ATL - Licinius Victory Over Constantine

Kosovic

Banned
The first thread wasnt that good, so i would rather make a new one. This is....well....the first "installment" if you like, to the an ATL i am writing (There will be only 3 installments). This currently depicts the civil war between Licinius and Constantine, with the defeat of the latter, and the religious turmoil that followed this events. The story ends at 400 AD with the beggining of the barbarian invasions.

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314 AD
In Colonia Aurelia Cibalae, Constantine is grossly defeated by Licinius. (The change from OTL to ATL). Constantine is forced to
withdraw back to Italian peninsula, signing a humiliating peace treaty which included to disband some of his veteran legions and
acknowledge Licinius the Younger as Ceasar. Constantine withdraws to Ravenna, and then to Rome, humiliated as the senate and the
people of Rome curse and insult him for his defeat. Licinius soldifies his power to the East. Nicomedia becomes the administation
center of the East part of the Roman Empire. Later in 314 the empire splits in two halves. Licinius turns Nicomedia from
administration center, to capital of the Eastern Empire and Constantine keeps Rome as the capital of the West.
315 - 316 AD
The empire is split in two halves. To the west, Constantine rules still, with the Edict Of Mediolanum still in charge. To the east,
Licinius continues to persecute the christians, whose numbers keep dropping lower and lower. The humiliated Constantine, is advised
constantly of revenge. Licinius raises his son, along with capable general from Andrianople Valerius Valens, to the rank of Augustus,
and awaits acknowledge from the western Emperor. Constantine refuses, and breaks the peace treaty. The civil war starts again. Naval
skirmish in the Adriatic end up in a stalemate. Constantine is ill-advised to draw legions from Gaul and begin the march.
Constantine, knowing that this would be catastrophic for the Gaulish provinces, he plans to raise new legions from Italy. It takes
around 2 years to raise a legion. Now, in one year or less, Constantine has to fill the gap that his defeat at Cibalae created.
317 AD
Early in 317, Constantine raised his army and begins the march towards the lands of Licinius. The Adriatic sea is dangerous, with the
two Roman fleets at a constant stalemate, the only path is to north Italy, to Aquileia, and from there, down to the lands of
Illyricum and then Dacia. Licinius, unable to abandon his anti-christian campaign to the east, sends general Valerius from
Andrianople. Licinius took message of Constantine's movements only after the latter one reached Cibalae, the battlefield where he was
defeated less than two years ago. The army of Constantine, unable to resupply due to the naval blockades, resorted to looting, while
staying in Illyricum. Without his veteran units, the Constantinian army is nothing more than young men who lack the experience of
fighting legionaries. Avoiding the coasts at any cost, Constantine's army, arrives at Sirmium and besieges it. The siege is long, and
the army of Valerius has taken note of the siege, by messenger. Their march pace is speeded up. If Sirmium falls, then the road is
open for the western army to reach Macedonia and Thrace. Valerius takes the Via Militaris and reaches Naissus to resupply. In the
mean time, Sirmium is starving. The besieging army has all the time to forage and loot whatever the defenders couldnt save.
Fortunately, Valerius arrives near the settlement of Sigindunum. Constantine cannot keep the siege, he withdraws and prepares for
battle. It is already summer, and the two armies, equally matched, meet at the fields between Sirmium and Sigindunum. The outcome of
the battle is a pyrrhic victory for Valerius, more of a stalemate, rather than a decisive move. Both armies withdrew towards
different directions. Constantine is isolated, battered and bleeding. His army moves to the north of Illyricum, razing whatever is
left from the previous months. By the end of the year, after starvation, guerrila fights and desertion, he reaches the Alps.
318 AD
The East might have won, but it was a strong blow for them as well. Valerius lost far too many soldiers. He already had entered
Sirmium with supplies, hailed as savior and divine, although this is far from the truth. The army leftovers stayed at Sirmium until
the winter of 317. Their march home started soon after, and they reached Thessalonica by the end of the year. From there, through Via
Egnatia, the army enters Andrianople. Licinius is on his way to Nikomedia, having succesfully persecutiond the christians from
Oriens. To the west, Constantine fails to reach Rome, as he dies from sickness, possibly dysentery. The surviving loyal soldiers
carry the message all the way to Rome. Crispus is still 16 years old and hardly knows anything about governing an Empire. Licinius
the Younger, lays claim upon the western throne, thus uniting the Empire again. The Roman senate refuses. The split between the two
realms becomes even greater. Emperor becomes Crispus, firstborn of Constantine. He immediately arrives from Gaul to receive the Roman
crown. Both parts of the Empire are exhausted and unwilling to commit more into the civil war. War continues, but the hostilities are
kept in small naval skirmishes. Legions are drawn from Gaul to Italy, in case of a naval invasion, although nothing like this
happens.
