Disclaimer: This is an article of our former member, renown Loremaster Vix, acknowledged by Bethesda themselves. It ended up being deleted and I'm merely reposting it.
While doing a full article on the Imperials is exceptionally difficult given the enormous complexities and lengths from their history and political Empires, there is one facent that is fundamentally missed. The Imperials themselves. That is to say: there is no such thing as the Imperial race.
Let me qualify this, the term 'Imperial' relates to the title of the province itself, Cyrodiil 'The Imperial province'. More accurately the inhabitants are called Cyrodiils, yet even that is a creation of a a somewhat fanciful geographical construct. There are, in fact, two very separate races and cultures that are hardly combine yet comprise two very separate facets of Cyrodiil life. These are the Nibeneans and the Colovians. They maintain very different practices, they are spawned from different lineage, and are generally just as separate from each other as they are from the Nords of Skyrim. More over, their lineage is not even the same so in that way, the Cyrodiils aren't a race, or an ethnic identity but a political affiliation born from blood and violence under the foot of a conqueror. Notably, the conquerors were Reman Cyrodiil, and that of Tiber Septim (Battle of Sancre Tor). What were the races before, what are they now, lets look at the two races of the Cyrodiils.
The Nibenese:
The Nibenese are something of an oddity in that they are often seen as the aspects of Cyrodiil that are decadent, corrupt, silver tongued, and hostile, conquerors, they occupy the central empire so they must be the most typical Imperial citizens. That identity itself is a strange amalgamation of many different peoples, the Nords, the Colovians, and the true Nibenese.
Land and Economy:
The truth of the matter is that few of them are true. The Nibenese are a peculiar people in some respects, living in a lush rich region called the Nibenese basin. The land itself is fed by the Niben river and flows to the Torpal bay and along lake Rumare, providing lush and rich wetlands and agricultural land. It is comprised of lush, rich valleys with many small rivers, and forests. The area itself has many low laying areas, fields for water crops, rice paddies, and good higher grounds for livestock. It produced rice as well as being the only other place to harvest moon-sugar (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Oddly, it was the early religious reforms that put an end to most of the larger scale farming for quite some time. Due to factors regarding their Maruhk beliefs that there is one god and many aspects of different spirits, reverence to animals and excessive laws turned the economy from agricultural based to trade based. The extensive river systems provide good transport and more importantly they opened up the region to foreign ports. Rivers eked up to Skyrim and allowed for trade to Pellitine as well, creating the two larger trade partners in Tamriel.
Origins:
The Nebenese people themselves come from many different peoples that were brought together by the Ayleids as slaves. As such they comprise many different groups of men, some well known from the beginning of Tamriel. The Nibenean tribes were merely members of the whole, it did not constitute wiping out other civilizations (with several exceptions) but rather abducting some people and forming them into a melting pot under Ayleid control. Some of the names are somewhat well known, the Nedes, the Kothringi were both likely native Tamrielic tribes of men, others have some mention in other sections like the Keptu, and others such as the Al-gemha, al-hared, men-of-ket, and a great many others were never heard of again (the Adabal-a). These people also absorbed a great amount of Ayleid culture including their gods.
Another thing that became prominent was the status of battle mages. These might seem like specialized warriors in armies but in the wake of the Ayleid collapse and Alessian consolidation they eked out small duchies and kingdoms for themselves as they promised to protect from the elven kingdoms. Thus the Magocracy was born, though soon replaced by the Alessian clergy that made its way down from the Northern kingdom of Sancre Tor (PG 1e). This was the ruling aristocracy and would be central to the ruling classes in those days but always remain within the psyche of the people of the Nibenay. Even after the fall of the second Cyrodiilic Empire it's little surprise that the Nibenese returned to their mercantile-magocracy (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition)
Culture:
A second cultural reform was that of the Alessian doctrines. Without going into too much detail in a much greater subject, part of which was covered here, the Alessians were followers of the prophetess Alessia, the first Empress. Eventually the doctrine was solidified by the prophet Maruhk who also put in place the first Tamrielic laws, rules which remain in place throughout Tamriel even in the 4th era. They are charismatic, dogmatic mono-theists that believe in a principle guiding 'force', though spirits of animal gods and other patrons are part of this as splintered fractions of the same overseeing god. This grew to be extremely popular amongst the lower classes and became the root of one of the primary cultural aspects of the Nibeneans. They are a devout group.
