From Exile to Triumph: a Western Roman Timeline

[Flavius Iulius Nepos]

This war was definitely the most heinous for the Empire since the victory of Nepos. Long and exhausting - albeit Italy was safe and sound and this still weights a lot for the fortunes of the West.

As long as Italy stays untouched, things should be fine. Probably it would have been different with a different outcome at the battle of Verona.

The Imperial court looks stable enough even if there is a young new Emperor. The important is the internal stability will last till the end of the war.

Don’t be so sure, not every family is a happy one…

Very interesting update, as always. I wonder, should Valens win this war, could we see a pro-Valens faction arise at court? Maybe someone could see him as a better candidate for the throne in these dire times of need...

Keep in minds a couple of things: Valens is a freshman and he is not the leader of the war. Of course his link to the imperial family means that everyone who dislike Theodosius enough would probably rally behind him. There is also the question of how both Valens and Theodosius will react to each other. Is Valens ambitious enough to try to usurp the throne? Is Theodosius like his father and grandfather, a man who relies on the members of the imperial family (both main and “cadet” branch)?

Don’t forget all those people wielding enough power to influence both the emperor, Valens and the aristocracy: Anicia Eudoxia, Iulia Galla and her husband Belisarius, Serena, Eusebia and her uncle Eleutherius and finally the Eastern branch of the family (Procopius and his sons).

The next years are going to be pretty intricate.

 

[RyuDrago]

Well, it would be interesting to see how with a more unexperienced Emperor the Empire will fare. If the reforms done and an Italy more prosperous and united and relying only on itself to keep going the Empire, would suffice.

 

[Tarabas]

As long as Italy stays untouched, things should be fine. Probably it would have been different with a different outcome at the battle of Verona.

Don’t be so sure, not every family is a happy one…

Keep in minds a couple of things: Valens is a freshman and he is not the leader of the war. Of course his link to the imperial family means that everyone who dislike Theodosius enough would probably rally behind him. There is also the question of how both Valens and Theodosius will react to each other. Is Valens ambitious enough to try to usurp the throne? Is Theodosius like his father and grandfather, a man who relies on the members of the imperial family (both main and “cadet” branch)?

Don’t forget all those people wielding enough power to influence both the emperor, Valens and the aristocracy: Anicia Eudoxia, Iulia Galla and her husband Belisarius, Serena, Eusebia and her uncle Eleutherius and finally the Eastern branch of the family (Procopius and his sons).

The next years are going to be pretty intricate.

Yes, of course he will not "win this war", but he has a very good chance of making himself a name in said war, a chance the young Emperor has not had yet. Anyways, as you pointed out, the relationship between the two of them will have a significant role. Well, your latest line makes me hope for a lot of interesting scheming at court...

 

[Flavius Iulius Nepos]

Well, it would be interesting to see how with a more unexperienced Emperor the Empire will fare. If the reforms done and an Italy more prosperous and united and relying only on itself to keep going the Empire, would suffice.

Let’s not forget about Dalmatia, Southern Gaul and Carthago. But you are right, now it’s the time to see how effective Nepos and Marcianus II really were.

Yes, of course he will not "win this war", but he has a very good chance of making himself a name in said war, a chance the young Emperor has not had yet.

His father’s reputation could probably help.

Anyways, as you pointed out, the relationship between the two of them will have a significant role.

A relation that’s going to intertwine with other personal rivalries and even a war.

Well, your latest line makes me hope for a lot of interesting scheming at court...

That’s what I hope to accomplish. The next 60-80 years are going to be the last of the first part of this timeline and I would like to create a dramatic and realistic setting for the beginning of the next part. It’s up to the next updates to make this possible, so let’s see what I can do.

 

[KACKO]

Find this jewel recently and just finished reading. Excellent. Thank you.

 

[Flavius Iulius Nepos]

Find this jewel recently and just finished reading. Excellent. Thank you.

Thank you, I’m glad you like it.

 

[StevenIronside]

Thank you, I’m glad you like it.

Man love reading your timelines, im probably going to reread the entire thing now lol. Lot better than my Romes last dynasty lot more plannned out, and keeps u coming back for more.

 

[Flavius Iulius Nepos]

Man love reading your timelines, im probably going to reread the entire thing now lol. Lot better than my Romes last dynasty lot more plannned out, and keeps u coming back for more.

Thank you! Lately I’ve been unable to update my timeline as I’ve been busy with my university. Also during summer I always get lazier than usual, however the next couple of updates are already ready in my mind and hopefully I’ll be able to write them down and post at least one of them before the end of the week.

And don’t worry about your TL, the beginning always tends to be a little bit rough.

 

[Flavius Iulius Nepos]

Chapter IL

The rest of the year was spent by Iovinus and Athalaric mopping up the Rugi and the Heruli in the north. Before the end of the same year it was clear that Amalaric’s allies were no longer willing to pay such a heavy price for their support to the Ostrogoths and many of them were now asking Rome to settle their disputes through diplomacy. With the north now secured and the people of Noricum now safe from barbarian raids, the Romans could finally turn against Amalaric.

