Sure, but I don't wanna play everytime the start-with-a-small-republic-and-conquer-the-world game. What about managing your empire? Manage your borders against barbarians, but don't bare your core lands or an upraising beginns. Manage the food for your cities. Not every province can be self-sufficient, regulate trade between your provinces or other factions (grain from the egyptian provinces for the metropoles Rome or Constantinople)! What if the granaries of your empire are revolting? How can you calm the plebs when they're hungry? What about shorten pay for your armies if your treasury is empty? Or give them a pay bonus to raise their moral when they fought a great victory for you (or better your general). Give your generals a personality. They should have own goals/ambitions, maybe trying to start a civil war when they're too famous & sucessfull on battlefield?
Something like this, more micromanagment for your empire. Not only a gameplay as collecting all provinces as fast as you can.
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