Urceopolis (City)

Urceopolis is the city of Urcea. It is also the cathedral city of the Archduchy of Urceopolis and the largest city and largest metropolitan area in Urcea, both in terms of population and area. It sits at an intersection of the Urce River and Esquiline River.

The earliest record of the settlement of Urceopolis comes from accounts during the Latin Heroic Age, but many modern historians believe it probable that small, transient settlements of Gaelic people lived in and around the area prior to the arrival of the Latins. As one of the oldest cities in Levantia, the urban landscape of Urceopolis is greatly varied as the city gradually incorporated surrounding settlements and open areas. For much of its history, control of the city was largely divided along the Esquiline River, which bisects the city. The Apostolic King of Urcea enjoyed direct control over the ancient city itself north of the Esquiline, whereas the Pope had control of the city south of the River. Today, the Papal State resides within the city as an independent state with formal borders established by the River Concordat of 1815.

Etymology
Although the etymology of Urceopolis is clear - an origin term for "city of the Urce River", historians - both contemporary and since antiquity - have debated the precise source of an Istroyan term to describe a city established by Latinic people. The ancient Levantine myth of the Journey of the Fifty - which reached its final, canonical form in around 150 BC - ascribes the source of the name to the city being founded by demigods originating in ancient Istroya. Although this story is entirely mythical, many contemporary historians believe that it served two functions, with the first being to explain the Istroyan etymology for the city, and with the second passing on actual, distorted oral tradition about the discovery of the city by Istroyan-speaking explorers in the service of the Adonerii league. The Istroyan explorer theory was heavily contested by scholars during the 20th century, but has come to be largely accepted by consensus in the 21st century. In Latin, the city came to be known as Colonia Urceopolitania before and during the early period of Great Levantia, with Urceopolitania becoming the more common term during the high and late periods of Great Levantia. This term came to its current form in Julian Ænglish through Lebhan. The official Latin name for the city remains Civitas Urceopolitania.

Government and politics
The City of Urceopolis employs a model of governance in Urcea known as the executive polis, which employs a chief executive who works in tandem with a local legislative body. Urceopolis was the only local government in Urcea to employ this system until the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892, and it is sometimes informally called "Urceopolitan style" governance. Within the city, the Lord Prefect is the chief executive officer who is responsible for all of Urceopolis's government agencies while having oversight of the police department, fire department, medical corps, while having significant input into the administration of the city's transit system. The Lord Prefect is comparable in most respects to mayors of cities in other Occidental countries. The executive branch of Urceopolis's government includes an extensive set of agencies with broad reach over city policy and administration, such as public works, health conditions, sanitation, and other related municipal areas. The laws of the city are established by the Archcathedral Council, a proportionally-representative body many up of 121 Councilors. The Lord Prefect is elected at large in the city and the Council is elected from proportionally drawn districts every five years, mirroring the electoral calendar of the Concilium Daoni. Uniquely, the Lord Prefect is limited to two terms, while the Council has no term limits. In order to be eligible for either office, an individual must be a baptized Catholic of at least thirty five years of age.

Traditionally, the City of Urceopolis was under the control of the left-liberal faction of the National Democratic Party for most of the 20th century. The National Pact, which began its history as a Urceopolitan political club, often represented a large minority party. The Urcean left in various forms was often politically successful in poorer areas like Campori, but was usually more successful in the Concilium Daoni elections than municipal elections. Since the 2015 realignment, however, the National Pact has been ascendant within the city, with the local party especially emphasizing its Crown Liberal positions. The left wing Social Labor Party is the second most successful party since 2015, having the second largest number of seats on the Archcathedral Council as of 2026, although sitting in an extreme minority. The Solidarity Party has struggled to compete in Urceopolis as it has in other cities since the decline of its predecessor, the National Democratic Party, finishing in third in most elections since 2015. The politics of the city trend towards liberal centrism, favoring a form of cosmopolitanism with some limited traditional influences.

Boroughs
Urceopolis is divided into twenty four boroughs as well as the Papal State, a sovereign nation existing within its city limits but outside the city's jurisdiction. Old City, New City, the Flats and Aricia, and Crescent are commonly referred to collectively as "the Pale", describing the extent of the city for most of its history. Outside of Urcea, the existence of the Pale as a distinct borough is a common misconception.