537

The many diplomatic setbacks and the lack of any clear military success during the last year, had heavily undermined Gothic support for their king. Surrounded on all sides by enemies and rivals, Amalaric had heavily underestimated Rome’s resourcefulness and determination. More than the Vandalic war, the current conflict was showing everyone that the empire still had teeth and claws. No longer the plaything of barbarian kings and usurpers, Rome had drastically changed during the past 50 years to a degree Amalaric could not even imagine before the outbreak of the war. The truth was that even the Romans were growing weary of the current conflict, a conflict that was draining the energy of their empire. Sure Nepos and Marcianus had worked hard to ensure that the empire would be ready for its comeback once the international situation allowed it, but right now the empire had been fighting on two fronts for more than 4 years while still dealing with the headache caused by the situation in Hispania. From the imperial palace at Mediolanum the emperor was demanding his subordinates to end the conflict as soon as possible, even if this meant taking extra risks.

​

Magister Militum Agricola would simply ignore the last part of this request, even though he knew that back at the palace his conduct of the war was being harshly criticized by his enemies. And while official missives were being exchanged between Agricola and the palace, a more informal set of letters would bring ominous news about the internal situation to Anthemius Valens. During the reign of Nepos and even more during the reign and Marcianus, the imperial family had represented the foremost source of support for the emperor. The successes of Nepos and Marcianus were also the successes of men like Marcianus senior, Marcianus Valens and Procopius who dutifully served the emperors of the past. Yet Theodosius III, as the empress mother was now warning him, was moving away from this pattern under the influence of both Eleutherius and Eusebia. More than the end of the war or a skilled commander, what the emperor really needed right now was the positive influence of someone who could put Rome’s interest above his own. Someone like him. For this reason Anicia Eudoxia urged him to return to Italia as soon as possible, to take over his father’s position beside the emperor.

​

Anthemius Valens was not the only one courted by one of the two factions that were contending against each other for power and influence over the emperor. Senators, commanders, bureaucrats and even their wives would soon have to take a place in the greatest, deadliest game ever known to mankind: control of the Imperial palace. Many would be call, few would survive the struggle. But with two ongoing conflicts, both sides were forced to wait for a better moment to act against the other. Back to Pannonia the two opponents spent most of the year on raids and petty attacks against each other’s territories. Amalaric was tirelessly working to break the encirclement while bleeding the Romans. On the other side Agricola was working diplomatically to crush the Goths through the use of the old tactic of using the expendable barbarians against each other. Anthemius Valens had already showed him the way with his use of the Gepids against Amalaric, but there was more he could to this end and that’s where he spent most of his resources and energies.

​

538

After 5 years spent in exile Theodatus was finally ready to exact his revenge. After his defeat at Mursa he had been tirelessly plotting for his return and rematch against Amalaric. In the past he had been rather unsuccessful in his attempt to rally enough supports amongst his allies for his cause. But with his rival now battling against total annihilation, time was finally ripe for his invasion. It surely helped that Magister Militum Agricola had generously financed his new army while working diplomatically with his Lombard allies to ensure their help. With a mixed army of Goths loyal to him, Lombards and even Gepids, Theodatus crossed the Danube. His was a victorious march as most of the cities encountered were willing to open the gates to the invader while those foolish enough to resist him were subjects to the raids and crime of his allies. This sudden invasion forced Amalaric to move with all his army north, to eradicate once and for all this threat to his leadership over the Goths. The two armies clashed near Sopianae in what was at first an even battle as the two rivals were both experienced commanders. What would decide their fate was the past of one of them. Before this struggle for power, when Theodoricus was still alive, Theodatus had made himself a name fighting both the Heruli and the Gepids. During the battle one of his Gepid commanders, out of revenge, decided to desert his cause along with many other fellow Gepids, turning the battle in favour of Amalaric. Fate would deliver Theodatus his death at the hand of one of the few Heruli soldiers still fighting under Amalaric’s banner. With Theodatus finally dead, Amalaric could finally once again turn against Rome with the help of his rival’s former allies. The many survivors of Theodatus’s army would surely give him the power necessary to overcome the empire while the prestige acquired from the battle was enough to strengthen once gain his rule among the Goths.

​

 

[RyuDrago]

Damn, Rome lost again and Amalaric looks resilient as ever. At least, the factions within the court were compact enough to defeat the Ostrogoths first, at least for now.

I guess Valens is the only hope for the Empire, and really, I hope he would put in charge of the war and win it in the next chapter. Besides should be the last one regarding the war...

 

[TheNerd_]

I guess Valens is the only hope for the Empire

I mean, yes really. Amalaric is coming to knock at the door, meanwhile, the empire is more preoccupied with useless power struggles and trying to be the emperor's lap dog...

