The Appeasement of Ares: A Derailed Rome

This timeline is a redo of "There but for the grace of gods" a timeline where Rome is destroyed, hopefully this timeline won't have to be redone but until then, enjoy. We will start with a flash forward to the present day:

Chapter 1 - Days of War

Part 1 - Troubled Teachings

Lennene School of Higher Learning, Neos Megálē Ellás

(OTL: New York City)

The students filtered into class, the teacher is the first Oscan teacher to teach at the Lennene [1] school. He walked to the front of the class just as the final students streamed in.

In perfect Lennene he wrote on the board: “What does Italia mean to you?”

Then he turned and looked at his class; “Tell me,” he commanded, “what do you know about Italia?” Instantly about 10 hands stuck up. He pointed to one hand; the student stood up, and said; “It is a peninsula in the Mediterranean Sea.” The instructor smiled; “Come, come, that must not be all you have heard?”



The student gulped loud enough that it could be heard from the back rows; however he spoke softly now; “The region of Italia is a monarchy controlled by Vetio [2], one of the oldest countries in the world.”

He could feel the instructor gazing through his eyes now, it felt as if he was looking into his very soul now; “You know what I am referring to… what was your name? Achaikos?” The timid student responded simply with “Yes, my name is Achaikos.” The instructor nodded, “Okay, if you feel that way I will ask someone else.” The student sat down, and muffled a brief “Thank you.”

The instructor turned toward another hand raised that seemed more eager to add to the conversation. The student shot up and stated firmly, “The Vetio government is a brutal dictatorship that has oppressed its citizens for decades under the leadership of the current Elvetorix [3]. The Lennisk [4] and Phenisians [5] however continue to engage in ruthless ethnic feuding in the south.” The instructor now grinned with satisfaction, “Thank you, umm… Cameron [6] is it? That is an Illyrian name isn’t it?”
Cameron responded, “Yes, I’m a 'Pirotis [7].” The instructor now stopped for a second, he considered this and then continued. Finally he started his lesson.

[1] Hellene or Greek.
[2] Guess where that comes from.
[3] I will tell you if you guess correctly, this should help a little (EDIT: Dathi THorfinnsson is correct (Helvetii)).
[4] Italian Greeks.
[5] Phoenicians.
[6] Wait, what? A celtic name used by the Illyrians. WTF? (EDIT: thank you Cimon, I was mistaken)
[7] Epirote (Epirotis is non-romanized version), someone from Epirus.

King,rex,rix of the helvetii, no doubt?



Edit. Hold it. !,,neo magna graecia,,!?!? A latin name?

Dathi THorfinnsson said:

King,rex,rix of the helvetii, no doubt?



Edit. Hold it. !,,neo magna graecia,,!?!? A latin name?

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Its changed, although it is in modern greek and I have no idea where to find ancient greek. Also yes, Helvetii.

Next update tomorrow.

Seems interesting. I'll now go read that timeline - I've seen it, and looked into it, but not actively read it I think.

Interesting. I'll keep an eye on this.

nlspeed said:

Seems interesting. I'll now go read that timeline - I've seen it, and looked into it, but not actively read it I think.

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It is almost nothing.

First a look back at the POD

Chapter 1 - Days of War

Part 2 - Latins in Review

"Ch. 2 – The Early Rasnan Expansion, History of the Rasna Ed. 5"


We like to think of most myth and legends that are altered by the passage of time as superstitions that have most likely lost all kernels of truth a long time ago. However sometimes mythology can be the key to discovering more about the history.

The Rasna have been one of the longest-surviving ethnic groups and have developed a large collection of myths and legends, both their own, and borrowed from the countless civilizations they have co-existed with over the ages.

One of these myths is about the Roman Kingdom, a small little city near Veia, which nearly impeded the expansion of the Rasna into the south.

Now 27 centuries later, the mythological city of Rome has been discovered in the swamps of Latium. And it has drastically advanced our understanding of the enigmatic Latins that were absorbed into the Rasna culture during the First Rasna Empire.


A picture of the "roman forum" in the now drained swamps of the Tiber River.


During the investigation of the Roman ruins many Latin texts were discovered, including basic translation tablets which seem to confirm its relationship with the Umbrian languages. The known Latin vocabulary can proudly be said to be approximately 2500 words.

Buried in the ruins of what has been called the “Roman Forum”, which is now a large swamp a large rectangular plaza exists that continues to give incites into the relations of the Romans with the sabines.

The discoveries have not stopped there; marshes continue to bring up new and exciting artefacts that revolutionize our view of this small group nestled in the plains of Latium.

The Latins however continue to remain enigmatic; we do know that the Rasna considered the Romans the most courageous warriors who were said to endure any torture without being broken in. Although we do not know how much of this is true, the stories of the Rasna continue to fascinate many and the mythologies of the ancient peoples of Italia are now almost never simply ignored and continue to be taken into account when searching for archaeological remains.

Quite interesting POD. I'll be watching this I think.

God-Eater of the Marshes said:

Quite interesting POD. I'll be watching this I think.

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Glad to have you on board. They were (according to mythology) in many conflicts with the Rasna, and considering that Rome was a very small city at the time (only about 50 years old) I think it could easily have been swiped away by one of the conquests. It is similar to "Reign of the Rasna" but without the specifics (since it is mostly mythology anyway) and it will not have the triumphant powerful Etruscans, they will only remain in small numbers like the Basques OTL.

This is just to tide this thread over till my next big update which should be longer.