Of the many ways to be a good Nibenean, the attendance of temples for Sundas services is quite important (guide to Bruma). This all inclusive religion ended up destroying a lot of the agriculture and dietary diversity given the importance of animal spirits and that of plant spirits, but it also fostered a very healthy trade balance with others, creating a tolerant, accepting, magnanimous society. The Nibeneans are kindly and exceptionally gifted in academic and administrative pursuits. Thus they comprise the 'soul' of the Empire as it were, settling in dense pockets within the Nibenay valley and of course that of the Imperial city and it's surrounding countryside. As such they make up a good number of the bureaucratic classes. (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition, Provinces of Tamriel). To be a good Nibenean also means to hard-working, and dutiful to the codified laws (Guide to Layawiin).
One of the defining aspects of the culture is the way in which they build their cities. It is a window into themselves in seeing how and why they build. Unlike many other cultures the Nibenean architecture is spacious and bright, the streets are wide, the construction is done with bright materials and are very comfortable to live in (Guide to Layawiin). The usage of the Dragon motif and tall towers is likewise quite common in their architecture. Minorets used to be popular as well though seem to have been mostly supplanted even if the Dragon architecture remained common in art (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Another aspects of the Nibenese that shows in their architecture and dress is they have a love for bright ornate things. This means masks, jewelry, bizzare tattoos, and in particular silks are all created and sought after by these people. All sorts of foreign brands and ceremonies are brought in, spawning many different cults and styles which are all at the top of haut-culture in the Nibenese area. Thus, much like High Rock, fashion, parties, and social graces in etiquette and manners are all important as is the affinity for new and different styles and new veins of beliefs (Rislav the Righteous, Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Summery:
The Nibenese are the cultural group of the 'Imperial' race. They see after all the complex dealings and are some of the best and most reasonable merchants in Tamriel. Though they retain a lot of the airs of High Rock which was partially dissolved into their culture after the Direnni fall in the first era, and the later conquest by Tiber Septim, it seems to point to an early mix of cultures and races making them very similar to their Breton cousins. As such the Nibenese are a vibrant people who's inclusive nature, though sullied by the Alessian expansion, are some of the more benevolent people in Tamriel. Things changed in the first era with the Thrassian plague and Alessian downfall in the war of Righteousness. It should be likewise noted that despite the constant political maneuvering, they tend not to make up many Emperors of the time, rather, the Colovians and Nords tend to make up a much greater percentage of the ruling Emperors.
.
The Colovians:
Our second group of 'Imperials' are the Colovians. This group is very very different from the Nibenese and should go to show that both by bloodline and by culture there is a fundamental split between worlds that can not be assumed to exist coherently as a single race. The Colovians are a proud and taciturn people that dominated the west of Tamriel and South of what is now Skyrim. They are a strong, independent group of humans that generally take up the mantle of being the military might of the Empire. While the Nibenese tended to remain mostly at peace with each other, the Colovians are much like the Nords, independent Holds tend to fight, and while they kept a string kingdom called the Colovian Estate, they tended to be far behind in many facets compared to their eastern neighbors.
Land and Economy:
The west and North comprise the majority of the Colovian Estate and make up a rather large part of the Empire. While the Alessian Empire is that of the Imperial city and as a solidified power bloc to the east, the Colovians were a fractured warring people constantly given to infighting and civil wars. This made their territory change quite often, and more often than not this independent realm, called the Colovian Estate, was more a league based on not being Alessian (Rislav the Righteous).
