The Dream of Rome
There’s something intoxicating about the purple of Byzantium in Crusader Kings 3. You start surrounded by scheming nobles, angry neighbours, and a crumbling empire that somehow still thinks it’s the rightful heir of Caesar. And in a way, it is. But restoring the full glory of the Roman Empire? That’s no easy feat.
This guide breaks down exactly how to do it, from your first shaky century as Basileus to standing triumphant over Europe as a reborn Roman Emperor.
Starting as the Byzantine Empire
When you load into CK3 in 867 or 1066, the Byzantines are still a powerhouse on paper. You’ve got rich lands, professional soldiers, and a fancy title that makes most kings look like peasants in comparison. But you’re also sitting on a powder keg of ambitious vassals, religious tension, and neighbours waiting for your weakness.
The Key Early Priorities
- Stabilise your realm: Manage factions immediately. Use marriages, hooks, and council seats to keep the big dukes happy.
- Secure your succession: Change succession law to Primogeniture as soon as possible. Nothing ruins an empire like a family civil war.
- Control the Church: Keep the Ecumenical Patriarch loyal. Religious legitimacy matters more than gold in Byzantium.
- Build your economy: Focus development on Constantinople and nearby counties. It’s your economic heart and defensive stronghold.
Step One: Strengthen the Empire Before Expansion
Before you go painting the map imperial purple, you need stability.
- Reform the Administration: Centralise power. Use Royal Prerogative and High Crown Authority to stop your vassals expanding on their own terms.
- Cultural Innovations: Push for Hereditary Rule, Castle Baileys, and Men-at-Arms upgrades early.
- Army Composition: Build strong Men-at-Arms regiments. Varangian Veterans, Cataphracts, and Pikemen are your bread and butter.
Think of it like building your own mini-Roman bureaucracy. Without it, your empire is just a big blob of angry nobles pretending to be united.
Step Two: The Roman Restoration Requirements
To form the Roman Empire, you’ll need to control a list of specific territories that made up its old heartlands. The decision “Restore the Roman Empire” becomes available once you hold them all and have the Byzantine Empire title.
You Must Control:
- Italy (including Rome itself)
- Sicily
- The Balkans
- North Africa (Tunisia region)
- The Levant (Jerusalem and Antioch)
- Egypt
Essentially, you need to conquer the old imperial Mediterranean basin. It’s a long game, but extremely satisfying when your purple stretches from Iberia to Jerusalem.
Step Three: Rome and the Pope Problem
Taking Rome is both symbolic and strategic. But it’s also personal. The Pope won’t just hand it over politely. You’ll likely need to fight the Holy Roman Empire or a powerful Catholic coalition.
Pro Tips:
- Use Casus Belli smartly: De jure wars for duchies are slow but safe. Holy Wars are faster but risk big alliances.
- Convert when convenient: You can mend the Great Schism later, but timing your faith plays can save you pain.
- Hire mercenaries: Gold from your Greek trade routes can fund entire invasions.
Once you’ve taken Rome, you can move your capital there if you want to fully lean into the “New Rome, Old Rome” symbolism. But honestly, Constantinople is better built.
Step Four: Reforming the Empire
When the decision finally lights up, it’s worth it. The “Restore the Roman Empire” button gives:
- A new imperial title with ancient Roman borders.
- Restored Imperial Reconquest casus belli, letting you reclaim old lands more easily.
- Prestige, fame, and everyone’s eternal jealousy.
You’ll also get a flood of new decisions and ambitions, including reforming the Roman culture and restoring lost legions.
Step Five: Mending the Great Schism
Once you’ve unified the old empire, it’s time to fix a millennium of church drama.
- Control the Pentarchates: Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Rome.
- Have high piety and a strong Patriarch.
This will establish Orthodoxy as the “true” Christianity and make the Pope irrelevant. You can even convert the Holy Roman Emperor just to make the symbolism sweeter.
Pro Tips for Surviving the Long Game
- Watch the Mongols: If you take too long, they’ll appear on your eastern borders with bad intentions.
- Marry strategically: Dynastic alliances with France or Poland can save you mid-game.
- Keep vassals small: Large kingdoms under you are just future rebels.
- Use the Varangian Guard wisely: They’re elite troops who can turn losing battles into miracles.
Regions Required to Restore the Roman Empire in CK3
| Region | Required Duchies (Examples) | De Jure Empire |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | Latium (Rome), Tuscany, Lombardy, Venetia, Apulia, Campania | Holy Roman Empire / Italy |
| Sicily | Sicily, Calabria, Malta | Byzantine Empire / Sicily |
| The Balkans | Thrace, Epirus, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Bulgaria | Byzantine Empire |
| North Africa | Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, Carthage (Tunis), Numidia | Africa |
| Egypt | Alexandria, Cairo (Fustat), Aswan | Arabian Empire / Egypt |
| The Levant | Antioch, Jerusalem, Damascus | Arabian Empire |
| Anatolia (Asia Minor) | Opsikion, Cappadocia, Anatolikon, Cilicia | Byzantine Empire |
| Greece | Thessalonika, Hellas, Achaia, Crete | Byzantine Empire |
| Illyria (Western Balkans) | Dalmatia, Rashka, Dioclea | Byzantine Empire |
| Syria and Palestine | Galilee, Oultrejordain, Aleppo | Arabian Empire |
| Cyprus | Cyprus | Byzantine Empire |
Summary of Conditions
- Hold the Byzantine Empire title
- Personally control the above duchies (or their equivalent counties)
- Be Christian or Hellenic
- Control Rome, Ravenna, and Constantinople
- Once all are held, the decision “Restore the Roman Empire” becomes available.
The Glory of Rome
There’s nothing like that moment when your purple map hits the Mediterranean in full. You’ve fought off crusades, rebellions, and countless claimants, all to prove that Rome never really fell, it just took a millennium-long nap.
Playing Byzantium in Crusader Kings 3 is chaotic, dramatic, and rewarding. You’re not just restoring borders; you’re rewriting history. And when the dust settles, there’s only one thing left to say: Ave Imperator.
