WI Explorers Found Semi-Europlean Enclaves

[Hannibal.Caesar]

There have been some interesting threads before about the Romans settling in Asia and, more recently, the Greeks moving into Russia; I remember one that talked about the Romans establishing a colony in Sri Lanka.

Anyway, this WI requires something like that to happen. An early European culture (Viking, Roman, Greek, etc.) manages to send off an expedition to a far away land, whether it be in Asia, North America, or deep in Africa. The distances and conflicts back home, however, become too much for the lines of support between the colony and the homeland, and communication is eventually cut.

Jumping forward a few hundred years, WI Europeans begin to come upon these colonies during the Age of Exploration? I believe it'd be safe to assume that these enclaves have changed significantly from what they were like initially, but they still remain somewhat European, potentially even worshiping an amalgam of Christianity?

How would these explorers react, and how would the "newer" Europe interact with the colonies of older civilizations?

[zoomar]

Originally Posted by Hannibal.Caesar

There have been some interesting threads before about the Romans settling in Asia and, more recently, the Greeks moving into Russia; I remember one that talked about the Romans establishing a colony in Sri Lanka.

Anyway, this WI requires something like that to happen. An early European culture (Viking, Roman, Greek, etc.) manages to send off an expedition to a far away land, whether it be in Asia, North America, or deep in Africa. The distances and conflicts back home, however, become too much for the lines of support between the colony and the homeland, and communication is eventually cut.

Jumping forward a few hundred years, WI Europeans begin to come upon these colonies during the Age of Exploration? I believe it'd be safe to assume that these enclaves have changed significantly from what they were like initially, but they still remain somewhat European, potentially even worshiping an amalgam of Christianity?

How would these explorers react, and how would the "newer" Europe interact with the colonies of older civilizations?

With considerably more initial respect to them than to the native civilizations and groups. Columbus et al expected to find vaguely recognizable civilizations of the Orient when he reached "India". This would fulfill that expectation, and further colonization would probably follow the "trade with and try to dominate" model rather than the "exterminate and enslave" model.