Old City
Old City refers to the original sight of Latinic settlement in the area, forming the establishment of the historic Colonia Urceopolitania during the Latin Heroic Age. Accordingly, the Old City is home to many ancient sites and structures, including the Levantine Forum, which was the original commercial and political center of the city. Old City is characterized by many medieval buildings and close-in streets. The narrow streets and plazas within the Old City are the home of many of the oldest plaza cluster-style restaurants in Urcea.

New City
New City refers to land which was once an elevated hill known as the Caeline Hill or Collis Caelius which had a commanding view of the Urce River, the Flats, and Old City of Urceopolis. It became a natural expansion of the early city and was the site of several fortifications and large homes during the early peak of the city under Great Levantia. As the city declined, the Caelian Hill/New City area became the site of the fortified mansion of the Julian dynasty known as the Domus Julii. Gradually, the home of the Julians spread out across the hill and today encompasses much of New City as the Julian Palace. The Palace and New City are home to the Government of Urcea, and accordingly the borough is mostly comprised of either the Palace, various chapels and churches, or ancillary government office buildings.

New City is the only portion of Urceopolis in which automobiles are not permitted besides some government vehicles, for reasons of security, historic preservation, and pedestrian appeal. Several park and rides are available into New City from beyond the Via Corona, with Archcathedral Rapid Transit lines running into the Flats near entrances of New City.

the Flats and Aricina
The Flats and Aricina, although now a single borough, consists of two areas of the city which existed during antiquity. Aricina was the port district of the Old City which largely had its own political apparatus during the era of Great Levantia. The adjacent area known as the Flats was originally the city's harbor, sheltered from the Urce River to the west by New City, which was originally a peninsula. The existence of the Flats as a sheltered, usable harbor, is most likely the original reason for the city being established where it is. Changing climate lead to the Flats transitioning from useful harbor land to marshy swamplands around 350 BC, after which much of Aricina's usefulness as a port came to an end as most port operations moved to the areas adjoining the river, especially with the construction of the city of Ardotalia in around 150 AD. Aricina, which had its own system of walls within the city, became an isolated and poor area during most of the Great Levantine and medieval periods, occasionally being repurposed as a quarantine ward for disease outbreaks. The Flats were drained during the initial reign of House de Weluta ca. 1450 and became one of the most fashionable parts of the city, with land being available to build large and lavish structures, including theaters and opera houses as well as urban mansions. Aricina experienced significant growth following the Flats being drained, with the walls separating the two areas eventually coming down to be used as building materials. The two areas subsequently became closely associated since the 17th century, although Aricina's position as a prominent hill relative to the Flats made it a well sought after location. During the 19th century, much of the Flats were demolished in order to erect the Royal Green, which now bisects the borough. It is a common misconception that the area of the borough to the north of the Green is "the Flats" while the area to its south is "Aricina", though this information is commonly taught abroad. Today, the borough is not only home to the Green, the city's major park, but also many museums and government buildings.

Via Corona
The Via Corona is a major thoroughfare which runs through the exterior of the Crescent and was the former site of the city's medieval walls, which replaced the ancient walls in the early 14th century. The Via Corona itself was constructed in the 1860s as the walls were demolished and was intended to provide cross-city linkage while creating open streets which would be difficult for insurgent revolutionaries to. The road, named Crown Street in Latin due to its somewhat circular shape, presently includes an inner "express" roadway and side roadways for local traffic with bike lanes and sidewalks in between. As with the Crescent, the Via Corona essentially surrounds the ancient portion of Urceopolis to the north. The Via Corona today serves as the major inner-city roadway, intersecting with several routes of the National Interprovincial Highway Service which run near and around the city. Many park and ride structures sit on the west side of the Via Corona, typically about a block or two behind the street itself in order to preserve the architectural continuity of its buildings. These park and rides allow for access to New City, where cars are not permitted, as well as other areas in New City, Crescent, and the Flats where parking may be difficult to find by way of Archducal Rapid Transit stations which sit all along the Via Corona. Accordingly, many of the back streets off Via Corona experience severe gridlock in rush hour periods during scheduled train stops.

Besides being a major roadway, the Via Corona is thought by many to be its own insular neighborhood area. Many major structures were built in the 19th century as the road was constructed, and the area is today a popular tourist destination.

Ardriville
Ardriville was established as a fortified bridge crossing and village sometime in the early 12th century.