The larger power houses of the region were that of Anvil, the sole port of Colovia, Falkreath, Skingrad, and Kvatch though many other now extinct cities are also listed such as Sarchal and Delodiil (Remanda). However, their industry was generally quite poor and their technological progression was likewise stunted not to say that the work was poor, in fact it was some of the best examples that could be made, but it was not advanced materials. Leather played a part more than Iron in the early days and put them at a distinct advantage in a military way as well as in a economic way compared to its rivals in Pellitine and Skyrim (Rislav the Righteous). One of the places with good agricultural and political power was that of Skingrad, the jewel of old Colovia (Guide to Skingrad) which aptly shows the diversity in regional disparity. One of the ways that this was somewhat alleviated was the presence of annual merchant caravans flooding through the area from all over Tamriel (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Most of the land itself is highlands, jungles, and forests which make for generally poor agriculture though hunting seems to still be quite common (Dance in Fire). The land itsel fis not rich, the people are hardy, and this itself is the major reason in why the Alessians did not annex the area. However, the Colovians did find themselves in an enviable position when it came to trade with a new group that arrived in the 9th century of the 1st era. The Redguard of Hammerfell quickly expanded and soon took on Colovian dialects and culture, leading to a valuable trade partner later on. This was joined by the Bosmer as well (Pocket Guide to the Empire1st edition). With the decline of the Alessian Empire late in the first era the Colvoian Estate remained strong, signing peace accords in 1E 2174 (Pocket Guide to the Empire 3rd edition) during a period of about 400 years in which they superseded their rivals. This led to the rise of the Colovian Cyrodiilic empire (Remanda).
Origins:
While the Nibenese tend to come from early human civilizations mixed with Ayleid blood, the Colovians are quite different. They are distinctly a number of localized tribes from the Ayleids mixed with the Nords that invaded in the first era. A great deal of the power comes in several distinct areas, one is not surprisingly entirely in Skyrim. As such they retain most of their Nordic heritage as we'll see.
Culture:
Colovians themselves are far more stoic and hardy than the Nibenese. They value hard-work, independence, and a strong mental fortitude (Guide to Skingrad). However, they are also very wary of foreigners and generally are somewhat temperamental in their response to others (Acrutian Heresy). In fact, they also respond in the same fashion to each other, and while the Colovian estate was a strong central power bloc it seemed it was only really united as a people after the Cyrodiil empire faltered in the late 2nd era (Pocket Guide to the Empire 3rd edition, Arcturian Heresy).
This system of independence even shows up in their legal system, notably, the lack-there-of. There are no trials, juries, or witnesses called in Colovia, everything is settled generally through direct mediation or just as likely through duels (Rislav the Righteous). These people are generally very loyal to the people they know. They remain an uncomplicated straight forward people that value the secluded self sufficient lifestyle that presents itself in the Colovian estates and as such seem to be far more dispersed population wise than the Nibenese (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition)
Here we can see far more instances of Nordic influence in the Cyrodiil highlands. While the Nibenese created a monotheistic religion and eventually turned to the divines, the Colovians have a Nordic pantheon and include Shor as an important figue (Shezzar and the Divines). This already shows a strong link as there is no group that worships Shor in a positive light except the Nords, Shoer is a spirit of destruction in High Rock, and Shezzar was changed by the Nibenese to appeal to the Altmer, Bosmer, and to their own dissident members.
Perhaps one of the strangest aspects of the Colovian though is that they themselves, despite their distance from the Imperial city, are the most steadfast supporters of the Empire. Typically in times of great trouble of weak leadership, they withdraw into themselves and keep the fire of patriorism in the Imperial cause alive, waiting for the best of times to reinstate the former glory to the rest of Cyrodiil, then the rest of Tamriel (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition). Perhaps it' not a surprise that of the Imperials that ruled Tamriel, almost all of them are Colovians. Titus Mede, even Emperor Cuhlecain the precursor to Septim were both Colovians. They comprise the military might of the Empire, and its from the Colovian highlands were the greatest numbers of the Imperial legion are drawn. Thus almost all the Legion officers are Colovians, and they themselves are far more at home in the more spartan environments afforded by the military than palaces (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
It shouldn't be a surprise, given their frank and straight forward nature, that the Colovians are also the greatest number of Military governors of various regions. These military governors are typically drawn from the Colovian nobility where hunting, swordsmanship, and military drills are taught (oddly, typically by Ayleids after the first empire and well into the later years, then later adopting that of the Tsaesci). Unlike the Nibenese and that of most nobility, etiquette, statecraft, and religious instruction are not taught (Rislav the Righteous).
