Palerno

Palerno, is the capital city of the Istalian region of Silicia. The city is the main one on the western shores of Silicia and the main port connecting the mainland with the island. It is also the main arrival hub of the turism in the region while its important industrial district is the largest of north Alaria.

Ancient History
The city was founded around the 6th century BC as the selucian colony of Palatio Regium, seat of the the so called Rex Orientalis, a religious figure coming from Selucia leading a group of religious zealots belonging to an almost unknown Selucian Religio sect who claimed to overlook over the religious affairs of the selucians settlers all over Alaria, considered the lands from which the gods came. The Rex Orientalis didn't settle a whole new city, but conquered one of the authoctonous ancient cities, already devastated by the past wars on the island and by the conquest by part of the Kingdom of Qolshamih. The Rex Orientalis was however killed after few years by the authoctonous nobility and tracherous "loyal" selucians who established a pact of cooperation also promoted by the Kingdom of Qolshamih to further pacity the island.

When Qolshamih retired, the city entered in the League of the Eastern Colonies as the Free City of Palernium and one of the most powerful city-states of the island. This situation lasted for some centuries during which the southern Kingdom of Nicoma started its conquest of the whole island which achieved around the 9th century EC when also Palernium was conquered. Palernium began to decline as religious center when Hosianism came in Istalia and as port due to the fact that Nicoma promoted its ports on the south of Alaria.

The conquest of the Istalian lands by part of the Augustan Empire saw the new authorities establishing a military yards to build its ships and Palerno became an important manufacturing center as well as an important shipbuilding center, second only to Ulbia, which the Nicoman Kings, when reconquered Alaria after the end of the Augustan dominion, maintained and improved for the next centuries.

Modern and recent history
During the modern era, the city followed the fate of the Nicoman Kingdom, maintaining its importance as manufacturing center. In late 20th century, after the conquest of the island by part of the Emirate of Quanzar, Palerno returned to be the main port between mainland and island while the turistic sector began to grow. In fact, under the Union of Quanzari Soviets, the State placed near Palerno numberous summer colonies for workers and children and promotion of the archeological testimoniances of the city attracted turism also from abroad.

In contemporary era Palernium continued to be an important industrial hub, attracting people all over Alaria, but the turistic sector definitively overcame all the other economical sectors. The Riviera of Palerno, along the shore, became a well known turistic attraction offering hotels, casinos, nightclubs, pubs, etc... while in the outskirt we can found amusement parks as well as natural and archeological sites.

Government
The local form of government of the city follow the model of the mayor–council government system, with a mayor (Istalian: Sindaco) elected by voters, and a unicameral council as the legislative branch (Istalian: Consiglio). To the mayor is given almost total administrative authority and a clear, wide range of political independence, with the power to appoint and dismiss department heads and furthermore he prepares and administers the city budget, although most part of the decisions must be approved by the council.