So let’s say that Alexander either never exists or never conquers the Achaemenid Empire. Maybe he dies at the Granicus River, or gets hit by a stray sling bullet at Gaza. Either way, the Achaemenid Empire survives intact. However, the Achaemenids had to deal with jealous satraps, disloyal subject peoples, a decreasing supply of gold, and troubles in the court. Without Alexander to bring the whole thing crashing down, how would the collapse of the Achaemenids play out? How much longer can it survive without Alexander? And what would happen after the Achaemenids fall?
AHQ: How would the collapse of the Achaemenid Empire play out without Alexander?
- Thread starter SunKing105
- Start date
I'm not too familiar with the internal situation of the Persian Empire. Compared to their early days under Cyrus the Great and his successors, how does the empire at eve of Alex the conqueror compare?
Garetor
Gone Fishin'
Nor I, but there must have been some signs of rot for Phillip to spend so long sharpening his blade to drive it into the Achamenid guts.
Egypt most likely becomes independent, at least for the time being. The Greek city states in western Anatolia probably assert their independence. Possibly the various Anatolian states break away.
There will probably be a civil war whilst another dynasty takes over Persia.
There will probably be a civil war whilst another dynasty takes over Persia.
Hmmm, will Babylonia and Syria be retained by the Achaemenids or their successors or could they have emerged with independent local states?
That depends on whether the local notables decide to bolt, or side with a claimant dynasty. I suspect that Mesopotamia will eventually be conquered - the Parthians conquered it IOTL, after all.
As for Syria, that's harder to say. It's possible that it either ends up with Egypt, independent, gobbled up by the next Persian dynasty or a mixture of all three.
I could see an independent Israel/Judea/both emerging, at least for a while. Unfortunately, they are right on the path of key trade routes, so the land will be desirable for neighbouring powers to take.