Lore talk:Imperial City

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According to the Biography of Barenziah, the Imperial City was "newly constructed" at the time she was 18? Does that mean we have a rough idea of how the IC is? See Biography of Barenziah 2&3 for source...

It wasn't a new city. Tiber Septim started so huge rebuilding projects to restore abandoned districts, probably left over from the Interregnum. The IC has been inhabited continuously since Ayleid times. Maybe the Imperials like to feel that the city was reborn with Tiber's rule, or maybe the books are just showing their age. Edit: Scratch that last one- the biography of bareniziah is quite recent. Probably an error.Temple-Zero 12:54, 19 December 2008 (EST)

Barenziah was born in 2E 893, and when she was 18 it would have been 3E 14. By then, it would have been 13 years since Tiber Septim pronounced the beginning of the third era after the unification of the provinces of Tamriel. White Gold Tower was built in the middle Merethic era, putting it approximately 6000 years old, since no real dates are given. The Imperial City was built around the tower, which was originally constructed by ancient Ayleids. The city would have to been built sometime after 3E 1 but before 3E 16, when Barenziah was 18. Also, the biography said "until she was 18," which means she could have been anywhere from 4-17 years old when she first went to live there. Given that rather ambiguous information, the city proper can be placed at around 418 to 433 years old, pending inclusion of the fourth era, having only 1 year. I may be wrong, but from the information I found in the biography and the timeline, this is the best age I could estimate. And also, I think what was meant was the age of the current IC, which regardless is still rather old.--penguin0719^Talk•_Contribs13:04, 19 December 2008 (EST)

It was already the capital and principal city of Cyrodiil when Cuhlecain came to power. Reman started the custom of lighting the dragonfires at the Temple of the One- it was his capital in the 1st Era. It follows therefore that it was a population center since the Cyrodiils conquered it. Whether it was an Ayleid city or simply a fortress, I don't know.Temple-Zero 13:16, 19 December 2008 (EST)

It was more than likely an inconsistency on Bethesda's part. Kinda like how they had to just introduced Solstheim in Bloodmoon and say it was always there despite inaccuracies on the Arena map. I still think Barenziah meant the current incarnation of the IC, which probably was rebuilt quite differently after Tiber Septim came to power. Maybe Barenziah's statement was meant to be taken as "newly rebuilt" Imperial City, but we can't know for sure.--penguin0719^Talk•_Contribs13:27, 19 December 2008 (EST)

I'm delighted to see to wall of answers! But shouldn't the fact that the IC has been built by Ayleids (Ayleidi?) be in the article? IMO that's lore...

How accurate can The Real Berenziah be considered? I know it was possibly the book that Berenziah was trying to suppress in Daggerfall but it may just be a work of insinuation based on half-known truths (kind of like all the books that will probably come out about Michael Jackson... ah, even in Tamriel we cannot escape all that). In short- The Real Berenziah may not be a reliable work.--Wangpangu 03:39, 15 July 2009 (UTC)

Pretty accurate. Since Plitinius Mero was rather close with Queen Barenziah and the court, I doubt any erroneous information would be provided about it. We consider it 100% true unless a part blatantly is wrong and can be disproved elsewhere. --Elliot^(T-C) 05:49, 15 July 2009 (UTC)