The Weighted Scales: The World of an Aborted Rome

[Danivon]

What Massa Chief said - I think many people read this thread and devour the updates when they come. Problem (?) is that they are ususally so good we don't have loads of questions or complaints.

And please, Errnge, don't feel pressured to rush it. I like the way this is developing and with the narrative covering all kinds of different places. If it takes a week or so between updates, so be it.

I now can't help picturing Grouchio as a yappy throathound...

[Errnge]

Originally Posted by Danivon

What Massa Chief said - I think many people read this thread and devour the updates when they come. Problem (?) is that they are ususally so good we don't have loads of questions or complaints.

And please, Errnge, don't feel pressured to rush it. I like the way this is developing and with the narrative covering all kinds of different places. If it takes a week or so between updates, so be it.

I now can't help picturing Grouchio as a yappy throathound...

Hahaha, well thank you.

I've got to say this little comment made my morning... well, early afternoon I should say. I'm hoping to update soon-ish with a return to the historical narrative.

[Berserker]

Originally Posted by Errnge

Hahaha, well thank you.

I've got to say this little comment made my morning... well, early afternoon I should say. I'm hoping to update soon-ish with a return to the historical narrative.

sounds like I have something to read during my holiday week

[Errnge]

Chapter Six: The New City
Part Five: Setting the Stage for Thunder



Greeks and Phoenicians had affectively been at war with each other consistently for almost five hundred years when Malik Hamilax and Alexandros II of Epiros went to war with each other. The first official Sicilian War broke out two hundred years before. Massive expeditions had been launched, making and breaking the great powers of the West. The Rasna, Taras, Massalia, Epiros, and now the Mamertines were all examples of this. With the help of the Mamertines, Hamilax had almost successfully ousted any Greek political structure from the island, with the exception of a hold out in Syracuse, the gem of the island.

But this success came at a price. The more western Phoenician colonies, who used to pay tribute to Carthage, broke all formal ties with the Malikdom and exercised complete autonomy. All of the Punic cities in Iberia, Mauritania, and some even in western Numidia no longer recognized Carthaginian leadership, Jol being westernmost city. [1]

This proved to be more catastrophic than one would think. Carthage, having just waged a very costly campaign, needed to pay off its mercenaries, and a sudden lack of revenue from the west certainly did not help.

In the meanwhile, to the east, Babylonia’s armies were on the march again. With the death of Eiran I the Scourge in 269 B.E. (276 B.C.) from a sudden illness, his son Eiran II came to power. Eiran II proved equally as ambitious as his father, leading another campaign into Arabia, securing the the northern stretch of the Red Sea coastline. But in 264 B.E. (271 B.C.) The Medians supported a massive rebellion in Armenia of Zoroastrians living there. Eiran II responded swiftly, overrunning Armenia, and outlawing Zoroastrianism throughout his realm. Eiran also brought in his Scythian allies, settling them on the eastern Armenian frontier as a strong buffer between his realm and the Medes.

This provoked outright a war with Media, who had already been less than friendly with Babylonia in the past. Eiran II repelled the Median King Ostanes I on the Tigris River. He then gave chase to the Median monarch, invading Elam, capturing Susa and the surrounding area. Eiran forced Ostanes to accept a treaty that gave him total control over Armenia and Elam. The treaty, more importantly, ousted any who worshipped Ahura Mazda, depopulating much of Elam, Armenia, and the eastern frontier of Mesopotamia. The Zoroastrians were granted the chance to relocate to Media thanks to the determination of the Median King Ostanes I, who swore that if Eiran set about slaughtering Zoroastrians (which he indeed had threatened), Babylonia would see the full strength of Medes and the Aryans. Eiran II obliged only because he figured marching thousands of people would be easier than killing them.

But this war, too proved costly. Most historians see it as the beginning of the end for Babylonia, though surely it did not look that way at the time. Babylonia was still expanding, and rapidly at that. Caucasian tribes, Pontos, and several more Arabian tribes became tributaries of the Third Babylonian Empire. But in Egypt, where Greeks were pouring in by the thousands and the Cult of Isis began to spread her fingers, Isidoros began more and more to exercise his autonomy.

And, though it is beyond certain that nobody suspected it, Isidoros would indeed be the one who would set the stage for a man whose name meant thunder.

--------
[1] Carthage’s relationship with the more western Phoenician colonies before the Barcas has actually been an area of some dispute. Whether they were ever officially linked with Carthage, or simply paid tribute in the same way they had to Tyre and Sidon previously isn’t entirely known. However, we do know that at least by the 240s BC, they were no longer in any connection to Carthage, hence Hamilcar Barca’s conquest of North Africa and Spain.

