Building the Temple City:

The Foundation of the Great City of Angkor, 1113

In the year 1113, the Khmer Empire is in a period of prosperity and stability. However, recent leadership changes have dramatically reshaped the powerful empire’s future. This follows, Suryavarman II’s rise to power after ousting his predecessor, King Dharanindravarman. Upon assuming the throne, Suryavarman II has already laid out his ambitious plans for the Khmer Empire. This most notably entails the construction of a magnificent city to rival all others. This city will be called Angkor, which roughly translates to “Temple City.” Suryavarman II envisions this city to be a center of religious worship, knowledge, and innovation. At the same time, Suryavarman II seeks to expand the domain of the Khmer Empire and has launched conquests into the neighboring kingdom of Đại Việt (Great Viet). Suryavarman II has also established strong diplomatic relations with the neighboring Song and Chola Dynasties. In this committee, delegates will be tasked with creating a layout for the city and managing resource allocation between the city’s construction and Suryavarman II’s military campaigns. Additionally, delegates will be tasked with designing Angkor in a way that adequately accounts for both Hindu and Buddhist worship in the Khmer Empire.

Staff

Nicholas Simonelli

Chair