It's been mentioned before, but I think if Olympia had an option for
taxing or pillaging a region, it would add a good dimension to the
game, and would likely answer many of Russell's concerns. My own
suggestion is that anyone controlling the first castle in a region can
tax that region. Overly high taxes would have bad side-effects like
lowering the loyalty of units in the region, reducing taxes, make it
difficult to recruit or impress, empty out the markets, and eventually
lead to armed revolt. There might also be a command "PILLAGE" with
similar effects, except more dangerous to use. And anyone pillaging
in a region with a castle would be automatically attacked by the
forces in the castle.
-- Scott T.