->''"How many Centauri does it take to screw in a [[LightbulbJoke light bulb]]? Only one. But, in the grand old days of the Republic, hundreds of servants would change thousands of light bulbs at our slightest whim!"''
-->-- '''Londo Mollari''', ''{{Babylon 5}}''

This nation used to [[TheEmpire rule the known world, or at least a sizable chunk of it]]. Unfortunately, for the last ''n'' years, its influence has been declining and its territory shrinking.

Vestigial Empires tend to leave behind still-working infrastructure (especially roads or the nearest space-operatic equivalent) as they shrink; frequently, they also leave behind a common language. Generally their remaining bits are a hotbed of cutthroat politics, ruled by decadent nobles with superiority complexes.

The protagonist is rarely actually from the Vestigial Empire--usually it's either a source of villains, or a setting whose politics need to be navigated in order to obtain allies.

Being a FantasyCounterpartCulture to late [[SpaceRomans imperial Rome]] or Byzantium isn't required, but it's definitely a bonus.

Contrast with {{Precursors}} -- an entire species of Vestigial Empire which tends to leave little to no working infrastructure and is also long gone by the time the story takes place.
----
'''Examples:'''

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* In ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', Ancient Belka was a powerful empire that spanned many dimensions, a mighty civilization that conquered every world that came its way with its superior magic and technology. Modern Belka, on the other hand, is an autonomous region in Mid-Childa, the result of an empire that destroyed itself due to infighting mixed with the LensmanArmsRace, before [[CrystalDragonJesus Saint King Olivier]] forced its survivors to stop their war and become united before they drove themselves to extinction. Due to that last bit, Modern Belka is less cutthroat and more religious.
* The Earth Federation from the Universal Century universe of ''MobileSuitGundam'' is this in the Fall of Rome way. While not that bad with ''MobileSuitGundam'' by ''ZetaGundam'' the Earth Federation has weakened to the point that the remnants of Zeon are still a serious threat, which is made worse by the Titans creating dissension so that the collapse can happen quicker so that the Titans leader can take over. By ''CharsCounterattack'' even though Zeon has been defeated twice, the Earth Federation is so weak that the Zeon nearly make the Earth uninhabitable and only [[spoiler:a miracle caused by Amuro's death stops it]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* The TropeNamer is ''TheToughGuideToFantasyland'' by DianaWynneJones, which describes the Vestigial Empire as being part of the standard fantasy setting.
* The Galactic Empire from IsaacAsimov's ''Foundation'' novels turns into this over the course of the series. Since ''Foundation'' is ''The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'' [-[[RecycledINSPACE IN SPACE]]-], the Roman parallels are many and explicit.
* A slightly odd example which nonetheless fits all the above criteria is the U.S. government in ''SnowCrash'', although in this case the "cutthroat politics" are office politics between software engineers. Power, influence and respect all withered away, so they fill the void with bureaucracy.
* Similarly, the U.S. in OctaviaButler's ''Parable'' series looks a lot like this.
* Gondor from ''TheLordOfTheRings'' has been in decline for the past one and a half thousand years. Its sister kingdom Arnor would also have qualified, before it ceased to exist entirely.
** This reinforces the parallelism with the ancient Roman empire: one part (Arnor = Western Roman Empire) has collapsed under attack, the other (Gondor = Byzantine Empire) subsists as a beacon of civilization, but is shrinking and weakened by devious politics.
* Ergoth in the ''{{Dragonlance}}'' books. Solamnia too, though its decline is eventually reversed.
