<p>Actually Brittania is Britain in both instances with the The Seven Deadly Sins version even showing a map which is just a copy of real word Britain nowadays, In Code Geass'es sense Britain owned a majority of the world around 100-200 years ago, It was the only superpower around as it owned India, Africa, And even America what everyone forgets is America was just a British colony the lands found by British sailors.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-28T17:27:18.290Z
I mean, you're *technically* correct, but the answer which precedes yours covers the same ground with a lot more detail.
Makoto
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-28T15:34:38.293Z
2018-06-28T15:34:38.293Z
YaBoiHistory
<p>Based on your comments you seem to be drawing too much of a distinction between the words Britannia and Britain, as in fact <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britain_(place_name)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">both mean the same thing</a>. Britannia is just the Latin (and ancient Greek) word for Britain.  While there was no Empire of Britannia (or Holy Empire of Britannia for that matter), strictly speaking there was also no British Empire.  That is just the informal name for what, at its height, was more accurately called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the various dominions, territories, protectorates and so on that it controlled.</p>

<p>So if you take the historical, but informal British Empire, and alter history by turning it into a real empire with a real Emperor/Empress and give it a more fanciful name by merging the name of historical Holy Roman Empire with the Latin name Britannia and you get what see in Code Geass. The name "Holy Britannian Empire" both invokes the might and culture of the British Empire while also clearly being something else entirely. Similarly, I'd expect any other reference to Britannia as a real country in anime and manga as meant to invoke Britain, but not actually be Britain.</p>

<p>Mind you can't find much evidence that Britannia, as distinct from Britain, being a trope in anime and manga. The two series you mentioned, Code Geass and The Seven Deadly Sins, are the only ones I can find that have a "Britannia". In the later series, it also doesn't appear that Britannia exists as a political entity, just a name for the region where the story is set. </p>

<p>Indeed, I'd say Code Geass is actually an example of the <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AmericaTakesOverTheWorld" rel="nofollow noreferrer">America Takes Over the World</a> trope, as, despite the name, the Holy Britannian Empire is centred in America and doesn't actually control Britain.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-17T21:40:44.513Z
Practically all kings and queens since [Henry VIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England) used *Defender of the Faith* (or *Fidei Defensor)* in their official title and they have all been head of the Church of England, so a Holy Britannian Empire might not require adding the Holy Roman Empire (although I will acknowledge similarities in the title). Note that *Fidei Defensor* came *before* English reformation.
Jan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-28T23:32:19.373Z
Basically art imitates life
IG_42
CC BY-SA 4.0
2016-07-15T19:28:32.853Z
2018-12-01T09:25:50.730Z
2018-12-01T09:25:50.730Z
Ross Ridge
<p>Often in series revolving around wars, you will see a mention of Britannia. 
More often so, they are depicted as an almighty power which is to be feared, or even one which has dominated most or all of the world.</p>

<p>Some of the most known examples would be <a href="/questions/tagged/code-geass" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;code-geass&#39;" rel="tag">code-geass</a> where "The Holy Empire of Britannia" conquered most of the world, including Japan, which then became known as Area 11. Or a bit more obscure reference in <a href="/questions/tagged/nanatsu-no-taizai" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;nanatsu-no-taizai&#39;" rel="tag">nanatsu-no-taizai</a>:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OJQnS.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OJQnSm.png" alt="&quot;...And they are terrifying existences. Just one of them has enough power to match an entire country&#39;s army. / What if they decided to wage war against Britannia?&quot;"></a></p>

<p>So why is Britannia often depicted as an almighty power? One who should be feared?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T14:11:22.717Z
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire
Oded
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T14:28:02.297Z
@Oded Might just screwed up my history lessons. The British empire used to be known as Britannia till ~50 AD. The British empire conquered most of the world, Britannia didn't. Hence my question/confusion
Dimitri mx
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T14:29:38.810Z
I just know that in Israel, the name for "Britain" is indeed Britannia - could be a similar thing.
Oded
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T15:47:43.250Z
Oh, just remembered this too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule,_Britannia!
Oded
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-07-15T16:04:57.837Z
"Britannia" is the Latin name for Britain, and was used to refer to the empire occasionally. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britannia.
Torisuda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-17T02:58:50.740Z
"Britannia" in _Nanatsu no Taizai_ is the name of the region in which the narrative takes place. It is not depicted as "an almighty power", and I don't see how you get that from the panels you excerpted in your question.
senshin
<tropes><anime-history>
Why Is Britannia often depicted as an almighty power?
# Why Is Britannia often depicted as an almighty power?
Posted by: username_0 on 2016-07-15
Often in series revolving around wars, you will see a mention of Britannia.
More often so, they are depicted as an almighty power which is to be feared, or even one which has dominated most or all of the world.

