Depending on which book you are using for your class, the list of characteristics will vary. However, there are several characteristics which are necessary for a government to qualify as an empire.
Centralized Leadership. Imperial rulers maintain control over large swaths of territory by constructing large bureaucracies based in the empire's capital. Imperial governments tend to resemble either a monarchy (rule by a king or queen) or an oligarchy (authoritarian rule by a small group of elites).
Standardized Currency. Empires maintain a unified economy by making sure their subjects all use the same currency.
Ethnic Diversity. Most empires have subjects from multiple civilizations and cultures.
Expansionism. Empires seek to expand their power into new territories, either through military conquest or colonization. This expansionism allows them to increase the geographic size of their empires and acquire new subjects and natural resources.
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