Sailing From Londinium

The fracturing of Rome is perhaps the most key event World History. Had Galerius kept a cool mind he could have avoided the Roman Civil War and the fracturing of the Roman Empire; his anger at Constantine Chlorus ( later to be known as Constantine I) was too great to be contained. In a rash decision denied Constantine’s claims to the title Augustus. His advisors had warned him what the consequences might be if he made such a rash decision, but his anger was too great; and with one decision the Empire was doomed. War would come between the Provinces loyal to Constantine and the memory of his father against those loyal to Middle Rome.

Immediately as the war opened up Gallia and Britannia proved loyal to Constantine, but Iberia would not recognize Constantine and remained loyal to Rome. The armies of Galerius would not be fighting simply against barbarians in the war, for Constantine’s armies were predominantly Roman themselves. Constantine’s ties to Nicomedia, the attachment of the troops to him, and internal strife within what would become the Middle Empire led to Galerius’ ultimate failure to maintain a unified Rome. Though the Italian peninsula did not fall into the Constantine’s hands, he had managed to wrestle off Iberia along with the provinces which had been loyal to him.

The Middle Empire fell into chaos as another civil war was waged within it. Not a war of West and east, but a war of Emperor and Co-Emperor. With Galerius defeated by Constantine and losing much of the Western Empire in the process, Maxentius sought to take the position of emperor for all for himself. With popular support on his side Maxentius overthrew Galerius and became Emperor of Middle Rome. In the east, with Rome splintering Maximinus (Daia) proclaimed himslef Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, later to be commonly refered to as Nicomedia, and made peace with Maxentius and Constantine. Maximinus recognized that the Empire was broken and that what had once been one existed now as three.

And so the world had set sail for Londinium...
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OCC: What do you think?

So...the POD is Maxentius overthrowing Galerius instead of Severus as in OTL...?
Where is Diocletian, Maximian, and Maximinus, btw...?

Rex Romanum said:

So...the POD is Maxentius overthrowing Galerius instead of Severus as in OTL...?
Where is Diocletian, Maximian, and Maximinus, btw...?

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No, the POD is Galerius not recognizing Constantine as Caesar. In OTL Galerius was furious about Constantine taking the title of Augustus after Constantine's father died, but Galerius' advisors calmed him down and talked him out of denying Constantine’s claims which would have prompted a civil war. ITTL Galerius doesn't recognize Constantine as even Caesar and denies his claims to the throne sparking a civil war which Rome looses. With Galerius and the Rome weak Maxentius with help from his father Maximian deposed Galerius and just as OTL Maximian failed to depose his son. Diocletian sided with Galerius during the Maximian's rise to power. Maximinus II is dead like Galerius; killed by the victorious Maxentius to assure his dominance.

I hope that clears things up.

Hmm, but Severus was Caesar in the West (Italia et Africa) and Maximinus was Caesar in the East (Oriens et Aegyptus)...
So in your TL it should be Severus who killed and Maximinus become Emperor of the East...
Interesting POD btw...

Rex Romanum said:

Hmm, but Severus was Caesar in the West (Italia et Africa) and Maximinus was Caesar in the East (Oriens et Aegyptus)...
So in your TL it should be Severus who killed and Maximinus become Emperor of the East...
Interesting POD btw...

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Crap your right.

Oh and thanks for the compliment on the POD.

Well what is the capital of the new West?

I wonder if the two seperate Empires in the west will fare better, or just fall apart all the quicker? I am guessing the Western Empire retreats to Brittania ultimately as the cotinent falls rto chaos in the west.

Herr Frage said:

Well what is the capital of the new West?

I wonder if the two seperate Empires in the west will fare better, or just fall apart all the quicker? I am guessing the Western Empire retreats to Brittania ultimately as the cotinent falls rto chaos in the west.

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The capital of the Western Roman Empire is curently Eboracum, but as the name of the TL suggests Constantine's magnificent city in this TL won't be Byzantium, it shall be Londinium.

So basically the Crisis of the Third Century happening again, this time it sticks

Germaniac said:

So basically the Crisis of the Third Century happening again, this time it sticks

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Essentially you are correct. The borders are different, but just as in the Third Century Rome has broken into three empires except this time they shall stay broken.