It is the home of The Dispossessed and, accordingly, has become known as "Noble City". It has the highest amount of current or former nobility per capita of any location in the world. Their presence - which includes a large number of lavish mansions and estates - has become a.

Arelate
Arelate was initially the site of a fortified manor house in the period between the fall of Great Levantia and the rise of the Holy Levantine Empire, and accordingly was one of the few sites of economic activity to the east of Urceopolis. From these beginnings, it became a small town primarily based on mills along the creeks which ran east of the city. During the 19th century, rail lines were established running northeast of Urceopolis through Arelate and neighboring Flucirk, with a junction being established in Arelate in 1862. From there, the population of the area grew exponentially and the mills were replaced with larger industrial manufacturing plants taking advantage of the water power available in the region. It was annexed into the city as part of the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892.

Flucirk
Flucirk was established sometime during the medieval period as a small mill village which grew up around a small country Catholic parish. Its name originates from the Lebhan word for "river church". Flucirk, like neighboring Arelate, became a fast growing area during the 19th century as railroad lines were erected through it running northest. Becoming a relatively major city in its own right, Flucirk was home to many tenement buildings with the rise of rapid transit in Urceopolis area in the latter half of the 19th century. It was annexed into the city as part of the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892.

Elmont
Elmont is likely named for the Latin term "Eletan Mons", meaning hilly area. Largely unsuitable for urban construction, what would become the borough of Elmont was long a popular spot for animal grazing and became the sight of some well known horse riding grounds during the medieval period. Sitting between Narbo Martius and Flucirk, the area was annexed as part of the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892. King Patrick III continued the equine tradition by building the Hippodrome in Elmont. Although urban sprawl has long eliminated the grazing and riding grounds from Elmont, the equine industry still plays a major role here due to the presence of the Hippodrome as well as the many backstretch jobs associated with its presence. In 1920, the Equine Science University - part of the Collegium Scientificum - was established in Elmont.

Today, much of Elmont is single family or multi family homes of primarily working class families.

Campori
Campori, whose name originated as Campus Orientalis, was an occasional military marshaling ground during the time of Great Levantia and was sparsely populated for most of Urcea's history. Even after being incorporated into the city as part of the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892, Campori remained largely rural until after the Second Great War. The area was developed by the Government of Urcea with large public housing projects intended for veterans of the war and their families. The projects were intended to be models for the rest of the country, but ran into significant problems during construction including cost overruns, and many of the houses were not complete until the early 1950s. The area was considered up and coming during the 1950s and 60s, but generally began to decline as the population of Second Great War veterans began to move away in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The population of veterans was gradually replaced by other groups of Urceans on waiting lists for housing, namely from across the country, recently released convicts, and other generally impoverished people. The introduction of these groups lead to a dramatic relocation of the veteran communities by the mid 1970s, leading the area to significant economic decline. The situation partly stabilized with the introduction of Cronan immigrants during the 20th century, but due to the prevalence of tower blocks the area remains a major source of housing stock for those with very low incomes in Urcea.

Campori is one of the few locations in Urcea where are still in widespread use in the 21st centuries. Much of the economy of the area is characterized by body shops - both legitimate and, the occasional budget supermarket, , s, and tobacco shops. Crime is higher than most other parts of the city, and it is a major source of controlled substances flowing into other parts of the city, including narcots and pornography. Efforts by national and city leadership to remediate the area - including potential urban development projects which would destroy the public housing projects - have generally been unsuccessful. It is considered to be the poorest part of the city according to most available economic and crime metrics.

the Royal Burgh (the Strip)
The Royal Burgh, most commonly known as the Strip, is an area which sits between the Papal State to the west and Churchcreek to the east, giving it its popular name. The area was historically associated with the Papal State, but was formally ceded to Urcea and recognized as part of the city as part of the River Concordat. It acquired the name "Royal Burgh" as a generic governing term while becoming popularly referred to as the Strip. The borough is notable for its well preserved urban architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries, having been the site of urban expansion under the Papal State just before being ceded to Urcea. Due to its history, it was primarily occupied by people from outside of Urceopolis prior to its cession, giving the area a unique cultural character that has been amplified by the older architecture. Accordingly, the Strip is a common tourist destination in the city and also a popular center of cuisine and nightlife.