Summery
Typically, to the west, the Colovians, thanks to their military pursuits in defense of the Empire and intervention on the behalf of foreigners (Hammerfell, Valenwood most notably) are seen as the quintessential 'Imperial' by foreigners. They are a strong military minded people that generally spurn any notion of the refinement of their eastern neighbors and the humans of Hammerfell and High Rock. In this manner they are seen as a dour group that keeps to themselves though has the job to be the muscle of the Empire, a task to which they are well suited and raised to do by birth. However, this fosters a feeling of superiority in moral standards to the Nibenese, yet often are neglected despite being the power base both politically and militarily (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
.
Conclusion:
Hopefully we can see how the two groups radically different now. There is no unified 'Imperial' race, they are a conglomeration of two distinct peoples working on concert for a political goal. The surprise is not that part of the Empire fell apart in the 4th era, it's that the Colovians and Nibenese remained united which is something never seen before the 4th era. The Colovians give support to those they feel worthy, and thus it is a strong endorsement to any crown. The Nibenese remain the bread and butter of the Empire, providing the great wealth of trade and of foreign relations while their hardy western allies act as strong defenders of a realm that they eagerly support.
The people that can be thanked for the uniting of the two races are that of Remen Cyrodiil, Cuhlecain, and Tiber Septim. Without these three there would be no lasting Empire and no unity of an 'Imperial destiny. To be an Imperial isn't based on race, it's based on ideals. These are at the core of Cyrodiilic life, and while they vary from person to person, city to city, the identity of Imperial is one of the strongest measures of a metropolitan identity: there is no blood requirement to be an Imperial, it requires only the common dream of a group of people that compliment each others strengths and helo mitigate their weaknesses.
As such, the Imperial race does not exist, the Imperial identity on the other hand is still very much alive.
Disclaimer: This is an article of our former member, renown Loremaster Vix, acknowledged by Bethesda themselves. It ended up being deleted and I'm merely reposting it.
While doing a full article on the Imperials is exceptionally difficult given the enormous complexities and lengths from their history and political Empires, there is one facent that is fundamentally missed. The Imperials themselves. That is to say: there is no such thing as the Imperial race.
Let me qualify this, the term 'Imperial' relates to the title of the province itself, Cyrodiil 'The Imperial province'. More accurately the inhabitants are called Cyrodiils, yet even that is a creation of a a somewhat fanciful geographical construct. There are, in fact, two very separate races and cultures that are hardly combine yet comprise two very separate facets of Cyrodiil life. These are the Nibeneans and the Colovians. They maintain very different practices, they are spawned from different lineage, and are generally just as separate from each other as they are from the Nords of Skyrim. More over, their lineage is not even the same so in that way, the Cyrodiils aren't a race, or an ethnic identity but a political affiliation born from blood and violence under the foot of a conqueror. Notably, the conquerors were Reman Cyrodiil, and that of Tiber Septim (Battle of Sancre Tor). What were the races before, what are they now, lets look at the two races of the Cyrodiils.
The Nibenese:
The Nibenese are something of an oddity in that they are often seen as the aspects of Cyrodiil that are decadent, corrupt, silver tongued, and hostile, conquerors, they occupy the central empire so they must be the most typical Imperial citizens. That identity itself is a strange amalgamation of many different peoples, the Nords, the Colovians, and the true Nibenese.
Land and Economy:
The truth of the matter is that few of them are true. The Nibenese are a peculiar people in some respects, living in a lush rich region called the Nibenese basin. The land itself is fed by the Niben river and flows to the Torpal bay and along lake Rumare, providing lush and rich wetlands and agricultural land. It is comprised of lush, rich valleys with many small rivers, and forests. The area itself has many low laying areas, fields for water crops, rice paddies, and good higher grounds for livestock. It produced rice as well as being the only other place to harvest moon-sugar (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Oddly, it was the early religious reforms that put an end to most of the larger scale farming for quite some time. Due to factors regarding their Maruhk beliefs that there is one god and many aspects of different spirits, reverence to animals and excessive laws turned the economy from agricultural based to trade based. The extensive river systems provide good transport and more importantly they opened up the region to foreign ports. Rivers eked up to Skyrim and allowed for trade to Pellitine as well, creating the two larger trade partners in Tamriel.