319 AD - 325 AD
In Western Empire, Crispus operates with the Edict Of Mediolanum. This causes unrest in Nikomedia between christians and followers of
the old faith. The persecution of the christians by Licinius starts again. Hundreds of christians flee to the West. Crispus seizes
the opportunity and contacts the eastern Emperor Licinius. The message is simple: peace, in exchange of religious tolerance. Licinius
and his advisors laughed at it. The persecution continues. To make matters further worse, Crispus converts to christianity. For the
first time in history of Roman Empire, and Emperor is a christian. The population has mixed feelings about this move. Unrest in the
western realm becomes stronger and stronger. The christian numbers increase day by day, while the old faith fades. Crispus, a pious
christian now, tries with peaceful methods to appease the crowds. The turmoil travels throughout the Italian peninsula, and into Gaul
and Iberia. The barbarians despise christianity, and the on hearing that the Emperor is now a christian, they rebel. The lack of
Roman legions favor the rebellion and soon, small Gaulish warlords proclaim themselves kings and overthrow the Roman yoke. Crispus
abandons the peacefull methods and launches an invasion into Gallic lands. Within the year 324, Gaul is reconquered, with some of the
former Gallic legions re-stationed there to avoid further discontent. In Iberia, situation is far calmer. The Iberians being far from
Rome, hardly take notice of what is happening to the Empire. Crispus returns in 325 in Rome, which flaired up as soon as he left.
Christianity is now a major religion in Rome, with the followers of the old faith becoming a small minority. Facing this turmoil,
Crispus makes christianity the state's religion. Himself a christian, just how Constantine, his father would want, he created a realm
where everyone is free to believe whatever he wants. Or so he believes.
325 - 330 AD
Within these years the numbers of christians increase in Rome and they start to increase in other parts of Italy as well. In Rome,
all the pagan temples have already been burned, destroyed, or simply made into christian churches. The same unrest that Rome has seen
8 years ago, is about to be seen in the whole western Roman world. Christianity is spreading, due to the continuous persecution of
the Eastern Emperor Licinius and the favorable christian lands of the West. The East hunts christianity with a passion, proclaiming
the old faith to be the one and true faith. The Eastern Empire now favors the ancient Roman god Janus, mostly by misinterpretations
of old scripts, when Rome was a small city called Latium. This ancient deity is revived in the Eastern Empire, combined with Platonic
scripts, it creates a strong religious backbone. Faith of Janus is signed as the official faith of the Eastern Empire, in the Edict
of Byzantium, considering christianity and judaism to be false. More and more christians flee to the west, leaving few people behind.
In Western Empire though, the numbers of refugees increase month by month, making squalor reach very high levels. In Rome, homeless
christians live and sleep in the Forum, as the emperor hastes to build camps and villages for them to stay. These 4 years the
religious word begins to spread. To the west, the christian monks start as new apostles, to teach the word of jesus christ. To the
east, the priests teach the ancient doctrines.
330 - 336 AD
The "proselytism" has begun. The Eastern Empire is passing down to the populus, ancient teachings about the gods, Romans and Greeks.
The new edict for the Eastern Empire acknowledges religious freedom, except to those of christianity and judaism. The message is
simple: conversion or exile. The first targets are the areas of Asia Minor and the greek cities of Europe. After more than 12 years
of persecution, there is still large number of christians in the empire. The center of the faith, the lands of Palestine are packed
with christians and jewish. The wave still hasnt reached those lands yet. To the west, Crispus is unable to maintain peace between
the immigrant refugees and the natives. Christian hits christian, christian robs christian, as the squalor reaches tremendous levels.
By the year 333 AD, this situation is more than what Rome can bear. Crispus, who by now is a devout christian, taught the virtues of
christianity and lived by them, as much an Emperor can do that, signs the order for religion persecution in the western lands...of
the pagans. He intends to payback the Eastern Emperor Licinius, with the same coin. With their numbers dropping month by month, the
pagans suffer as the legions burn their homes and force them to flee. This persecution will last for many more years, even after the
end of the christian torments to the East.
