to bureaucrats and the collegia about this. 

God damn it. 

Oh well, another to do list to add on his pile of shit to to do. The organization of the Exarchate, the expedition to Sicily, the ecumenical council, and now this. Shit, he had thought about establishing a Central Bank as well, for purposes of regulation and stability. 

He grumbled.

He was better at thinking of things, not the technical stuff. But he understood the power of institutions, and trade, and stability. No matter how much it hurt his head, Constantine was going to soldier through it. 

For the Empire. 

For Rom-

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A/N: The next part is filthy, but it is what the people voted for. Due to Patreon rules, I cannot post it here and I must sadly put it up on QQ, when it is time.

Anyway, I need people smarter than me. Constantine is thinking of two things: an Trading Company in the style of the EETC from Skyrim, which itself was inspired from the EIC and the Dutch East India Company, to of course monopolize Eastern trade even more, and to keep the Italian States as Rome's bitch. Then, there is of course, the formation of an Central Bank. We are looking at what is likely going to be one of Rome's best golden eras so might as well double down. 

So, how could he bring about such things?

He already has a private enterprise he wishes to transform as a hypothetical Imperial Trading Company, and he wishes the central bank to of course be a stabilizing force for the Roman Economy. It's still pretty solid (hehe) due to the solidus but surely, we of the future year can bring about the terrors of capitalism to Rome, can't we?