Origins:
The Nebenese people themselves come from many different peoples that were brought together by the Ayleids as slaves. As such they comprise many different groups of men, some well known from the beginning of Tamriel. The Nibenean tribes were merely members of the whole, it did not constitute wiping out other civilizations (with several exceptions) but rather abducting some people and forming them into a melting pot under Ayleid control. Some of the names are somewhat well known, the Nedes, the Kothringi were both likely native Tamrielic tribes of men, others have some mention in other sections like the Keptu, and others such as the Al-gemha, al-hared, men-of-ket, and a great many others were never heard of again (the Adabal-a). These people also absorbed a great amount of Ayleid culture including their gods.
Another thing that became prominent was the status of battle mages. These might seem like specialized warriors in armies but in the wake of the Ayleid collapse and Alessian consolidation they eked out small duchies and kingdoms for themselves as they promised to protect from the elven kingdoms. Thus the Magocracy was born, though soon replaced by the Alessian clergy that made its way down from the Northern kingdom of Sancre Tor (PG 1e). This was the ruling aristocracy and would be central to the ruling classes in those days but always remain within the psyche of the people of the Nibenay. Even after the fall of the second Cyrodiilic Empire it's little surprise that the Nibenese returned to their mercantile-magocracy (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition)
Culture:
A second cultural reform was that of the Alessian doctrines. Without going into too much detail in a much greater subject, part of which was covered here, the Alessians were followers of the prophetess Alessia, the first Empress. Eventually the doctrine was solidified by the prophet Maruhk who also put in place the first Tamrielic laws, rules which remain in place throughout Tamriel even in the 4th era. They are charismatic, dogmatic mono-theists that believe in a principle guiding 'force', though spirits of animal gods and other patrons are part of this as splintered fractions of the same overseeing god. This grew to be extremely popular amongst the lower classes and became the root of one of the primary cultural aspects of the Nibeneans. They are a devout group.
Of the many ways to be a good Nibenean, the attendance of temples for Sundas services is quite important (guide to Bruma). This all inclusive religion ended up destroying a lot of the agriculture and dietary diversity given the importance of animal spirits and that of plant spirits, but it also fostered a very healthy trade balance with others, creating a tolerant, accepting, magnanimous society. The Nibeneans are kindly and exceptionally gifted in academic and administrative pursuits. Thus they comprise the 'soul' of the Empire as it were, settling in dense pockets within the Nibenay valley and of course that of the Imperial city and it's surrounding countryside. As such they make up a good number of the bureaucratic classes. (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition, Provinces of Tamriel). To be a good Nibenean also means to hard-working, and dutiful to the codified laws (Guide to Layawiin).
One of the defining aspects of the culture is the way in which they build their cities. It is a window into themselves in seeing how and why they build. Unlike many other cultures the Nibenean architecture is spacious and bright, the streets are wide, the construction is done with bright materials and are very comfortable to live in (Guide to Layawiin). The usage of the Dragon motif and tall towers is likewise quite common in their architecture. Minorets used to be popular as well though seem to have been mostly supplanted even if the Dragon architecture remained common in art (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Another aspects of the Nibenese that shows in their architecture and dress is they have a love for bright ornate things. This means masks, jewelry, bizzare tattoos, and in particular silks are all created and sought after by these people. All sorts of foreign brands and ceremonies are brought in, spawning many different cults and styles which are all at the top of haut-culture in the Nibenese area. Thus, much like High Rock, fashion, parties, and social graces in etiquette and manners are all important as is the affinity for new and different styles and new veins of beliefs (Rislav the Righteous, Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Summery:
The Nibenese are the cultural group of the 'Imperial' race. They see after all the complex dealings and are some of the best and most reasonable merchants in Tamriel. Though they retain a lot of the airs of High Rock which was partially dissolved into their culture after the Direnni fall in the first era, and the later conquest by Tiber Septim, it seems to point to an early mix of cultures and races making them very similar to their Breton cousins. As such the Nibenese are a vibrant people who's inclusive nature, though sullied by the Alessian expansion, are some of the more benevolent people in Tamriel. Things changed in the first era with the Thrassian plague and Alessian downfall in the war of Righteousness. It should be likewise noted that despite the constant political maneuvering, they tend not to make up many Emperors of the time, rather, the Colovians and Nords tend to make up a much greater percentage of the ruling Emperors.
