00: Prologue
A/N: Hello everyone! This is my first TL, so I wanted to make it about something that I'm interested in. In particular I have become very interested in the Roman Emperor, especially those emperors who ruled during times of strife for the empire, such as Aurelian, Probus, and the subject of this TL, Majorian. I'll be diverging from before the fleet is destroyed (fairly obvious for this particular emperor, but oh well). Any feedback on this series is welcome, hope you enjoy!
Prologue
There once was a dream...
A dream...
Called Rome...
But over the centuries of pestilence and degradation, the dream had turned into a nightmare. Barbarians, once minor threats to the glory of the Empire, now tore it apart, tribes like the Franks and the Burgundians, the Visigoths and the Suevi, the Ostrogoths and the Vandals pried the lands of Rome from her. To most, empire was dead, destined to lose more and more land, untill all was conquered by the barbarians. The city of Rome, which have once been a symbol of triumph and conquest, had become a painful reminder of vulnerablility and weakness after two sackings in less than half a century.
It was in these dark times that one man found himself in. These were the times of Julius Valerius Maiorianus. Majorian had once been a soldier under Flavius Aetius, he now stood as Rome's Emperor, one of her last champions. Majorian had a dream, a vision not shared by many at that time. He believed that, whilst damaged after a century of poor leadership, insurrections and invasions, Rome wasn't yet dead, that it could be brought back from the ashes.
But Majorian still recognised the dangers that faced the empire. He had worked to counteract these issues, pushing out the likes of the Visigoths and Suebi from former Roman lands, purging corruption from the Empire, giving the people the right to bear arms. But he knew that there was still much more work to be done if Rome was to see her former glory restored.
Starting with the Vandals...
The Vandals had sacked Rome only 5 years prior, looting Rome for 2 brutal weeks, killing scores of people in the process. Not only that, but the Vandals had also taken North Africa from Rome. North Africa was vital for its grain supply. If those lands weren't taken back, then Rome would not survive for too much longer. As a matter of both survival and retribution, the Vandals had to be destroyed.
This then takes us to our next scene, as a young soldier by the name of Procopius Soranus. Procopius had just finished his nightly petrol of the area and was heading back to camp, when he heard some of the men having a conversation in one of the nearby tents, something about gold and Vandals. Procopius was a very curious individual, always seeking to know more. He wanted to turn away and continue walking, but his curiosity got the better of his. He snuck round to the back of the tent, where they would see him and listened in, and what he heard made his blood run cold.
These men were talking about betraying the emperor. These men were talking about how the Vandals had paid them, how they were going to destroy the fleet. They were talking about betraying Rome.
Procopius could not stand for this and snuck away. He then rushed to the Emperor, asking to speak with him. Majorian came out, asking him what was so urgent that he, the emperor himself, had to be seen
That is when Procopius told him everything he heard...
Majorian immediately began inquiring into the matter, sending out several of his best generals to find them. They found the traitors, not just the ones in the tent Procopius had spoken about, there were several traitors, roughly a dozen. They had bits and pieces that gave away their deception; maps, plans, bits of gold and others resources given to them by the Vandals as bribes.
Majorian had the men rounded up, and executed. He did not want to have to kill his own men, but if they were allowed to live they could just as easily backstab him in the future. He had only one chance to destroy the Vandals and he was not going to let that chance slip from his grasp.
He was going to save Rome, and there was no force on Earth that would stop him from doing so.
A/N: And that was the prologue. I hope those who read it have enjoyed so far. This is the start of a new TL, so I would very much appreciate feedback for how I could progress and improve this series. See you for now!
Prologue
There once was a dream...
A dream...
Called Rome...
But over the centuries of pestilence and degradation, the dream had turned into a nightmare. Barbarians, once minor threats to the glory of the Empire, now tore it apart, tribes like the Franks and the Burgundians, the Visigoths and the Suevi, the Ostrogoths and the Vandals pried the lands of Rome from her. To most, empire was dead, destined to lose more and more land, untill all was conquered by the barbarians. The city of Rome, which have once been a symbol of triumph and conquest, had become a painful reminder of vulnerablility and weakness after two sackings in less than half a century.
It was in these dark times that one man found himself in. These were the times of Julius Valerius Maiorianus. Majorian had once been a soldier under Flavius Aetius, he now stood as Rome's Emperor, one of her last champions. Majorian had a dream, a vision not shared by many at that time. He believed that, whilst damaged after a century of poor leadership, insurrections and invasions, Rome wasn't yet dead, that it could be brought back from the ashes.
But Majorian still recognised the dangers that faced the empire. He had worked to counteract these issues, pushing out the likes of the Visigoths and Suebi from former Roman lands, purging corruption from the Empire, giving the people the right to bear arms. But he knew that there was still much more work to be done if Rome was to see her former glory restored.
Starting with the Vandals...
The Vandals had sacked Rome only 5 years prior, looting Rome for 2 brutal weeks, killing scores of people in the process. Not only that, but the Vandals had also taken North Africa from Rome. North Africa was vital for its grain supply. If those lands weren't taken back, then Rome would not survive for too much longer. As a matter of both survival and retribution, the Vandals had to be destroyed.
This then takes us to our next scene, as a young soldier by the name of Procopius Soranus. Procopius had just finished his nightly petrol of the area and was heading back to camp, when he heard some of the men having a conversation in one of the nearby tents, something about gold and Vandals. Procopius was a very curious individual, always seeking to know more. He wanted to turn away and continue walking, but his curiosity got the better of his. He snuck round to the back of the tent, where they would see him and listened in, and what he heard made his blood run cold.
These men were talking about betraying the emperor. These men were talking about how the Vandals had paid them, how they were going to destroy the fleet. They were talking about betraying Rome.
Procopius could not stand for this and snuck away. He then rushed to the Emperor, asking to speak with him. Majorian came out, asking him what was so urgent that he, the emperor himself, had to be seen
That is when Procopius told him everything he heard...
Majorian immediately began inquiring into the matter, sending out several of his best generals to find them. They found the traitors, not just the ones in the tent Procopius had spoken about, there were several traitors, roughly a dozen. They had bits and pieces that gave away their deception; maps, plans, bits of gold and others resources given to them by the Vandals as bribes.
Majorian had the men rounded up, and executed. He did not want to have to kill his own men, but if they were allowed to live they could just as easily backstab him in the future. He had only one chance to destroy the Vandals and he was not going to let that chance slip from his grasp.
He was going to save Rome, and there was no force on Earth that would stop him from doing so.
A/N: And that was the prologue. I hope those who read it have enjoyed so far. This is the start of a new TL, so I would very much appreciate feedback for how I could progress and improve this series. See you for now!
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