General_Finley said:

The capital of the Western Roman Empire is curently Eboracum, but as the name of the TL suggests Constantine's magnificent city in this TL won't be Byzantium, it shall be Londinium.

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Why Londinium?
wouldn't Arelate or Tolosa or even Lugdunum be more appropriate. Britannia may have many of the legions but most of the Roman Citizenry to my mind would still be in the south of Gaul ( Narbonesis ) and Hispania wouldn't they.

if your thinking a port city capable of dominating trade, Burdigala is still central to these regions with an eye to expanding trade northward along the coast but this is miniscule at this point, the med is still the centre of the Roman Universe economically and from that point of view Arelate/ Massilia with its easy acess to Lugdunum or Tolosa with relatively easy access to Narbo or Burdigala would seem to be better options that allow the "Emporers" to also keep close tabs on the Hispanians and their neighbours in Rome. the trans Rhine German frontier is just that. Wild frontier.

Btw, what happened with Licinius and Severus in all this Who is still likely to be entrusted with Galerius's Eastern provinces in Illyricum and Pannonia while he's off marching against Constantine if Severus is still dead at the machinations of Maxentius.. Maxentius is not likely to be in a position to raise sufficient armises to challenge the aging Galerius and his colleagues Licinius and Severus both for complete control of Middle Rome.

Though the war that had torn the single Roman Empire apart no longer waged the newly birthed Western Empire still faced threats, both internal and external. The Franks had grown bold during the civil war. They had crossed the Rhine several times and had begun raiding villages in northern reaches of Gallia. With the empire no longer under threat from the Rome Constantine turned to the north. Germania had long been the edge of the old Roman Empire, but with the Germanic barbarians pushing in on the border Constantine needed to prove to the barbarians that he was still a brilliant military leader and that his empire would be strong enough to push them back. The First Campaigns against the Franks began in 308. By the time they had finished the Franks had been pushed back across the Rhine and beaten down. The strength of the Western Empire was proven and the barbarians were kept at bay, for now.

Though most historical and archeological evidence shows that Constantine was not a particularly religious man he was an intelligent one. The Western Empire contained held within it Christians, as well as various paganistic religions. A religious tie was needed to bond the people together and bond them to the empire, but this was not all that granting full tolerance of Christianity would bring to the empire; it would also bring more people. With Constantine’s Proclamation of Christian Tolerance he had changed so much. In the Middle Empire Christians persecuted by Galerius fled to “The Kingdom of God”. Over the next decade and a half Christians from the Middle Empire and even the Eastern Empire would move to the cities and the countryside of middle Gallia, Britannia, and parts of Hispania. In The Middle Empire it would be another half century before the persecution of Christianity came to an end; in Nicomedia Christian tolerance would come in 323.Pope Miltiades would be the first Pope to reside within the Cathedral of Constantinopolis (still under construction at the time).

For Constantine the provisional capital of the empire, Eboracum, was not the majesty of Rome or Nicomedia; it was lacking on many levels. With his consolidation of the Christian Church he also wanted to consolidate his empire. Though Britannia was possibly the most loyal and secure province of his empire at the time, he needed to place the capital of his new empire near the bulk of Roman Citizenry. Any city in Hispania, though providing excellent access to the Mar Internum, was out of the question. With Hispania having been won through war rather than having remained loyal to him during the war, the risk of having the capital of his empire besieged by Romans yet to have proven their allegiances was too great for Constantine. Any city in Gallia Narbonensis that lay near the Mar Internum would always be the first target in any war between the Western and Middle Empires. Constantine chose to build his great city over the minor city of Burdigala. To attract more of the former Roman citizenry to his new capital Constantine renamed the city Constantinopolis andbuilt the city far beyond what it had once been. The initial reconstruction of his magnificent city would end and it would be christened after seven years; but the city would continue to grow and grow long after Constantine’s passing death.

Fascinating, IU knew this would affect Christianity, but this dem,ographic shift causes more butterflies than most battles won or lost.

I am still guessing the Western Empire will be driven over the Canal. PErhaps a major wat between the West and Middle weakenms both to Barbarian hordes?

