Government: Monarchy. The great Centauri Republic is a government with a long history. The Noble Houses stand together on centuries of tradition and wisdom, and their Centaurum is a body whose politics are unmatched. The Emperor is the spiritual head of the religion and the authoritative leader of the government, acting for the good of his people and the glory of the Empire. His advisors, the Centaurum, have no power of law on most matters and may only override him with a 3/4 vote of its members.
The Centaurum, in addition to its other duties, carries out the will of the Emperor. Day to day economic matters are handled by the Emperor's Committee on Finance and political and diplomatic matters are handled in the chambers of the Centaurum. Members of the Centaurum are elected or appointed to offices and are usually members of the nobility.
Normally, the Emperor is succeeded by his son or the nearest heir when he passes on. If there is not a clear heir the Centaurum appoints the new Emperor from their ranks.
Currently there is no Centauri Emperor. The most recent Emperor, Cartagia, died of heart failure on Narn Prime while overseeing the trial of G'Kar. Emperor Cartagia was the nephew of Emperor Turhan and ascended the throne when Turhan died on Babylon 5 in 2259, Earth Date. With the line of succession after Cartagia unclear, Londo Mollari was appointed Prime Minister by the Centaurum and Minister of Protocol, Milo, was appointed Regent until a successor could be named.
Religion: The Centauri are one of the few races which worship both the Great Maker and other gods. By most recent count there are close to 50 Centauri gods; gods of all different functions and attributes: Venzen, god of food; Li, goddess of passion; Ilarus, goddess of luck, Morgoth, god of the underworld and protector of front doors. The first gods and goddesses from the Xon War have ornate temples built in their names adjoining the Emperor's Palace. The temple to Gon on Immolan V is widely recognized as the most beautiful building ever constructed by a sentient race, and draws millions of pilgrims and tourists each year.
Society: All lines of power and influence flow through the Centauri nobility. Advancement in society is possible only if one is either a member of noble House or is connected to one. The patronage of a noble is the easiest way for a plebeian to achieve success.
The Centauri are unique among the civilized races in that women hold no official positions in society. Men are the leaders and workers of society, serving in the military, and holding all physically demanding jobs. Women are a protected resource, teachers and nurturers for the young and old, working behind the scenes. Women who are ambitious in politics or industrial circles usually find better opportunities beyond the borders of the Republic.
With the rich tradition of thousands of years of history and the importance of family lineage to the Centauri, it is not unusual for marriages among the Noble Houses to be arranged early in childhood. This practice used to be common among all Centauri, but in recent years it has fallen out of favor in all but the Noble Houses.
Technology: The Centauri are a very advanced race, technologically speaking. However, in recent centuries the spirit of original discovery has left them and they have concentrated on refining already existing discoveries. The glitter of aestheticism that cloaks all Centauri technology should not fool the observer into assuming that it is weak or useless. Even though the Centauri have made few advances in the recent centuries, the discoveries and inventions created during their golden age were of such staggering magnitude that they still define the ultimate in many fields. Other races look on in impotent envy.
Military: The Centauri fleet is the most powerful of the younger races in both number and capabilities. Their fighters, while made to maneuver in both space and atmosphere, are surprisingly agile. Their capital ships are an old yet reliable design that is capable of standing against any other younger races' ships.
Military actions are ordered by the Emperor and his military advisors. Chief among them are Grand Fleet Admiral Dromo and Guardsman Elite Tavastani. These two advisors are from houses that predate the Emperor's house, and their positions are considered to be unimpeachable and of the highest honor.
In recent years the Centauri military has expanded as was seen in its actions against the Narn Regime, the Drazi Freehold, and other governments. Even though the Centauri have now retreated, the Centauri war machine has not stood down and its size and power remains a concern to governments that share a border with the Centauri Republic.
Colonies: The chief industry of the Centauri Republic is tourism. As the oldest of the younger races, they have a longer recorded history than any of the others, and unlike the Minbari they are willing to allow others to see the wonders of their Republic. Their two oldest colonies, Centauri Beta I and Immolan V are centers of tourism open to many of the other races. There are also several agricultural and manufacturing colonies such as the farming colony at Rahgesh III and the industrial colony on Tolonius VII. The Centauri also maintain a presence against the Narns at outposts along the border between the two spaces. The outpost at Quadrant 27 keeps a watch on Narn space along with the colony in Quadrant 1.
