I'm always coming up with these, so why not just have a consolidated location to put them? I'll start off with a few random ones and add to the list as I go on. Most will be, of course, dreamy "oh, it could have been so much better" PODs. Feel free to discuss mine or suggest your own (I'll try to keep this opening post the main list, for easy perusal)
1) Inoculation introduced to combat Antonine Plague
The plague, likely smallpox, devastated the empire militarily and economically. Galen, the great physician, develops basic inoculation in response, and administers it to, at minimum, the legions. The army thus immune, the Marcomannic Wars go better, and the economy is better overall. Both Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius might live long.
2) Germanicus lives
Germanicus, the original heir of Tiberius, and overall Roman dreamboat, does not suddenly die, likely ultimately due to Tiberius's own scheming. Germanicus succeeds Tiberius, and likely reigns much better than his son Caligula ended up doing. Added bonus: His older sons, Nero and Drusus, are probably not executed and almost certainly would have made better heirs than Caligula. Second added bonus: Maybe he recognizes his brother Claudius' hidden genius.
3) Galba adopts Vespasian
I believe some influential Romans had agitated for Vespasian as a choice for Galba's adopted heir (Galba was supposed to have been Nerva a century early: an old, respected Roman with no heir, who would serve as a placeholder Emperor). By picking Vespasian, who has a devoted army, Galba diffuses Otho's rage: even if Otho still kills him, he won't be able to kill Vespasian easily, thus possibly short-circuiting the entire Year of the Four Emperors, and securing a little bit of peace for the Empire. Bonus points: Domitian probably isn't as scarred by the whole experience of being in Rome while it was besieged. Downside: Galba probably would outlive the time of the actual civil war, shortening Vespasian's potential reign by a few years.
4) Vindex's revolt succeeds.
The Year of the Four Emperors starts a year early, possibly with slightly different players.
5) Otho or Vitellius survive.
Neither would have made for a bad Emperor, most likely, but its hard to imagine them being as good as Vespasian. Twist: Vitellius wanted to surrender to Vespasian and abdicate, but his supporters wouldn't let him. If he manages, the war ends a bit earlier, Rome escapes more or less unscathed, and several other key players don't get killed.
More to come soon!
1) Inoculation introduced to combat Antonine Plague
The plague, likely smallpox, devastated the empire militarily and economically. Galen, the great physician, develops basic inoculation in response, and administers it to, at minimum, the legions. The army thus immune, the Marcomannic Wars go better, and the economy is better overall. Both Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius might live long.
2) Germanicus lives
Germanicus, the original heir of Tiberius, and overall Roman dreamboat, does not suddenly die, likely ultimately due to Tiberius's own scheming. Germanicus succeeds Tiberius, and likely reigns much better than his son Caligula ended up doing. Added bonus: His older sons, Nero and Drusus, are probably not executed and almost certainly would have made better heirs than Caligula. Second added bonus: Maybe he recognizes his brother Claudius' hidden genius.
3) Galba adopts Vespasian
I believe some influential Romans had agitated for Vespasian as a choice for Galba's adopted heir (Galba was supposed to have been Nerva a century early: an old, respected Roman with no heir, who would serve as a placeholder Emperor). By picking Vespasian, who has a devoted army, Galba diffuses Otho's rage: even if Otho still kills him, he won't be able to kill Vespasian easily, thus possibly short-circuiting the entire Year of the Four Emperors, and securing a little bit of peace for the Empire. Bonus points: Domitian probably isn't as scarred by the whole experience of being in Rome while it was besieged. Downside: Galba probably would outlive the time of the actual civil war, shortening Vespasian's potential reign by a few years.
4) Vindex's revolt succeeds.
The Year of the Four Emperors starts a year early, possibly with slightly different players.
5) Otho or Vitellius survive.
Neither would have made for a bad Emperor, most likely, but its hard to imagine them being as good as Vespasian. Twist: Vitellius wanted to surrender to Vespasian and abdicate, but his supporters wouldn't let him. If he manages, the war ends a bit earlier, Rome escapes more or less unscathed, and several other key players don't get killed.
More to come soon!
Already added to the