.
The Colovians:
Our second group of 'Imperials' are the Colovians. This group is very very different from the Nibenese and should go to show that both by bloodline and by culture there is a fundamental split between worlds that can not be assumed to exist coherently as a single race. The Colovians are a proud and taciturn people that dominated the west of Tamriel and South of what is now Skyrim. They are a strong, independent group of humans that generally take up the mantle of being the military might of the Empire. While the Nibenese tended to remain mostly at peace with each other, the Colovians are much like the Nords, independent Holds tend to fight, and while they kept a string kingdom called the Colovian Estate, they tended to be far behind in many facets compared to their eastern neighbors.
Land and Economy:
The west and North comprise the majority of the Colovian Estate and make up a rather large part of the Empire. While the Alessian Empire is that of the Imperial city and as a solidified power bloc to the east, the Colovians were a fractured warring people constantly given to infighting and civil wars. This made their territory change quite often, and more often than not this independent realm, called the Colovian Estate, was more a league based on not being Alessian (Rislav the Righteous).
The larger power houses of the region were that of Anvil, the sole port of Colovia, Falkreath, Skingrad, and Kvatch though many other now extinct cities are also listed such as Sarchal and Delodiil (Remanda). However, their industry was generally quite poor and their technological progression was likewise stunted not to say that the work was poor, in fact it was some of the best examples that could be made, but it was not advanced materials. Leather played a part more than Iron in the early days and put them at a distinct advantage in a military way as well as in a economic way compared to its rivals in Pellitine and Skyrim (Rislav the Righteous). One of the places with good agricultural and political power was that of Skingrad, the jewel of old Colovia (Guide to Skingrad) which aptly shows the diversity in regional disparity. One of the ways that this was somewhat alleviated was the presence of annual merchant caravans flooding through the area from all over Tamriel (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
Most of the land itself is highlands, jungles, and forests which make for generally poor agriculture though hunting seems to still be quite common (Dance in Fire). The land itsel fis not rich, the people are hardy, and this itself is the major reason in why the Alessians did not annex the area. However, the Colovians did find themselves in an enviable position when it came to trade with a new group that arrived in the 9th century of the 1st era. The Redguard of Hammerfell quickly expanded and soon took on Colovian dialects and culture, leading to a valuable trade partner later on. This was joined by the Bosmer as well (Pocket Guide to the Empire1st edition). With the decline of the Alessian Empire late in the first era the Colvoian Estate remained strong, signing peace accords in 1E 2174 (Pocket Guide to the Empire 3rd edition) during a period of about 400 years in which they superseded their rivals. This led to the rise of the Colovian Cyrodiilic empire (Remanda).
Origins:
While the Nibenese tend to come from early human civilizations mixed with Ayleid blood, the Colovians are quite different. They are distinctly a number of localized tribes from the Ayleids mixed with the Nords that invaded in the first era. A great deal of the power comes in several distinct areas, one is not surprisingly entirely in Skyrim. As such they retain most of their Nordic heritage as we'll see.
Culture:
Colovians themselves are far more stoic and hardy than the Nibenese. They value hard-work, independence, and a strong mental fortitude (Guide to Skingrad). However, they are also very wary of foreigners and generally are somewhat temperamental in their response to others (Acrutian Heresy). In fact, they also respond in the same fashion to each other, and while the Colovian estate was a strong central power bloc it seemed it was only really united as a people after the Cyrodiil empire faltered in the late 2nd era (Pocket Guide to the Empire 3rd edition, Arcturian Heresy).