* In the StarWarsExpandedUniverse, the post-Endor Empire (now usually known as the "[[TheRemnant Imperial Remnant]]") is like this, getting progressively more so as time passes. Various defeats actually led to factions led by formerly-Imperial warlords splintering off. Now and again it surges back somewhat, like under [[TheThrawnTrilogy Grand Admiral Thrawn]] or the [[DarkEmpire Emperor Reborn]], but since the people behind these surges are inevitably killed, these are temporary. By the time of the HandOfThrawn duology, the weary Supreme Commander looks at the eight sectors and thousand systems they still command, the two hundred Imperial Star Destroyers, the "Preybird" class fighters they buy from he knows not where, and thinks about how the Empire once ruled a million systems, had twenty-five thousand Star Destroyers, and could afford more than one surviving major shipyard which couldn't keep up the demand for capital ships let alone starfighters. He believes that the only way it can survive is for him to [[PeaceConference make peace]] with the New Republic. And he does.
** A century or so afterwards, it's the republican government that replaced it (The Galactic [[TheFederation Federation]] of Free [[TheAlliance Alliances]]) that crumble and survive only as the [[LaResistance Galactic Alliance Remnant]]. StarWars is cyclic about these things.
**The ''StarWars'' Empire was inspired by the ''{{Foundation}}'' Empire, which was also a perfect example of this trope. Note that the ''{{Foundation}}'' Empire was in turn based on TheRomanEmpire.
* Melnibone from Michael Moorcock's ''Stormbringer'' series is like this, having ruled over the entire world for thousands of years under the blessing of the gods of Chaos. It is noted that its latest emperor (and series protagonist) Elric could restore much of its former power if he had a mind to.
* Tolnedra from the ''{{Belgariad}}''. (Although most of the countries around it were never really under its political influence, they still ''act'' as if they controlled the whole continent once upon a time.)
* A rare example of a VestigialEmpire where main characters not only come from the corrupt and decadent city, but often spend the entire book there, is [[{{Discworld}} Ankh-Morpork]].
** Also notable in that while the actual empire is long gone, and the Patrician expresses distaste with recreating the idea, the Pax Morporka is still in effect in many places due to Ankh-Morpork's economic and cultural dominance, only now instead of 'Do not fight, or we will kill you' it is 'Do not fight, or we will call in your mortgages'.
*** "...And incidentally, that's my pike you're pointing at me. I paid for that shield you're holding. And take my helmet off when you speak to me, you horrible little debtor."
* In S.M. Stirling's novel ''[[TheLordsOfCreation In the Courts of the Crimson Kings]]'', the Tollamune emperors once ruled all of Mars. By the time of the story they are reduced to ruling the territory around their capital at Olympus Mons, where all the old court officials and functionaries continue, though largely without actual functions.
* Almost every nation in ''TheWheelOfTime'' is this, at least on the continent where most of the story takes place, due to a mysterious depopulation and the effects of repeated wars. Even the tiny city-state of Mayene claims to be ruled by a descendant of Artur Hawkwing's continent-spanning realm.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* The Centauri in ''{{Babylon 5}}'', at least as the series is starting. The Shadow War causes them to briefly enter a new expansionistic phase.
-->'''Londo Mollari:''' There was a time when this whole quadrant belonged to us! What are we now? Twelve worlds and a thousand monuments to past glories. Living off memories and stories, and selling trinkets. My god, man! We've become a tourist attraction. "See the great Centauri Republic - open 9 to 5 - Earth time."

