A pagan Gaul TL

[Inarius]

This is my first TL, so i hope you will clement

What would be the consequences of the absence of Christianity on Europe, and more precisely on Gaul (currently, France) ?


A few details :
- English is not (at all) my mother-tongue. I have already written a lot of this uchronia before even knowing alternatehistory.com, so I hope you will understand that my maps are in French as well as some stylistic infelicities.
- My PODs are
1 : the absence of Christianity in the world
2 : a decision later from the last emperor who was able to take it, which is in my opinion a possible consequence of the first POD. (Explained in the first text)
- The limit of this TL is the current metropolitan France territory. Even if other countries around are often mentioned (because the concept of "France" isn't existing even in OTL before at least the 12th century), they will not be studied as France will.
- I will always use OTL, even if it has no existence in this TL.

PS : First text is coming very soon, be patient !

[Turquoise Blue]

Originally Posted by Inarius

This is my first TL, so i hope you will clement

A few details :
- English is not (at all) my mother-tongue. I have already written a lot of this uchronia before even knowing alternatehistory.com, so I hope you will understand that my maps are in French as well as some stylistic infelicities.
- My PODs are
1 : the absence of Christianity in the world
2 : a decision later from the last emperor who was able to take it, which is in my opinion a possible consequence of the first POD. (Explained in the first text)
- The limit of this TL is the current metropolitan France territory. Even if other countries around are often mentioned (because the concept of "France" isn't existing even in OTL before at least the 12th century), they will not be studied as France will.
- I will always use OTL, even if it has no existence in this TL.

PS : First text is coming very soon, be patient !

Did you write a bit on Britannia?

[Inarius]

A little, yes
Because of Brittany and brittons.

[Turquoise Blue]

Originally Posted by Inarius

A little, yes
Because of Brittany and brittons.

Good, No Saxons?

[Inarius]

The fate of Anthemius (0-471)



Going through thousand years is not really easy for empires. And some of his predecessors suffered and learnt it... All the documents he found about it described a period where Emperors were always in trouble, between war, civil war and social disorder. Ever since then, they had all realized that the Gods had forsaken them. But it was a long time ago...
War didn’t stop, and he and the other emperors – Not only Emperors, but also now Sol the greatest God among them- fought against the barbarian again and again. Until when ? He sighed...
« My Sol, here is the document you asked me »
One of his personal slave (the scribe one) was kneeling before him, and the decree was in front of him. But it would have such an effect that even him didn’t know if it was really the best way to resolve all their problems.
Rome wasn’t the place it used to be anymore. The whole city was waiting for something to happen. Perhaps, after all, it was time to give up. Giving up civilization, giving up one thousand year of great cities, great buildings and strong armies. « What will my epoch be remembered as ? ». He sighed again.
For the last ten years, everybody had spoken of Constantin. « Constantin the Sol was surely a great Emperor. But also a great general. Keep that in mind ! ». He was fed up of this perpetual comparison. At that time, there weren’t all these barbarians, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Vandagoths, and he-didn’t-know-who-goths else ? All these smelly stupid brutes of barbagoth were about to take over HIS empire. And even the victory of Constantin III against the Burgundians and Vandals, one hundred years later, was now no longer enough to keep security within the borders. Sol or not, Emperors were assassinated, and he felt that his fate would be sealed soon...damned son...He had to do something quickly. The governor of Belgica asked him security, and no reply would be considered as a sign of weakness. Alea Jacta est !


Rescrit of Anthemius (1222 AUC) (469 OTL) :
I, Sol, Emperor of the Roman Empire, thereby declare that all the Provinces of Rome are now fully independent. However, they will now pay a tribute to Rome (depending of their size, strength and closeness of Rome) for their protection against barbarians. The current governor of each province will become the Lord of the region they formerly administrated, with a total independence in decisions, organization and security of their land. This decree will apply on the first of July, 1222 AUC.


He was thinking of his empire.
Belgica,Brittania,Tarraconensis,Achaea, all these names would now mean nothing for Roman people. Perhaps, one day, would they become enemies ? But for now he didn’t have any other choice. According to his few advisors, this decree will reinforce defense, and protect Italia, the very heart of the Empire. But he wasn’t sure. Actually, he was lost ! Living alone or dying together was the choice of the moment ! He looked at the table where coins for his slave were laid. After all, his face wasn’t so ugly ...the sun-crown was really handsome... But now, who will see his face on coins ?



Anthemius was assassinated in 471 by one of his sons, who advocated the return of every Province under the domination of Rome.
Other major informations : In 401, Stilicon crushed the Visigoths near the small town of Altinium (Venice). After the battle, Alaric the First died of his wounds, and Athauf was caught and led to Rome where he was publicly executed in 402. The barbarians (mostly Wisigoths) were then pulled back to the North and the East, where they fought against the Huns and held them in the east for nearly a century.
In Gallia (Gaul), the land was split into Aquitania (south-west), Narbonensis (south and south-east), Lugdunensis (Center east and west), and Belgica (North and east).

[Paul MacQ]

I am very interested and subscribed

[Inarius]

The fall of Belgica (550-585 OTL)

Somewhere between Somme and Sambre


After the decree of Anthemius, the Empire began to shrink at its extremities. Tributes were quickly forgotten by small entities where Roman’s organization soon became history. Besides, in the north of Gaul, Rome was too far and paying tributes was useless (roman armies weren’t able to defend anybody there) and dangerous (traveling with such money on a so long distance was nearly impossible without good roads and with so many bandits). In the north of Gaul, the Franks entered in Belgica at the beginning of 450. They extended to a line between Calais and Mulhouse, in 500. However, their progression was slowed by three events :


- The « Roads walls » : Too early independence due to Anthemius’ decree led to a general destruction of roads, buildings, and everything made of stones in many places in Gaul. These stones were then used to build strongholds. This dramatically improved defense, destroyed trade but slowed down progression of barbarians.


- Barbarians, even more than a century after their invasion, were still considered as foreigners. Local documents found in Nemetacum (Arras) shows that people (even if mostly living like the Franks, wearing furs and in wood-made houses) disdained them. It’s only in 530 that first evidence of religious and cultural syncretism were found (that is to say, more than 4 generations later). Customs, and languages were different. Roman civilization was based on being, whereas Frank civilization was based on possession, due to the precariousness of the life.


- Last but no least, the Great Plague killed so many that the invasion was stopped dead after 550.
Because of that, Durocortorum (Reims), one of the greatest city of Gaul, was only taken in 578, after a long siege. Lutece (Paris) was at last taken, in 585 ; on the same year the take of Sexonas (Soissons) meaning the end of « Belgica ». Franks were better organized, better equipped and won easily against divided and weakened cities between Belgica and Lugdunensis.


The same year (585), down in the south, Lugdunum (Lyon) was taken by Chilperic I. The power was then still divided between king-generals, and battles between Franks, - even of the same family - were common practice.