When the Mexica fell, it wouldn't have meant a collapse of the entire imperial structure.

In such an equilibrium, a civilization would only colonize a small number of stars, aiming to maximize efficiency rather than to expand massive and unsustainable imperial structures.

Amateurism was scrapped at the same moment that the imperial structure it had helped to sustain was itself wound up.

Motyl describes three types of imperial structures: continuous, discontinuous, and hybrid.

To others, it involves giving up the old imperial structure for something resembling a confederation, yet not quite entirely a union of sovereign equals.

The first crack in the imperial structure came as a result of the American Revolution (1775-83).

By the end of the 18th century, when Chengde reached its heyday, it included nearly 100 imperial structures.

The beginning of the next millennium offers the challenge of inventing a new order to replace the artificial, often brutal stability imposed by old imperial structures.

The biggest impact of the occupation and siege was that the city's part in the old imperial electoral structure finally came to their end.

Considerable discretion was delegated to field officers who constituted the core of the imperial administrative structure.