Popeswood
Popeswood is an area directly south of the Papal State that was largely considered part of the Papal State until the 1815 River Concordat. It was mostly undeveloped at the time of cession to Urcea, serving as a private hunting ground for the Popes and other Curia officials. Retaining much of its wooded character well into the mid-twentieth century, the Popeswood borough was developed in the latter half of the twentieth century as a convenient commuting location for large homes of financiers and other Urcean entrepreneurs whose businesses and corporate headquarters were located in Kingswood. The neighborhood has become one of the most fashionable in the city due to the high concentration of wealth, with most Urcean business officials of any significance maintaining a residency in Popeswood. The Archcathedral Rapid Transit system does not serve the borough of Popeswood, having no stations within the borough, and many critics have alleged this is by design.

The Papal State
Although an independent state not within the city jurisdiction of Urceopolis, the Papal State, home of the Pope and center of the Catholic Church, sits approximately within the center of Urceopolis along the south bank of the Esquiline Ruver. Sometimes referred to as "Vatican City", the Papal State contains many of the oldest extant structures within city. Originally part of the core of the city during the Great Levantia period, the area became associated with the Church by means of burial in the area following his. A popular Christian site, St. Peter's Archbasilica was erected over the burial site upon the Christianisaton of Great Levantia, which became the official seat of the Bishop of Urceopolis and, accordingly, one of the holiest sites in Catholicism. Largely depopulated after the fall of Great Levantia, Vatican City began to grow once again in the 800s. Historically, the position of the Pope separated from the Julian Palace by the Esquiline River gave him a great degree of independence and influence south of the Urce, which eventually became formalized as the Duchy of Transurciana. The current borders of the Papal State, following centuries of uncertainty, were established by the River Concordat of 1815 during the Recess of the Julii.

Many former noble houses became part of the Papal State complex in administrative capacity, and the State is densely packed with churches and chapels. The Papal State is also full of gardens, observatories, and other scientific and religious structures including the Apostolic Palace and St. Peter's Archbasilica.

Arvan
Arvan is the site of the ancient Great Levantine river port city of Arvenium, which entered decline during the 4th city and was reduced, like the rest of Urceopolis, to a center of a few scattered fortified manor houses after the fall of Great Levantia. Many of these manor houses would gradually develop into major castles and accordingly became considered key fortified locations near the capital, coming under Royal control in the 13th century as part of a broader strategy to exact influence on the Pope and Duchy of Transurciana. From the 16th century on, Arvan was essentially controlled by the military, continually redeveloping the local fortifications while building sprawling barracks complexes. Like much of the city, it became part of Urceopolis via the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892. With the military leaving the area after the Red Interregnum, Arvan became primarily a warehouse district during much of the 20th century, providing logistical support to business and industrial operations in neighboring Kingswood. As heavy industry gradually left the city during the 20th century, Arvan was slowly redeveloped into a mixed-use, bedroom-tendency community during the latter half of the 20th century, with many warehouses demolished in favor of single family homes, though many were also converted to stylish multi-unit apartment buildings. Since around 2005, Arvan is generally the home of middle class immigrants from Crona, particularly the Nysdra Sea region, with their less well-off relatives moving to Campori. Arvan's Cronan community is vibrant and has developed unique traditions and cultural festivals. It is sometimes referred to as the "Cronan Quarter".

Archcathedral Rapid Transit
The Archcathedral Rapid Transit system, known both officially and unofficially as "the Subway", is a system owned by the city government of Urceopolis.

