Ancient History POD Alternate Timeline Progressing into Current Day

[Darkest]

I've been looking around, but I haven't found an ATL that fits these requirements. A Point of Divergence located in the ancient age, 3000 BC to 500 AD, that continues near 2000 AD.

I know... I know, it is incredibly hard to predict events when the change is that far back down the road. For one, you have limited information about the world in the beginning, as historical facts around that era aren't too clear most of the time. And, later, butterflies could have made so many changes around the Earth that you really have no idea what might happen next.

But, I would like to see it done, or do it myself, or at least discuss the concept. And, no cheating and netting butterflies this way and that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/406

Random year, but... Let's say that the British usurper Marcus remains the 'Roman Emperor', and is not assassinated and replaced with Gratianus. We know very little about Marcus, but lets use creative license. I'm thinking that he proves a courageous leader and leads his armies to attack the barbarians crossing the Rhine, and makes for a good character during his reign.

[robertp6165]

Originally Posted by Darkest90

I've been looking around, but I haven't found an ATL that fits these requirements. A Point of Divergence located in the ancient age, 3000 BC to 500 AD, that continues near 2000 AD.

I know... I know, it is incredibly hard to predict events when the change is that far back down the road. For one, you have limited information about the world in the beginning, as historical facts around that era aren't too clear most of the time. And, later, butterflies could have made so many changes around the Earth that you really have no idea what might happen next.

But, I would like to see it done, or do it myself, or at least discuss the concept. And, no cheating and netting butterflies this way and that.

Read ANCIENT EGYPT SURVIVES UNTIL THE PRESENT DAY. Point of departure is 600 BC, and the timeline ends in 2004.

[Darkest]

Thank you very much, this timeline appears to be the one I was looking for! I wonder how I missed it...

Cool, thanks robert.

My POD still stands if anyone finds it interesting.

[Justin Pickard]

Also, check out the Gallic League.

[basileus]

And even my Interference TL, though the first really importants PODs appear from AD 548 onwards.

[Darkest]

407
Marcus remains the Emperor of Roman Britain, by routing ot a scheme put into play by Gratian. One of the urban aristocracy of Britain, Gratian put into play many of the schemes necessary to move the hearts of the Roman army stationed there to rebellion. However, it was Marcus, a charismatic soldier, that was proclaimed emperor in a vital meeting that he was unable attend due to weather.

Pulling more strings, he desired to put into play yet another coup by the army to depose of Marcus. However, one of his underlings decided against working with Gratian after a rash show of anger towards his wife who stumbled on some of their dealings. This collaborator went to the proclaimed Emperor of Britain and revealed the plan.

Meanwhile, hearing news of barbarians laying waste to Roman defensive works and crossing the Rhine, Emperor Marcus decided to send a premature army to deal with them. Through a series of political moves, Gratian found himself involved in a suicide attack against the barbarians. He dies soon later.

This courageous move against the barbarian invaders proved extremely popular with the army, and solidified Marcus' seat of power.

In a battle against the Vandal army, King Gunderic, just having succeeded his father, dies. The Vandals shortly after elect Geiseric, Gunderic's half-brother, as his successor.

With the appearance of Sarus, lieutenant of Stilicho and head of the Roman armies sin the region, Marcus continued to hold onto power by deciding to make a push against Sarus' forces and taking Gaul. Under general Constantine, Sarus' army was pushed into the Alps. Sarus was killed by an arrow during the attacks. His army continued without him through mountain passes controlled by the Bagaudae peasant insurgents. Without Sarus' leadership, the army was unable to buy passage, and provoked the Bagaudae to fighting. The fleeing armies cut their way through the Bagaudae, leaving a bloody trail, both sides depleted.

Marcus secured the Rhine frontier, after ridding Gaul of Sarus, and garrisoned the passes that led to Italy. Armies are sent to protect Britain to aid against the attacks of Niall of Nine Hostages, the raider-king of Ireland.

[Darkest]

Interference was very well-written, though perhaps too few butterflies than I am used to. There are many events that echo our timeline, while I am a supporter of insect swarms in comparison when it encompasses so many years of divergence. That's fine, I think that Interference had a lot of good research behind it, and it is a good ATL, except for that small opinion.

The Gallic League? Just read it, and I can't believe such a huge ATL was composed. 3000 BC to 2005 AD? That is bloody insane. Overall a very good read, thank you for pointing it out! I liked how unique the colonization of North America was, in that it spawned a balkanized tribal sprawl, which was interesting.

Thank you!

[Nicole]

The Gallic League is indeed an amazing TLs- one of the first TLs I read when I joined the board...

I once considered writing a TL whose POD would be around 650 BC, but decided against it- I suppose that if it was finished the Britannia TL might barely make it, but I only got to 1000...