[Grouchio]

And what name means thunder, I might ask? Zeus? Elysion?

Can you give us a map of Babylonia's zenith? Isn't the Nicanean Empire doing something about this yet?

And do you mind giving me facial descriptions for Ostanes I (the son of Cyaxares I I presume) and for Hamilax and Eiran II?

[Errnge]

Originally Posted by Grouchio

And what name means thunder, I might ask? Zeus? Elysion?

Can you give us a map of Babylonia's zenith? Isn't the Nicanean Empire doing something about this yet?

And do you mind giving me facial descriptions for Ostanes I (the son of Cyaxares I I presume) and for Hamilax and Eiran II?

Baraq- Barca

I sure can. And there's little they can do. While Cilicia can defend its territory all it wants, the fact of the matter is Babylonia is massive and powerful, and the one place left that could really face it just got curbstomped.

[Grouchio]

Barca? BARCA! BARCAAA!! It's Hannibal time!

However, as you stated previously, Babylonia will start to undergo a decline in 20 to 50 years or so, so that all the vassals and enemies of Babylon can strike back! ALL HEIL THE SONS OF PTOLEMY!

Also couldn't Ptolemy simply promote Cilician piracy among Babylon's sea trade routes?

And would you mind asking my third initial question?

[Berserker]

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam

Hannibal in this TL must rock!

[Errnge]

Originally Posted by Berserker

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam

Hannibal in this TL must rock!

well, Hannibal's got some time to go before he actually even shows up.

EDIT: and here's that map

[Daeres]

With those borders, it's like the Assyrian Empire never left us!

[Monopolist]

It's a bit early, even for Hamilcar Barca... is this, possibly, a completely different Barca clan? And in Egypt?

Hmm... you've got me thinking....

Anyways, besides that, the usual: good update, keep 'em coming... and don't dally too long, because I want to know who and what these Barcas are!

[Magnum]

hmm, I must have missed (or forgotten about) that part where Babylonia subjugates Egypt. Can anyone point me to it pls ?

Thx

[Errnge]

Originally Posted by Monopolist

It's a bit early, even for Hamilcar Barca... is this, possibly, a completely different Barca clan? And in Egypt?

Hmm... you've got me thinking....

Anyways, besides that, the usual: good update, keep 'em coming... and don't dally too long, because I want to know who and what these Barcas are!

Not getting to him quite yet. 20 years or so. And they are in Carthage

Originally Posted by Magnum

hmm, I must have missed (or forgotten about) that part where Babylonia subjugates Egypt. Can anyone point me to it pls ?

Thx

Chapter 5 Part 9 discussion page 45. Talks about the rise of the Third Babylonian Empire and how they propped up the Mercenary Dynasty in Egypt

[KnightofTempest]

All hail the mighty house of Barca! The Thunderbolt of Carthago has arisen, woe betide any who stand in it's way!

[Analytical Engine]

Originally Posted by Grouchio

And what name means thunder, I might ask? Zeus? Elysion?

Taranis. (Zeus' Celtic equivalent)

Literally, in fact...

[Errnge]

Originally Posted by Analytical Engine

Taranis. (Zeus' Celtic equivalent)

Literally, in fact...

Is that word etymologically related to Tyrannus (as in Tyrannosaurus rex) by chance?

[Monopolist]

Originally Posted by Errnge

Not getting to him quite yet. 20 years or so.

Twenty years just seemed quite a while from where you're at now, so I wasn't sure if these were the same Barcas as we all know and love from OTL. Are you going to skip ahead to them pretty quick, then? Or are we going to sit on this for a while, and see how events develop?

And they are in Carthage

Well I figured that. I was thinking more along the lines of them being directly involved with events in Egypt, since Isidoros is "setting the stage" for them... like a war or something in which Hamilcar sticks out... but I didn't explain that at all in my post, so that's my bad; my apologies.

You probably mean something a lot more indirect though....

Anyways, I'll cut out any more of my speculating - just looking forward to the next update, and seeing how this all unfolds. Whatever's the case, I'm sure to be way off.

[Grouchio]

Wait...didn't you say that the next update would include Senonia in it? Where's my money Brian?!

[willbell]

So Babylon has deeply incorporated Armenia now and is spreading its influence into Pontus? Interesting, too bad they are on the decline.

[Errnge]

Originally Posted by Grouchio

Wait...didn't you say that the next update would include Senonia in it? Where's my money Brian?!

Aww shucks, forgot about that. Well, I've outlined at least the first half of the chapter, and the update about it will be coming up shortly