This system of independence even shows up in their legal system, notably, the lack-there-of. There are no trials, juries, or witnesses called in Colovia, everything is settled generally through direct mediation or just as likely through duels (Rislav the Righteous). These people are generally very loyal to the people they know. They remain an uncomplicated straight forward people that value the secluded self sufficient lifestyle that presents itself in the Colovian estates and as such seem to be far more dispersed population wise than the Nibenese (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition)
Here we can see far more instances of Nordic influence in the Cyrodiil highlands. While the Nibenese created a monotheistic religion and eventually turned to the divines, the Colovians have a Nordic pantheon and include Shor as an important figue (Shezzar and the Divines). This already shows a strong link as there is no group that worships Shor in a positive light except the Nords, Shoer is a spirit of destruction in High Rock, and Shezzar was changed by the Nibenese to appeal to the Altmer, Bosmer, and to their own dissident members.
Perhaps one of the strangest aspects of the Colovian though is that they themselves, despite their distance from the Imperial city, are the most steadfast supporters of the Empire. Typically in times of great trouble of weak leadership, they withdraw into themselves and keep the fire of patriorism in the Imperial cause alive, waiting for the best of times to reinstate the former glory to the rest of Cyrodiil, then the rest of Tamriel (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition). Perhaps it' not a surprise that of the Imperials that ruled Tamriel, almost all of them are Colovians. Titus Mede, even Emperor Cuhlecain the precursor to Septim were both Colovians. They comprise the military might of the Empire, and its from the Colovian highlands were the greatest numbers of the Imperial legion are drawn. Thus almost all the Legion officers are Colovians, and they themselves are far more at home in the more spartan environments afforded by the military than palaces (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
It shouldn't be a surprise, given their frank and straight forward nature, that the Colovians are also the greatest number of Military governors of various regions. These military governors are typically drawn from the Colovian nobility where hunting, swordsmanship, and military drills are taught (oddly, typically by Ayleids after the first empire and well into the later years, then later adopting that of the Tsaesci). Unlike the Nibenese and that of most nobility, etiquette, statecraft, and religious instruction are not taught (Rislav the Righteous).
Summery
Typically, to the west, the Colovians, thanks to their military pursuits in defense of the Empire and intervention on the behalf of foreigners (Hammerfell, Valenwood most notably) are seen as the quintessential 'Imperial' by foreigners. They are a strong military minded people that generally spurn any notion of the refinement of their eastern neighbors and the humans of Hammerfell and High Rock. In this manner they are seen as a dour group that keeps to themselves though has the job to be the muscle of the Empire, a task to which they are well suited and raised to do by birth. However, this fosters a feeling of superiority in moral standards to the Nibenese, yet often are neglected despite being the power base both politically and militarily (Pocket Guide to the Empire 1st edition).
.
Conclusion:
Hopefully we can see how the two groups radically different now. There is no unified 'Imperial' race, they are a conglomeration of two distinct peoples working on concert for a political goal. The surprise is not that part of the Empire fell apart in the 4th era, it's that the Colovians and Nibenese remained united which is something never seen before the 4th era. The Colovians give support to those they feel worthy, and thus it is a strong endorsement to any crown. The Nibenese remain the bread and butter of the Empire, providing the great wealth of trade and of foreign relations while their hardy western allies act as strong defenders of a realm that they eagerly support.
The people that can be thanked for the uniting of the two races are that of Remen Cyrodiil, Cuhlecain, and Tiber Septim. Without these three there would be no lasting Empire and no unity of an 'Imperial destiny. To be an Imperial isn't based on race, it's based on ideals. These are at the core of Cyrodiilic life, and while they vary from person to person, city to city, the identity of Imperial is one of the strongest measures of a metropolitan identity: there is no blood requirement to be an Imperial, it requires only the common dream of a group of people that compliment each others strengths and helo mitigate their weaknesses.
As such, the Imperial race does not exist, the Imperial identity on the other hand is still very much alive.