History
Several competing rapid transit systems were constructed in Urceopolis during the 19th and early 20th century. The first with service from Crescent to Arelate opened in 1871 in conjunction with the construction of a long distance rail hub erected in Arelate. This first elevated train saw significant use and lead to a population explosion in Arelate, and the successful concept saw the construction of several elevated rail lines throughout the 1870s and 1880s. Most of these lines were constructed by a new company known as the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT) Company. Construction largely came to a half during the Red Interregnum, though during this time of hiatus the government of Gréagóir FitzRex did give approval for the IRT to experiment with underground lines, and the first line - the Crescent Circulator, a now-defunct line running mostly in a straight line from Old City to New City with a stop along the Royal Green - opened in 1897. The increase of the city's land area with the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892 also created significant opportunities for rail developers The end of the Red Interregnum and restoration of King Patrick III saw a major uptick in construction, in part with government funding. By 1910, the city was dominated with a largely tangled network of elevated rail lines operated by IRT and its primary competitor Citylines, both of whom were shifting new line construction underground. The primary tunnels for lines for these competitors were constructed in the period 1907-1909, and most are still in operation during the 21st century. The city government created a public rapid transit company known as Royal Transit in 1914 to try and build additional underground lines in order to put the problematic elevated lines out of business, and accordingly the city constructed additional tunnels from 1914 to 1920. The loss of revenue for elevated lines gradually lead Citylines to declare bankruptcy in 1927, and the company was purchased by the city and integrated within its systems. Interboro Rapid Transit would also struggle during this period, but a halt to major acquisitions as a result of the Second Great War lead to it receiving subsidies from the Government of Urcea until 1943, when the war ended. That year, the IRT was acquired by Royal Transit, which renamed itself Archcathedral Rapid Transit. Most of the elevated lines were closed during the war and their resources recycled for the war effort. Today, the three different types of lines are still recognized by their division indicators; the Interborough Rapid Transit lines in the IRT Division, the Royal Transit lines in the ROY Division, and the Citylines lines in the CLR (Citylines Railroad) division.

Cuisine
As a global city, Urceopolis has an extremely wide array of cuisines on offer, with offerings from most nations abroad as well as city variations of cultural foods. In addition to the wide variety of foods available, many Urceopolis-specific regional cuisines have developed which have left a strong influence on the overall cuisine of Urcea.

The Urcean restaurant style of plaza clusters - a type of restaurant wherein most of the seating is at tables out on the street or in a public square - originated within Urceopolis and most original examples of the type can be found within Old City. Many of these restaurants are well known for providing deceptively good food, and for much of the 20th century were considered the "hidden gem" of Urcean restaurants before becoming widely known and visited. Many of the best of these restaurants have week-long waiting lists, with tourists making reservations months in advance.

Tourism
Tourism is an extensive industry within Urceopolis, with many of Urcea's most iconic destinations being located within city limits. A 2019 analyses indicated that tourism generated $170 billion in economic impacts to the city in 2018 alone. Accordingly, tourism and the city's relationship with tourists is a major part of city culture. While tourists focusing on sports, entertainment, and cultural locations are extremely common, pilgrims are considered to be among the most common type of visitor to Urceopolis. Many locations within Urceopolis, particularly on the south side of the river closer to the Papal State, are intended for pilgrims headed for the Vatican and St. Peter's Archbasilica.

Borough identity
Urceopolitans are known for their strong sense of loyalty and belonging to the borough in which they live. Accordingly, most boroughs have relatively well-defined identities along with unique cultural traditions which are associated with that identity.

Sports
Urceopolis hosts the headquarters of the Continental Baseball Conference, the Royal Association of Football Clubs, is home to more professional sports teams than any other city in Urcea, is home to many high level collegiate athletic programs including several Collegium Scientificum schools, and is the home of the Hippodrome, one of Levantia's premier horse racing venues. Many of its professional sports teams predate the establishment of Urcea and Levantia's professional leagues, and is home to some of the world's most expensive sports venues, including the Union Avenue Grounds. The city is home to one Continental Baseball Conference team, the Urceopolis Imperials, and one Royal Association of Football Clubs team, the Urceopolis Archcats.

Baseball
Urceopolis is home to the Continental Baseball Conference's Urceopolis Imperials, one of the oldest and most successful franchises in the history of Levantine baseball. The Imperials play at the Union Avenue Grounds, a large baseball-only stadium located in the borough of Tecbaile, which is sometimes referred to as the "Imperial City" due to the presence of the team. Due to the history of the sport and success of the franchise, Urceopolis has been described by some as the "capital of Levantine baseball". The predecessor of the modern rules of baseball, the Metropolitan Rules and Regulations were first agreed to by baseball teams in the city and published in 1849.

Horse racing
The Hippodrome, one of Levantia's largest horse race tracks and considered extremely prestigious due to the annual running of the Nanlucan Memorial Stakes, the second of three legs of the Triple Tiara, the best known set of horse race contests in Levantia. Accordingly, Urceopolis has a well established tradition in race circles as a center for horse racing, with the Hippodrome serving as a symbol of Urcean prowess within the sport. The Hippodrome - and adjacent racing industry centers, such as the Collegium Scientificum's Equine Sciences University in the borough of Elmont - contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the economy of Urceopolis and its surrounding municipalities.