Carthage Must Be Preserved-The Survival of the Res Publica

[slydessertfox]

I decided I am gonna give this a go. My original POD (there will be many of them), is Cato dying before he goes on his trip to Carthage, and Nasica Corculum (his opponent who always said Carthage must be preserved), wins out, and Carthage is not destroyed, thus keeping Rome's moral foundation. This is what I got so far. I am not too familiar with very specific events in this timeline outside of the roman politica ones and the triumvirate, so help would be very appreciated.

In 153 BC (the year in OTL where Cato went to Carthage and forever afterward always uttered the words Carthago delenda est), Cato dies peacefully of old age.

153 BC: Following a complaint by Carthage on Massinissa's further encroachments across their borders, a delegation lead by the pro Carthaginian and former Cato opponent, Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum, is sent to investigate the case. Corculum, a believer that Carthage should be preserved or Rome would lose its moral values and discipline. He returns with the news that nothing unusual is happening, and Carthage's claims are unfounded, and Massinissa is granted the territory he demands.
152: The senate supports Alexander Balas' claim to Syria.
151 BC: Massinissa again encroaches with more demands. Again Carthage complains to Rome. Corculum convinces the senate that the territory Massinissa is encroaching on now was always Carthaginian. This is a stunning reversal in Roman policy with arbitrating between Carthage and Numidia. Massinissa bitterly withdraws.
151 BC: The indemnity from Carthage to Rome is fully paid off. The Senate shockingly does nothing to extend the indemnity. Instead, they up the grain, ships, men, and supplies that Carthage has to send to Rome for wars. The Carthaginians adhere to this without protest.
149 BC: A pretender arrises in Makedon. Andriscus calls himself Phillip, and falsely claims to be the grandson of Phillip V, and son of Perseus, the last King of Macedon, who died in the third makedonian war. This sparks the 4th makedonian war.
149 BC: He was able to enter the Macedonian republics without serious resistance, defeating the local militias and re-uniting Macedon to a single state. He was successful enough in raising an army to defeat the first Roman force sent against him in 149 under the command of the praetor Publius Iuventius Thalna (who was killed). Thessaly was overrun by Andriscus' forces.

[euromellows]

Interesting. So is this a timeline where Rome is the chief power of the mediterranean and acts as the world policemen? Not outright annexing lands, but having influence and power in all corners of the known world?

[willbell]

I think the butterflies spread a little quickly, the way you made it, because they didn't begin the 3rd punic war suddenly they had wanked Macedonia enough to become a new kingdom and even conquer Thessaly.
EDIT: Although I guess the OTL victors might not have been the first wave, in which case I am mistaken.

[slydessertfox]

Originally Posted by willbell

I think the butterflies spread a little quickly, the way you made it, because they didn't begin the 3rd punic war suddenly they had wanked Macedonia enough to become a new kingdom and even conquer Thessaly.
EDIT: Although I guess the OTL victors might not have been the first wave, in which case I am mistaken.

In Macedonia, in OTL, the first force sent out to stop the rebellion was defeated. As far as that rebellion goes, everything I have posted on it so far happened in reality.

Originally Posted by euromellows

Interesting. So is this a timeline where Rome is the chief power of the mediterranean and acts as the world policemen? Not outright annexing lands, but having influence and power in all corners of the known world?

Yes, for the most part. They will expand a little more, but like you said, not really outright conquest. I am planning for a Caesar like character to subjugate the area north of the rhine and south of the elbe after Gaul is taken. Gaul would be more of a bunch of client states than anything. I'm not sure if I will have Caesar conquer Gaul or not.

[slydessertfox]

148 BC: The Senate realized that if this uprising was not put down quickly, it might encourage more rebellions, and strike a severe blow at Roman control over the east, and her prestige. The Greeks of the east were already discontented with Roman rule in the first place, thanks to corrupt and greedy praetors draining the Greeks of all they were worth. The lack of a strong legionary presence, plus the apathetic attitudes the Romans had towards stopping the rampant piracy, did little to make them fond of Roman occupation. It would not take much for the Greeks to jump at an opportunity to relieve themselves of Roman rule.

Quintus Caecilius Metellus was given a new army, and set out to crush Andriscus' rebellion. He met with startling success, and quckly crushed all Macedonian resistance. Macedon had completely lost its independence by the end of 148. Macedonia and Epirus was officially made Rome's first eastern province. Metellus was given the title of Macedonicus in honor of his victory.

[slydessertfox]

Can anyone point me in the direction of details about Roman political positions (prafects, pro-consuls, etc.). I am not too familiar with the average age allowed to run for each office, the qualifications, the time needed between running for the same office, etc.

[slydessertfox]

Achaean War
While this was going on, the Greeks decided to gamble everything, and rose in rebellion. One of the leaders in the Greek independence movement, was Critolaus. He was given the position of dictator over the prosperous trading city of corinth. Immediately, a swathe of local city-states were brought under Corinthian control. The Roman diplomats sent to call for an end to the rebellion, were treated terribly. Metellus began moving out to crush the rebellion.

As in Macedonia, he met with swift success. Critolaus' army was defeated at the battle of Locris, after which, Critolaus was never heard from again. The rebels evacuated all of Northern Greece. However, only a small part of the Achean army managed to escape to the Peloponnesus, along wiith a small amount of Theban citizens.

Metellus would not be able to finsish off the Acheans, as he was recalled in 146 to receive his title of Macedonicus, for his earlier victories in the 4th macedonian war. He was succeeded by Lucius Mummius, a homo nova, who would continue the stamping out of the rebellion. The Greeks were crushed in successesive battles, as mummius' brutal campaign proved remarkably successful. He finally lay siege to Corinth, and after three days, occupied the city. He then proceeded to burn it to the ground, the loot and artifacts being shipped off to Italy. All captured inhabitants were sold off into a life of slavery.

To prevent further rebellions, the Romans went around the region, stripping all of the locals of any armor and weapons they harbored. They also strictly forbade any local militia force from being created. For the moment, the governer of macedonia would be given authority to keep a close eye on the Greeks. All of this sent a shockwave across the Mediterrenean world. Resistance to Roman rule will be treated with no mercy.

[carlton_bach]

Originally Posted by slydessertfox

Can anyone point me in the direction of details about Roman political positions (prafects, pro-consuls, etc.). I am not too familiar with the average age allowed to run for each office, the qualifications, the time needed between running for the same office, etc.

You can start here. But be aware much of the data reflects the Sullan and post-Sullan constiutions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursus_honorum

Useful links there, though.

[slydessertfox]

Thank you. That will be useful.