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

* ''{{Warhammer 40000}}''... just... ''{{Warhammer 40000}}''. The Imperium of Man has been in decline for 10,000 years. A hundred centuries of millions of soldiers dying in pointless wars every day, billions slaughtered to sate the thirst of angry gods, while every part of the Imperium falls apart. The words most commonly used is "decaying" and "rotting" and that's pretty much perfectly accurate.
**And then there's the Eldar. Theirs isn't a vestigial Empire as is it's the skeletal remains of one. When you discuss Empires of trillions upon trillions, one can see how it might take thousands of years for them to finally all get wiped out.
* Unther in the ''ForgottenRealms''. Up until the Time of Troubles it was a force to be reckoned with, ruled by {{Physical God}}s. After the gods' mortal incarnations are killed, Unther becomes a shadow of its former self and is mostly annexed by its neighboring empire, Mulhorand.
** In 4E, Unther was one of multiple countries that was [[ThrowAwayCountry unceremoniously destroyed]] by the Spellplague.
*In {{Traveller}} the Vilani Imperium. It was superficially powerful, controlling thousands of worlds when the Terrans found it. But it was senile, indecisive, and generally a meal waiting to be snatched by whomever discovered it.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* The Principality of Belka from the ''AceCombat'' series controlled a sizable chunk of the planet until it's economy collapsed and it started hemorrhaging territories until it was a quarter its original size. The plot of ''Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War'' centres around its attempt to reclaim the states it permitted to secede, particularly the protagonist nation of Ustio.
* There are hints that Ikana from ''[[LegendOfZelda Majora's Mask]]'' may be like this.
* San d'Oria from ''FinalFantasyXI'' was the game's original Vestigial Empire, wracked with internal strife but still fairly powerful. It was later overshadowed by the Aht Urhgan empire, which fits this trope to a T. Political intrigue, encroaching hordes, you name it.
* The [[TheKingdom Dollet Dukedom]] in ''FinalFantasyVIII'', analogous to the RealLife [[VestigialEmpire Post-WWI Imperialist states]]. Attacked towards the beginning of the game by its former territory, [[TheEmpire Galbadia]], itself similar to the RealLife Third Reich.
* TheEmpire of ''TheElderScrolls'' is on the decline politically, though not geographically (yet). Each provinces want more independence, and infighting is becoming more common. NPC regularly comment on how the empire's cracking at the seams. Two of the games (''Daggerfall'' & ''Morrowind'') deal with different [[XanatosGambit Xanatos Gambits]] by the Emperor to keep the empire together and delay its break up, while the last game has you actively saving the empire from an invading force and a conspiracy.
** In ''Daggerfall'', the hero is sent on a personal errant for the Emperor (the protagonist is "friend" with said emperor) [[spoiler: The emperor's true goal is to have you find a ForgottenSuperWeapon that was used to forge the empire and that you'll return it to him. You have the choice to give it to many factions, all with their own plot. Later games reveal that a DivineIntervention made all the game's endings happen at once, most of them cancelling out and bringing peace and some stability to the region]].
** ''Morrowind'' has the [[spoiler: Emperor sending the player, who's a prisoner, to the titular province, so that he may join the emperor's [[PraetorianGuard Blades]] and fulfill a prophecy the locals have. Doing so would give the emperor a very religiously and politically powerful tool (you, the Nerevarine), as well as removing forces more hostile to the empire (Dagoth Ur & The Tribunal).]]
** In ''Oblivion'', the very heart of the Tamriel is attacked by TheLegionsOfHell and the emperor who has been the last link to keep it together is assassinated. Fortunately, he has an heir [[spoiler:but unfortunately, he doesn't survive, either. So unless the Cyrodiil council finds a new dynasty to replace the Septims, Tamriel will degrade to a "full-fledged" VestigialEmpire by the next installment of the series...]]
*** Which of course will be a ''very'' bad thing as the Empire was the only thing keeping the provinces (and races) from killing and enslaving each other.
* The Lilty Empire from ''FinalFantasyCrystalChronicles'' once almost conquered the world, but eventually ran out of materials and shrank down to its Capital City. It seems to lack the political complexities, [[spoiler:though their princess ''did'' run off after being cooped up in the castle...]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* WordOfGod says that the Empire of Smilodons in the ''Basalt City Chronicles'' once ruled western coasts of ''both'' Americas, and even the North-Eastern coast of Asia, but is now relegated to a few islands off Alaska.
*Subverted in ''DecadesOfDarkness''. The Restored Empire, a loose union of former British colonies led by Australia after the fall of Britain itself, appears to advertise its empire-in-exile status in the title, but is actually the free-est, most vibrant, and nicest place in the southern hemisphere and possibly the world as of the timeline's end.
** At least for english-speaking people.
* Yaman in ''OpenBlue'' is suffering from decades of decadence and corruption, and can only prioritize maintaining its outward appearance. Avelion, one of the two dominant empires of TheVerse, is slowly following in Yaman's footsteps.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