 

[RyuDrago]

I mean, yes really. Amalaric is coming to knock at the door, meanwhile, the empire is more preoccupied with useless power struggles and trying to be the emperor's lap dog...

Yeah, we know that soon or later the Empire will be bring down a peg, just I still cross the fingers won't be at least due of Amalaric. His ambitions and treachery shouldn't be rewarded and if else not for so long... ah I am totally fangirling for this Western Empire to live and to live as long as possible, sorry.

 

[TheNerd_]

Yeah, we know that soon or later the Empire will be brought down a peg, just I still cross the fingers won't be at least due of Amalaric. His ambitions and treachery shouldn't be rewarded and if else not for so long... ah I am totally fangirling for this Western Empire to live and to live as long as possible, sorry.

Well, I am too. I hope the empire won't be brought down quickly, and that it will at the very least last into the late middle ages. But it will lose some territory and won't be as mighty as in its glory days.

 

[RyuDrago]

Well, I am too. I hope the empire won't be brought down quickly, and that it will at the very least last into the late middle ages. But it will lose some territory and won't be as mighty as in its glory days.

Can work for me.

 

[Tarabas]

Amalaric has more lives than a cat, apparently. My guess is Valens wins the war, an uneasy peace is settled (we can't realistically think of knocking down the Goths, not until Amalaric is alive, at the very least) and then... the Game for the Western Throne starts. An when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die... Emperor Valens, anyone?

 

[Flavius Iulius Nepos]

Damn, Rome lost again and Amalaric looks resilient as ever. At least, the factions within the court were compact enough to defeat the Ostrogoths first, at least for now.

But how long will this last?

I guess Valens is the only hope for the Empire, and really, I hope he would put in charge of the war and win it in the next chapter.

He will be put in charge of the war, just not this one.

Besides should be the last one regarding the war...

You’re right, hopefully I should be able to end the war with the next update. Then it’s only a matter of what should I write about next (Spain, Africa, Balkans, or the internal situation).

I mean, yes really. Amalaric is coming to knock at the door, meanwhile, the empire is more preoccupied with useless power struggles and trying to be the emperor's lap dog...

As it has alway been, nothing new here.

Yeah, we know that soon or later the Empire will be bring down a peg, ah I am totally fangirling for this Western Empire to live and to live as long as possible, sorry.

Sooner than you think… Granted it will be an age of “contradiction” rather than one of outright decline at first. Something like the reign of Justinian and successors.

just I still cross the fingers won't be at least due of Amalaric. His ambitions and treachery shouldn't be rewarded and if else not for so long...

Although we could argue that, from his point of view, the emperor betrayed him.

Well, I am too. I hope the empire won't be brought down quickly, and that it will at the very least last into the late middle ages. But it will lose some territory and won't be as mighty as in its glory days.

The first (current) part of this timeline is going to end at the beginning of the 7th century. The second part should last until the 9th/10 th century while the third part will end 30 years after the previous one. These should be enough to cover most of the high middle age.

Amalaric has more lives than a cat, apparently. My guess is Valens wins the war, an uneasy peace is settled (we can't realistically think of knocking down the Goths, not until Amalaric is alive, at the very least) and then... the Game for the Western Throne starts. An when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die...

We will see how this is going to end, probably during the weekend.

Emperor Valens, anyone?

Not really a lucky name, isn’t it? Shall we fix its reputation in the future?

 

[StevenIronside]

I feel the name Valens deserved a far better emperor than it did otl. Not that Valens was a bad emperor, but his loss at adrianople did ruin any legacy he could have had. Hopefully this new Valens if he does become emperor has a far better legacy than the last of his name.

 

[Flavius Iulius Nepos]

I feel the name Valens deserved a far better emperor than it did otl. Not that Valens was a bad emperor, but his loss at Adrianople did ruin any legacy he could have had. Hopefully this new Valens if he does become emperor has a far better legacy than the last of his name.

Had he handled the Gothic situation better, completely avoiding the war, he could have been remembered as a fairly good emperor, one who infused “new blood” into the roman army, even though his Arian creed would still have tarnished his reputation. Surely our Valens has military skills but whether he would be a good emperor or an emperor at all is not a given.

 

[StevenIronside]

Had he handled the Gothic situation better, completely avoiding the war, he could have been remembered as a fairly good emperor, one who infused “new blood” into the roman army, even though his Arian creed would still have tarnished his reputation. Surely our Valens has military skills but whether he would be a good emperor or an emperor at all is not a given.

Auctually from what ive read, Valens wanted the the goths of fritigern i think it was brought in and infused into the army and empire, it was about 200,000 people. It was his officials who were corrupt and against the Emperor who made the goths rebel, by the time Valens arrived from the east war was unavoidable and the goths unwilling to back down.

The new Valens as u said has something the old Valens didnt, military skill and that will get him far i think, unless this young emperor is a new Alexander lol......

 

[Marc Anthony]

at first i wasn't sure about the TL. now i love it