[Darkest]

408
In March, Emperor Marcus made Arles his new capital, and sets forth to fortify his lands and rid it of the barbarian menace.

Roman General Flavius Stilicho is in a quickly degrading situation. Estrangement between eastern and western courts of the Roman Empire began to provoke a civil war. (Arcadius did not die in 408 as in OTL, and thus, the conflict does not diffuse). He proposes to use the forces of Alaric I, King of the Visigoths, to enforce the claim of Emperor Honorious to the prefecture of Illyricum. Alaric I demands payment to desist from war in a threatening manner, and as such Stilicho sends him a sum of 3,000 gold pieces. The Visigoths remain behind the Julian Alps.

Meanwhile, jealous imperial courtiers who had schemed to rid Rome of Stilicho through winning the ear of King Honorius fall on setbacks, and are unable to accomplish their goals in a timely fashion.

Emperor Marcus, listening to the strategems of his general Constantine III, becomes fearful that cousins of the emperor Honorius might lead a retaliation against the British usurpers in a pincer movement with Stilicho. He sends Constantine to deal with this problem. The cousins of the throne are defeated and captured. Spain is annexed by Emperor Marcus, and garrisons are built in the Pyrenees.

Stilicho builds an army to deal with the usurper Marcus from Italy, but sees the war as costly with little benefit. Instead, he focuses on the situation with the Eastern Roman Empire. He directs the assassination of Anthemius, who was holding the throne for Emperor Arcadius through sheer will for peace. With the death of Emperor Arcadius only a week and a half later, in his sleep, the Eastern Roman Empire is left without a real leader.

The assassination is seen very quickly as the result of Gothic mercenaries. Imperial plotters have what they need to get Stilicho executed, and Emperor Honorius orders his execution. Stilicho resists, and wins support from many senators and the military. This causes something of a small civil war. Stilicho leaves with a large army and sends word to King Alaric to join him in Northern Italy. King Alaric, who had been moving slowly around the coast to Dalmatia, turns around to meet his old enemy and friend.

With this 'betrayal' by Stilicho, there was a persecution of barbarian foederati in Italy, in which their wives and children were slain by Roman soldiers. A force nearly 35,000 strong flocked to Stilicho's banner in far northern Italy to return to Rome and take revenge upon the cowards.

In November of 408, a vast army stood before the walls of Rome and, though they could have begun a takeover of the city by force, decides to starve the great city. Former General Flavius Stilicho stands beside King Alaric I of the warlords and numerous vengeful barbarian foederati.

***

I really don't know where I am going with this, just typing...

[Darkest]

409
Vandals, Alans, and Suebi break through Marcus' garrisons and invade Spain in early May. With Roman power there depleted, no land grants are given to any of the barbarian groups. The Vandals settle Hispania Baetica and the Alans take the western land of Lusitania and Carthago Nova. The Suebi settle in Gallaecia. Marcus began to build his forces to retake the peninsula.

In the late summer of 409, Saxon pirates raided Britain. They were turned back by the remnant army on the island with significant losses. Marcus found the popular opinion of his subjects was that of unconcern for the barbarians, now bottled up in the Iberian peninsula, and cries for vengeance against the Saxons. Emperor Marcus sent envoys to the barbarians of Iberia and gave them large land grants as foederati, if they stayed true to his new Empire. By this time, diplomats from the Roman Empire under Honorius had come to seek aid against the seige of Rome, and offered foederati land as well. But their demands for soldiers were met with scorn from barbarian kings, who desired a strong military in this time of unsettled chaos. The Alans, Suebi and Vandals sided with Marcus.

In the spring of 409, massive armies waited outside of Rome. Emperor Honorius had done little to stop them, and bided his time. Knowing that indecision at this point would only yield massive losses, a coup took over loyalist forces, capturing and deposing Honorius. The Senate and associated members assumed power.

In the Eastern Roman Empire, news had come of the troubles to the west. Pulcheria won the support of the government to initiate a takeover of the Western Roman Empire. With Honorius imprisoned or executed, Pulcheria believed that the Eastern Empire had the right to assume power over its lands. She also had the ulterior motive of uniting Christianity. Envoys are sent abroad while an army is organized to take Illyricum.

In the summer months, Stilicho and Alaric had reached an agreement on their plans. Alaric supported Stilicho as the new Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, while the Visigoths would gain control of the majority of Gaul once it was reconquered. This confirmed, Stilicho orders an entrance of Rome. With seige machinery ready to blast their way through Roman walls, citizenry inside the city revolt and open the doors to the invaders. It is a peaceful invasion (with half as many casualties as in OTL) and at the end of the year the city claims Stilicho Emperor of the West.

Outside of wartorn Rome, however, the outer territories of the Western Roman Empire did not desire to bow down to an Arian Emperor, and side with the Senate and what they call the New Republic of Rome.

***

Suggestions?