*The technical term is "rump state" and includes any state considered remnant of a once more extensive power. It may have since lost areas due to foreign invasion, secession or civil war.
* Where once Britain ruled a quarter of the world, she now maintains Gibraltar, the Falklands, some delightful rocks in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean, some rather more windswept rocks in the Atlantic, a bunch of European countries in personal union, and the headquarters of the Commonwealth, which is about as loose an organisation as it gets.
* The Roman Empire's eastern half lingered, centred around Constantinople/Byzantion for over a thousand years after the better known fall of the western half. It spent most of that time gradually losing territory, power and influence, though it also had several resurgences -- one under Justinian and Belisarius, one under the Macedonian dynasty, and one under the Komnenoi emperors.
**Indeed, it spent the last century or so of its existence as a few disconnected regions and cities around the southern Balkans, until the Ottoman Turks put it out of its misery in 1453.
*The Western Roman Empire and its ever-decreasing territory during the 5th century is a rather good example. By 395, its last partition with the Eastern Roman Empire, the West included Britannia (Wales, England), Gallia (Gaul: France and certain areas of the Low Countries), Hispania (Spain, Portugal), Italia (Italy), Dalmatia (Croatia), Mauretania Tingitana (Morocco), Mauritania Caesariensis (western Algeria), and Africa province (eastern Algeria, Tunisia, Libya). Imperial troops left Britannia between 407 and 410, leaving the Romano-British to fend for themselves against invasions. Gallia and Hispania were increasingly settled by Germanic populations from c. 412 onwards. While often allied or even subordinate to the Romans, they set up regional kingdoms and eventually become fully independent. The last Roman governor in Gaul, Syagrius, fell to the Franks in 487. Most of the North African areas fell to the Vandals between 429 and 439. The Vandals use their new ports to replace the Romans as the chief naval power of the Mediterranean Sea. Italia fell to its own Germanic mercenaries in 476. Dalmatia followed it in 480. By the end of the century what was left of Roman rule in the west was an independent but isolated Mauretania Tingitana.
* The HolyRomanEmpire was, for a time, a significant force, but it decayed from the outset. It was partitioned after Charlemagne's death; the remaining HolyRomanEmpire was made of loosely affiliated Germanic and Slavic duchies. However, strong leaders like Otto the Great, Frederick Barbarossa and Frederick II kept the nation under a sort of unity. The overly prolonged death came when the Habsburg family came to power. Since the electoral system for the emperor consisted mostly of southern German, pro-Austria dukes and bribed Habsburg cronies, the Habsburgs never left the throne, alienating the North German nobility. Charles V's attempt to centralize the Empire in the 16th century, but the Protestant Reformation put an end to that, as the Protestant Northern Germans saw it as a rallying cause against the Catholic Habsburgs and Austria. Religious tensions culminated in the Thirty Years' War, which brought apocalyptic destruction to Germany, reducing its population by 15-30%. The war ended in stalemate and the empire now existed mostly in name only. (Voltaire observed that, by his time, the HolyRomanEmpire was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.) By the time Napoleon liquidated it it was a confederacy.
* Averted by the Ottoman Empire, which ''seemed'' to be going this way until, in the early 20th century, they underwent some major reforms and started rebuilding their strength, credibility, and prestige at a feverish pace. Just before the Ottomans found out that they were sitting on at least 20% of the oil in the world, they entered WorldWarI for no especially good reason and got raped, stomped on, and set fire to. All that was left was the rump state of Turkey, the rest of the Middle East being partitioned between Britain and France.
** And now Turkey seems to be making a comeback as a major power-broker in the Middle East. The wheel's still in spin, my friends.
* 19th and 20th century Spain fits this trope to a tee: losing its empire and all pretensions of world power status, sinking into a deep economic decline, dominated by an over-powerful nobility, racked by constant political instability, coups, and the occasional civil war. Lingering imperial delusions and hubris were finally shattered in 1898, when they were quickly and brutally defeated by the United States (mind you, the American armed forces were viewed as a joke in 1898, making this especially humiliating), but not much changed after that.
** Portugal, similarly.
* The Mughal Empire, before the [[MegaCorp British East India Company]] put it out of its misery in the early 19th century.
* The 12th century Fatimids and post-11th century Abbasids are also good examples of this trope. The former went from a vast empire that spanned from northern Morocco to Syria to a rump state that was restricted to Egypt in about a century, while the latter went from dominating most of the Muslim world during the late 9th century to a remnant that had no real power outside central and southern Mesopotamia in about two centuries.
* An incredibly little-known fact: In the fourteenth century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe, with Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Poland and Russia all being territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
** The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created a new state which came into being in 1569, ruling over much of the same territory until it was systematically dismantled by Austria, Prussia, and Russia over the course of twenty-three years.
* China was fast on the road to becoming one of these under the late Qing Dynasty and the early years of the republic, culminating in the Japanese invasion in the 1930s. Fortunately for the Chinese (less so for Tibet and other rim states), they turned things around.
* And what about the Vatican's political side? The Papal States were one of the larger and more influential of the Italian states before Italian unification in the 1860s. Now, while still an independent country, the State of the Vatican City is also completely enclosed within the city of Rome. You don't get more vestigial than a total national territory measuring less than a fifth of a square mile.
* The Mongol Empire. It used to be one of the largest empires ever, conquering many well developed societies under it, till it streatched all across Asia, from the Caspian to China. Now, its back at former position as a swath of desert, and a bunch of nomads. It has the lowest population density (people per square mile) in the world. And it was the largest empire ever up till its time by far...
----
<<|{{Settings}}|>>
<<|OlderThanTelevision|>>