Chapter 1 - Days of War

Part 3 - Campania at War

Campania Campaigns, 615 BU (727 BCE)

Thucer looked at the peasant in front of him, he smiled and began to push its eyes in, whenever he saw his victims die he convinced himself it was revenge for all the fellow soldiers. He had lost all his friends at the battle for Rome, the last battle of the Latin war. Now he looked every victim in the eyes and brutally killed them.

“For Lare, and Vulca,” a cruel hatred appeared in his eyes as he through the man to the ground and stepped on his skull. The Rasna had not just stopped there; Thucer obediently had followed Veia through its campaigns against the Volsci and Sabines. He was a cold-hearted bastard, he knew it, and so did everyone else, which is why they chose him.

“Thucer, would you like to be made the king of Ushiluna [1]? You would become rich and control the largest city in Campania!” the king of Veia had asked him. One does not say no to a king.


A reconstruction of Thucer from his remains.

Despite the promotion, Thucer continued to battle at the head of his armies. It helped him release the stress of kingship, every day he had to talk to 50 different fat rich Greeks and merchants, and everyday he almost strangled them in rage. Yet he was a king so he forced himself to hold it back.

That is why he forced submission on the people of Campania. He wanted them to fear him, to cower while he walked through the streets. Apparently the Latins had made a name for him: Thucer Sterculus [2].
And this is why he had burned them; he had set Gabii on fire himself and oversaw the city of Tibur burning to the ground. He ravaged the rebellious Circeii and had told his military to stay and search through the swamps of Latium. Until every last child of Circeii, was dead.

[1] Ushiluna means "south river" in Etruscan, Ushiluna is set near Campeva OTL, except a century earlier.
[2] Thucer "little shit".

No interest?

Good update. An enrage rasna leader which proceed to wipe out all latins is a nice touch.

I think this TL has great potential and it's quite unique since most of no rome TL are not very kind to greeks.

Arrix85 said:

Good update. An enrage rasna leader which proceed to wipe out all latins is a nice touch.

I think this TL has great potential and it's quite unique since most of no rome TL are not very kind to greeks.

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There is plenty of suffering to go around, the greeks will get their fair share and come out of it ahead.

Chapter 1 - Days of War

Part 4 - And so a new Dynasty Begins

In 615 BU (727 BCE), the war-hardened Thucer “Sterculus” massacred the Latin tribes. He claimed them as revenge for the death of his comrades at the Battle of Rome. The military victories of Thucer that were collectively referred to as the Campania Campaigns showed his people the iron fist of oppression, and reduced the once proud warrior and aristocratic tribesmen to serfdom.

He also controlled the Campanian city known as Ushiluna. Although as a warrior he was devastatingly effective, in fact he always lead his armies into battle even against the fiercest foe, his leadership was different and despite his (cruel) efficiency his reign was disastrous, especially for trade between Megálē Ellás [1] and mexl-Rasnal [2] which stayed at a stand-still until his death in 593 BU (705 BCE) at the grips of septicemia from a puncture wound (to be fair he killed the man who gave him the fatal wound).

Without Thucer a young military leader was given the vital choke point between Veia and Parthenope. The man’s name was Cuinte Tarna and under him the city began to flourish and under him it began to grow past its heavily fortified walls and even incorporated nearby villages along the way.

However his reign would not be perfect, at the death of Thucer many Latin groups rose up in battle and although all their organized armies had disappeared long before the rebellious people of Latium soon became a problem once again.


A modern portrayal of Dionysus.

Finally in 588 BU (700 BCE) a masterful offensive pushed the aggressive rebels out of Latium and he began to secure his hold on the entire region. In a remarkable innovation from his former king, and from any other society in the world; he offered the people food and entertainment; the Rasna would later call this concept Fufluns (Dionysus) et Maris referring to the Etruscan gods of joyousness (and wine) and agriculture (as well as harvest and fertility). This concept would later become popular elsewhere in the next centuries.

However the reign of Cuinte was cut short, he died of disease in 583 BU (695 BCE) after only 10 years leading Ushiluna, but unlike the man he succeeded he left a successor, the Tarna dynasty would see the prosperity of Ushiluna and mexl-Rasnal for generations to come.

[1] Magna Graecia in crappy OTL Modern Greek.
[2] mexl-Rasnal means Etruria in Etruscan.

Great TL. I see similarities of course with my own, but there are also differences and this is a very unique TL. I am curious to see more!
Minor nitpick: Etruria in Etruscan was probably mexl Rasnal, with an l added.

Sounds good so far! And the Modern Greek is just about the same as the Attic Greek word for Magna Graecia: Μεγάλη Ἑλλάς or Megálē Hellás transliterated. Modern Greek just dropped the rough breathing in the front of Hellas.

Muwatalli' said:

Great TL. I see similarities of course with my own, but there are also differences and this is a very unique TL. I am curious to see more!
Minor nitpick: Etruria in Etruscan was probably mexl Rasnal, with an l added.

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Thanks I missed that, I'll go back and change it.

It's an interesting timeline, I just have a thing format wise that would make it easier to read:

If you could add an extra space between paragraphs to break up the lines, that would be awesome. The same goes for pictures.

As far as the Timeline goes, I'm interested. I'll keep an eye on it.

Errnge said:

It's an interesting timeline, I just have a thing format wise that would make it easier to read:

If you could add an extra space between paragraphs to break up the lines, that would be awesome. The same goes for pictures.

As far as the Timeline goes, I'm interested. I'll keep an eye on it.

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Thanks for the advice, I went back, hopefully it looks better now.