It is not clear when the Empire began. Commander Jonathan Archer once stated that the Empire had existed for "centuries" as of 2155. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly") Archer did not mention how many centuries, but by his statement, the Empire can be traced back to at least 1955, suggesting that it was a Terran (Earth) political party or movement before it became an interstellar empire. At some point an astronaut planted the flag of the Terran Empire on Earth's moon, Luna.
The precise historical origin of the Empire is a subject of much debate and speculation among fans. If the opening credits of the two Enterprise MU episodes are any indication, the time of the Empire's formation can be pushed farther back than the above mentioned 1955. A cut scene from (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly") has Archer invoking the blessings of "the gods", hinting that the Empire may be a continuation of or successor to the Roman Empire. Marlena Moreau's mention of Kirk becoming a "Caesar", would add support to this notion, as may the fact that "Terra" is the Latin word for "Earth".
The mirror Phlox researched and compared some of the great historical works of literature in both universes and found significant differences in nearly all of them, calling their protagonists "weak, and... compassionate". He noted an exception in Shakespeare, however, saying that his works were "equally grim in both universes". This might be considered to indirectly support the idea that the Empire had a relatively "ancient" origin. The salute used by officers is also reminiscent of the Roman soldiers' and gladiators' salute to Caesar. This salute has the performer closing his fist over his heart and then extending his arm in front of him, while saying "Long live the Empire".
Early History
Date: 2013-06-17 08:40 pm (UTC)The precise historical origin of the Empire is a subject of much debate and speculation among fans. If the opening credits of the two Enterprise MU episodes are any indication, the time of the Empire's formation can be pushed farther back than the above mentioned 1955.
A cut scene from (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly") has Archer invoking the blessings of "the gods", hinting that the Empire may be a continuation of or successor to the Roman Empire. Marlena Moreau's mention of Kirk becoming a "Caesar", would add support to this notion, as may the fact that "Terra" is the Latin word for "Earth".
The mirror Phlox researched and compared some of the great historical works of literature in both universes and found significant differences in nearly all of them, calling their protagonists "weak, and... compassionate". He noted an exception in Shakespeare, however, saying that his works were "equally grim in both universes". This might be considered to indirectly support the idea that the Empire had a relatively "ancient" origin.
The salute used by officers is also reminiscent of the Roman soldiers' and gladiators' salute to Caesar. This salute has the performer closing his fist over his heart and then extending his arm in front of him, while saying "Long live the Empire".