The Republic of the Sphere consists of 250 worlds spread throughout an area around the planet Terra in a radius of approximately 120 light years. Founded by Devlin Stone in 3081 and consisting of 10 Prefectures, the Republic was formed of worlds ceded to it by treaty with the Great Houses and Clans following the final defeat of the Word of Blake forces. The Republic’s motto is Ad Securitas per Unitas, meaning Liberty through Unity; the Latin word securitas means not only "freedom" but "security," in acknowledgment of the violent past for which this region of space is famously known.