Overview
An imperator is the highest military rank in Thalassai and leads the Thalassai legions. The rank stands above the legati, centurions, and rank-and-file legion forces. The separate office of archon remains Thalassai's civil and regional political authority.
Imperators are drawn from Thalassai's strongest military mages. Aelius, Hadrian, and Marcellus all hold the rank. Aelius is based in Chronasis, Hadrian is based in Pyrenis, and Marcellus carries command responsibilities around Terranova, Aetherion, and later assignments beyond Thalassai.
History
Helena creates the rank during her reorganization of Thalassai's army in the Internal Thalassai War. She names the most skilled mages in her army imperators, places legati, centurions, and legions beneath them, and leaves the older archon title intact because Orin and Khoradyn had carried it before Thalassai's reorganization.
The hierarchy survives Helena's withdrawal from public life as Thalassai's national military chain of command. Hadrian holds the Chronasis imperator post before Aelius takes it; Hadrian then commands in Pyrenis under Ignaros. Marcellus takes charge of Terranova and Aetherion. Marcellus remains an active imperator during later eastern assignments, including the Tharendur mission, the Solvarria occupation, and the rescues he leads in Pyrenis alongside Ignaros after the devastation there.
Military Command
Imperators lead armies, train elite fighters, recommend strong recruits, and take part in army planning and archon-election votes. Their personal strength can exceed that of most archons. Thalassai keeps civil and regional political authority with the archons and relies on imperators for field command.
The rank also gains civic weight after Thalena's disappearance. During Cassian's selection as archon of time, Thalassai accepts votes from the legions, specifically imperators and legati, and the three imperators stand for Cassian's nomination. Cassian later plans to use the Celestial Games to search for worthy new imperator candidates.