AHC - Make a smaller, but more centralized, long lasting Roman empire for me.

mad orc

Banned
I want to make a smaller, more powerful and centralized Roman empire with a POD after Anno Domini.

It should also last longer.

What would be its borders?
 
After 753 AUC pretty much all of the moroless permanent territories of the Empire had been annexed. No Britain is the only possibility I can think of.

Perhaps No Teutoburg enables Germania to be made a client kingdom(s)? The border wit Pannonia can then safely be brought back?
 
The Empire could have nearly collapsed during the turmoils of the 3rd century, barely clinging to Italy and it immediate periphery, and then make a come back, reconquering North Africa, Southern Gaul, parts of Spain, Dalmatia and Greece, but never getting back Egypt, the Near East, Asia Minor, and the rest of Northern Europe, those places now belonging to powerful foes (Sassanians, Goths, what-have-you) A smaller Empire make it easier to administrate, control, and reform.
 

Skallagrim

Banned
Most wealth is in the east. If you want a compact and thriving Roman Empire that is smaller, your best bet is actually to have the West collapse totally during the Crisis of the Third Century, and have a lot of Romans flee east (bolstering both the population and the eventual legitimacy of the Eastern Empire). You end up with an Eastern Roman Empire very early on, with the west consisting of successor kingdoms that serve as autonomous clients/allies (making for a nice buffer there), while allowing the remnant-empire to bolster its defences all around.

Islam can easily get butterflied, meaning the age-old border (zone) with Persia can basically be maintained indefinitely. It's even possible that Arabia 'just' becomes a Christianised region, vaguely aligned with, uh... not-Constantinople.
 
In the 3rd C Crisis eastern Empire option where would the capital be? Byzantium doesnt seem large enough just yet...

Perhaps Pella/Thessalonica? Athens? Antioch?

I doubt it would be Alexandria since Egypt is too essential for grain supplies to base the entire bureaucracy there safely.
 

Skallagrim

Banned
In the 3rd C Crisis eastern Empire option where would the capital be? Byzantium doesnt seem large enough just yet...

Perhaps Pella/Thessalonica? Athens? Antioch?

I doubt it would be Alexandria since Egypt is too essential for grain supplies to base the entire bureaucracy there safely.

It would depend on the needs and preferences of the people in charge during the... upheaval. Antioch may be too vulnerable to Persia. I agree Alexandria isn't the likely option. Athens might work, from a position of historical prestige. It's also possible that an alt-Constintinople just gets founded (maybe in roughly the same place, maybe somewhere else) at a 'new' location that is deemed best.
 
It would depend on the needs and preferences of the people in charge during the... upheaval. Antioch may be too vulnerable to Persia. I agree Alexandria isn't the likely option. Athens might work, from a position of historical prestige. It's also possible that an alt-Constintinople just gets founded (maybe in roughly the same place, maybe somewhere else) at a 'new' location that is deemed best.

Ephesus perhaps? Or again Pella? Both of these have most of the strategic advantages of Byzantium and are much better established c 270 CE
 

Skallagrim

Banned
Ephesus perhaps? Or again Pella? Both of these have most of the strategic advantages of Byzantium and are much better established c 270 CE

A bit of a wild suggestion, but a rebuilt Troy could be an option. Literally offers all the strategic advantages of Constantinople, being at the mouth of the Dardanelles, and would appeal to the Roman belief that they descended from the Trojans. So it would be very... legitimate.
 
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