So Rome will be pushing into Germania, while thoughts of better ways grown in the minds of Romans. Interesting...
Fantastic update!
Fantastic update!
After 160, it peaked at around 60 to 70 millions with around 30 % of them being slavesI wonder what the population of the empire is by this point? With new inventions increasing productivity and relative peace, I imagine it's probably a bit higher than OTL. Not that we're really certain what the OTL population was though.
Thing is, by now the Anthonian plague was in full swing OTL, here it has been prevented due to a combination of the war in the east stopping earlier and the plague being confined to the Iranian plateau. So we're still at OTL's peak and gaining a bit, I do expect the Empire to reach close to a hundred million by 200 but then to fall back toward 90 to 80 million due to climate getting colder at this timeAfter 160, it peaked at around 60 to 70 millions with around 30 % of them being slaves
Thing is, by now the Anthonian plague was in full swing OTL, here it has been prevented due to a combination of the war in the east stopping earlier and the plague being confined to the Iranian plateau. So we're still at OTL's peak and gaining a bit, I do expect the Empire to reach close to a hundred million by 200 but then to fall back toward 90 to 80 million due to climate getting colder at this time
If you don't mind I've made a couple of edits to the map, because I had a hard time finding the proper places
- Marcomani - Red
- Boii - Blue
- Moenus - Green arrow
- Albis Tributaries - Purple arrows
- Roman pushes
https://albumizr.com/skins/bandana/index.php?key=u-7V#1
Alexandria, Egypt, August 168
As usual I’ve had one fourth of the linen sold locally. The linen sold locally was not bringing as much money as usual so I’ve taken the liberty to have slaves collect nettles to add to the cloth, with the effect that while it cost a bit more time to make it did bring the expected money in. The rest of the stock, also interwoven with nettle, will be delivered with the next trip of Posneus to Alexandria.
Can someone please explain why adding nettles to the flax will bring more money in. I’m confused about this part of the story. Thanks.
Oh sorry for the spoiler, but yes events did stop the plague further east...Rome avoided the Plague this TL? I'm slowly catching up on this TL. Really enjoy it. The butterflies from avoiding the Plague are going to be HUGE...
In addition to that map, I made another one.
I gather from the description that this is the sort of thing the Romans are aiming for (to gain control of the area in bright green):
Can someone please explain why adding nettles to the flax will bring more money in. I’m confused about this part of the story. Thanks.
I think the legions are inherently political, they are the reason the Emperor is the Emperor. Any illusions to the contrary were dispelled when Claudius was forced to become Emperor by the legionaries who found him hiding behind a curtain. I don't think you can put that genie back in its bottle.
I think the legions will be relatively loyal as long as they know they pay comes from the Emperor, not their current governor. I don't know enough about this time period to know if that is true, but soldiers are generally loyal to those who pay them. The danger comes when the Emperor dies and legions might see an opportunity to put their own candidate on the throne, who will pay (of course) pay them more. But then, transitions of power are always the most fragile times in any political system.
The pay was pretty low because it was assumed that the soldiers would get loot from conquestsActually, that was the Praetorian Guard. And you are right about the whole loyalty to payment. Which is why a fixed pay scale should be introduced for the army.
I'm not sure if this has already come up and I just missed it, but who is Marcus Aurelius's heir? Considering he's in his late 40's at this point and has already fought and been wounded in a major war you'd think he'd have designated an heir by this point, or at least have a few ideas in mind for one.
The pay was pretty low because it was assumed that the soldiers would get loot from conquests
The OTL Roman state was economically unstable and would regularly need loans from the rich senatorial elite and 50 to 60 % of that budget was military.Then perhaps a general fixed raise in pay? I mean, that should be a lot more effective than just killing an emperor and putting another one in. Seriously, has no one thought about just asking for a raise?
I'm not sure if this has already come up and I just missed it, but who is Marcus Aurelius's heir? Considering he's in his late 40's at this point and has already fought and been wounded in a major war you'd think he'd have designated an heir by this point, or at least have a few ideas in mind for one.
I think the Roman Army ought to be made independent of the Provincial Governors. Those people will be threats so long as they have legions of their own to call upon. Make the Legions loyal to one thing, Rome itself, which becomes headquarters for the Army as a whole, not to the Governors. This is why I suggested that the system of Military Districts be implemented as a first step towards making the legions a somewhat less political force.
So I'm guessing that the spawn of Outer Gods and Great Old Ones are perfectly acceptable? Certainly a way to derail history as we know it.natural sons of emperors being officially banned for life from the throne
The name of the heir has not been mentionned yet, only the way he's choosen and educated which is the TTL hadrianic succession system of a promising youth being selected for elite training under the empire's heir apparent, whom is called the Caesar, who himself shall inherit from the Augustus (emperor) who trained him, all with approval from the Senate and with natural sons of emperors being officially banned for life from the throne. So no Commodus in this scenario...
I do have plans for the succession though