Some of the most known examples would be [code-geass](/questions/tagged/code-geass "show questions tagged 'code-geass'") where "The Holy Empire of Britannia" conquered most of the world, including Japan, which then became known as Area 11. Or a bit more obscure reference in [nanatsu-no-taizai](/questions/tagged/nanatsu-no-taizai "show questions tagged 'nanatsu-no-taizai'"):

[![](https://i.sstatic.net/OJQnSm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/OJQnS.png)

So why is Britannia often depicted as an almighty power? One who should be feared?
**Tags:** tropes anime-history
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Empire  
> **username_0**: @Oded Might just screwed up my history lessons. The British empire used to be known as Britannia till ~50 AD. The British empire conquered most of the world, Britannia didn't. Hence my question/confusion  
> **username_1**: I just know that in Israel, the name for "Britain" is indeed Britannia - could be a similar thing.  
> **username_1**: Oh, just remembered this too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule,_Britannia!  
> **username_2**: "Britannia" is the Latin name for Britain, and was used to refer to the empire occasionally. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britannia.  
> **username_3**: "Britannia" in _Nanatsu no Taizai_ is the name of the region in which the narrative takes place. It is not depicted as "an almighty power", and I don't see how you get that from the panels you excerpted in your question.  
---
## 2 answers
### Answer by username_6 on 2016-07-15. Score: 11 | Accepted answer
Based on your comments you seem to be drawing too much of a distinction between the words Britannia and Britain, as in fact [both mean the same thing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britain_(place_name)). Britannia is just the Latin (and ancient Greek) word for Britain. While there was no Empire of Britannia (or Holy Empire of Britannia for that matter), strictly speaking there was also no British Empire. That is just the informal name for what, at its height, was more accurately called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the various dominions, territories, protectorates and so on that it controlled.

So if you take the historical, but informal British Empire, and alter history by turning it into a real empire with a real Emperor/Empress and give it a more fanciful name by merging the name of historical Holy Roman Empire with the Latin name Britannia and you get what see in Code Geass. The name "Holy Britannian Empire" both invokes the might and culture of the British Empire while also clearly being something else entirely. Similarly, I'd expect any other reference to Britannia as a real country in anime and manga as meant to invoke Britain, but not actually be Britain.

Mind you can't find much evidence that Britannia, as distinct from Britain, being a trope in anime and manga. The two series you mentioned, Code Geass and The Seven Deadly Sins, are the only ones I can find that have a "Britannia". In the later series, it also doesn't appear that Britannia exists as a political entity, just a name for the region where the story is set.

Indeed, I'd say Code Geass is actually an example of the [America Takes Over the World](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AmericaTakesOverTheWorld) trope, as, despite the name, the Holy Britannian Empire is centred in America and doesn't actually control Britain.
> **Comments:**
> **username_7** (2016-10-17): Practically all kings and queens since [Henry VIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England) used *Defender of the Faith* (or *Fidei Defensor)* in their official title and they have all been head of the Church of England, so a Holy Britannian Empire might not require adding the Holy Roman Empire (although I will acknowledge similarities in the title). Note that *Fidei Defensor* came *before* English reformation.  
> **username_8** (2018-06-28): Basically art imitates life  
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2018-06-28. Score: 0
Actually Brittania is Britain in both instances with the The Seven Deadly Sins version even showing a map which is just a copy of real word Britain nowadays, In Code Geass'es sense Britain owned a majority of the world around 100-200 years ago, It was the only superpower around as it owned India, Africa, And even America what everyone forgets is America was just a British colony the lands found by British sailors.
> **Comments:**
> **username_5** (2018-06-28): I mean, you're *technically* correct, but the answer which precedes yours covers the same ground with a lot more detail.  
---