Isn't Burdigala still a little too southerly. I know the bulk of the Roman population is within southern Gaul, but you did say that any capital near the Hispanic border would be under threat from constant attacks by said Hispanic people.

Other than that little query, i like the timeline.

Under Constantine I the Western Roman Empire became the first Christian Empire. Though tolerant of all religions Constantine used Christianity as a unifying force on his empire. Roman Christians from the Middle and Eastern Empires increased the Roman populous of Britannia, and Gallia; and were far more loyal to Constantine and his empire then the Romans of Hispania. It was Constantine’s empowering of Christianity that began its spread throughout Western Europe.

Under Constantine I’s rule the conflicts between West and East were minimal after the Roman Civil War. The barbarians had become aggressive enough during the war and he had little desire to weaken his new domain to the point that it would be vulnerable to the barbarians of the north. In 323 the Theodor I of Nicomedia, declared tolerance of Christianity. With both the West and East freeing Christianity they grew at odds with the still pagan anti-Christians of Rome still prosecuting Christians who remained in the Middle Empire rather than leave for the west or East.
　

The Middle Empire​

In the Middle Empire Maxentius faced not just one but two revolts against him by generals seeking to take the title of emperor. Both revolts were suppressed and Maxentius would hold the title of Emperor until his death in 330. His son Flavius Aurelius Maximian, Maximian I, would become Emperor of the Middle empire upon his death.
　

Conquest of Frisia and the First Crusade

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In the late 320’s Constantine would launch the conquest of Frisia. The exact cause of the war that led to the Conquest of Frisia is unknown, but several factors played a large role in the conflict. One of these factors was the Frisian tribe’s intolerance of Christian missionaries. With Constantine’s most loyal subjects being Christians the attacking of Christian missionaries was not something that went over well. That being said the true source of this war likely had little to do with Christian missionaries, rather it had to do with Frisian farmland and making an example of the Frisians. Since the dissolution of the Roman Empire the Barbarians had become more aggressive. Though Constantine pushed the Franks out of Gallia and established a permanent bridge crossing the Rhine, but for the point to be truly made to the barbarians of the north Constantine knew that one of the barbarian tribes would have to fall. The Frisians presented themselves as an opportune target. Having protected themselves from Rome through a treaty Constantine viewed the Treaty as null and void. The Conquest of Frisia would be completed just months before the First Crusade.

In 332 the Eastern Empire of Nicomedia was at war with the Sassanid Empire. The Persians, trying to capitalize on what they perceived to be a weakened Empire, went to war with Nicomedia after invading the Kingdom of Armenia. After the conquest of Frisia, Constantine sent his son and troops to assist the Eastern Empire as a sign of good faith. In 336 Constantine left Constantinopolis for the Eastern Empire, but fell gravely ill on the voyage. When he arrived he asked to be baptized in the river Christ was baptized in; he was. He never made it to the battlefields of the east passing away two days after his Baptism. His body was returned to the Western Empire and he was buried in a tomb near Eboracum.

GREAT time line General_Finley consider me subscribed as surviving Western Roman Empire Time lines always interest me. The way this time line is written it makes me wish that this alt was real.

Cheers

I'm liking this.

So, will the Middle Empire be the first to go and the other two getting the remnants?

Interesting theological butterflies. I am guessing once the pagan empire is gone the East and West Divide will be even more pronounced?

The Middle Empire seems doomed, either barbarians ravaging it or the Chritian Emperors crusading out of conviction or pragmatism.

Herr Frage said:

Interesting theological butterflies. I am guessing once the pagan empire is gone the East and West Divide will be even more pronounced?

The Middle Empire seems doomed, either barbarians ravaging it or the Chritian Emperors crusading out of conviction or pragmatism.

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You would probably be correct. With the Middle Empire pretty much doomed, its end coming about from it either being conquered, falling apart, or being partitioned between the two the Eastern and Western the differences will become more pronounced and a divide will form between the two and there competing goals.

Out of curiosity how is the western empire doing economically considering how poor the provinces it holds are?

Gaul and Britannia were OTL net drain on imperial finances, how is the western empire able to sustain itself?