337 - 338 AD
The word reaches Gaul once again, that conversion or defeat is the Roman ultimatum. The Romans demand from Gaul to formally submit to
the one god, as Rome did 18 years ago. Gaul is flairing up once again, and the warlords, followers of Tutatis and Epona, march to war
against Rome. Crispus immediately seats his younger brother Constantine to the Roman throne, and travels to Gaul, to rest the
rebellion. After 1 year of campaigning, the Gaullish are defeated for second time, by their Roman adversaries. By the end of year 338
AD, Crispus reinstates Roman authority to Gaul. His emissaries are sent to all the surviving warlords of Gaul, they carry the
proposal that will secure peace and stability in Gaul. Many of them accept the offer and start their travel to the center of the
Roman world, Rome herself. In the mean time Licinius, who is more than 50 years old by now, delivers the final blow. Crucifications,
butchering, looting, rapings. If the Eastern Empire was the center of christianity, it certainly is not right now. Licinius, old,
tired and un-ethical reduced much of Eastern Empire. There are hardly any christians left, less than 10-15% of the population. The
fields, ravaged. The towns, full of ruins of christian churches. He successfully launches the persecution to the eastern parts of the
Empire, leading another handful of christians to seek refuge in Persian lands. The center of christianity and judaism, Jerusalem, has
been burned from side to side. Actions that cause more harm, than good to the Empire. By the end of the year 338 AD, the persentage
of christians dropped lower than 10% and soon to be extinct.
339 - 349 AD
Crispus meets up with the representatives of the Gauls. He offers them sanctification of their gods Epona and Esus, in order to
convert them to christianity, and to also satisfy their pagan beliefs. Forced by the spilled Gaullish blood, and the turmoil of the
times, many of them agree to the Roman terms. Those who dont, are presented with an awkward choice: to either flee to non-Roman
lands, or to leave Gaul and march towards the Eastern Empire. Crispus would grant free pass through Roman lands, no matter which
choice. To the East now. Licinius dies from old-age, on his way back to Nikomedia. Eastern Emperor becomes Licinius the younger, son
of Licinius, as Licinius the II. August and co-emperor becomes Valerius Valens who, although aged, he is still capable as commander.
As soon as Licinius gets to his fathers throne, he made it a target to rebuild the Empire, from the actions of his father. First was
the reconcilment between the two empires. Licinius II and Crispus signed a pact of non-aggression and the exchange of populations, an
act that would last for the next 10 years, instead of brutal persecutions. Many Gaullish warriors found themselves and their families
moving towards the balkans these and the next years, seeking religious freedom. The exchange was hardly finished in 10 years, with
hordes of Gaullish people swarming Illyricum. Settling in Macedonia and Pannonia, Licinius II grants them citizenship, knowing that
they will be the plaster for the rebuild of the Empire. To the west, the pagan Gauls abandoned their homes, but the remaining became
christians, praising Epona and Esus as christian saints. The conversion was slow, but it took place and reached entire Gaul. Lugdunum
was the first Gaullish city to erect a christian temple dedicated to Epona.
350 AD
Valerius Valens is the victor over Constantine. The cocky August served the east Empire all his life, with little to earn. Ambitious,
despite his old age, he dreams of Imperial purple. Yes, he wants the throne for himself, and why not, the Roman throne as well? The
new emperor is not Licinius, he is nothing but a ghost of Licinius administration. In his mind, he believes that HE is the true heir,
he is the rightfull heir, not Licinius II. So he makes the big plan. By the Via Egnatia, he moves to the south greece and plans to
take over from there. He knows that Licinius is still in the eyes of the Legions, the true and only Emperor and that the legions of
East would follow him, and he knows that his only chance is to march his army to Peloponessus and let the Imperial legions follow
him, so he can make his stand here, on the rough hills of Attica and Peloponessus. His soldiers at Andrianople are newly trained.
They are no match for superior forces of Licinius, but there, the narrow paths and the hillfight favor the defender. So when the
Emperor will arrive to punish him, he can emerge victorious. A smart plan indeed. By mid 350, he drags his army towards southern
Greece. He takes Via Egnatia once more, bypasses the city of Thessaloniki and the garrison and starts his march to the south. Greece
is looted and the villages burned. He crosses the Isthmus and pillages the little wealth Peloponesse has to offer. The small
regiments of Peloponessus capitulate. News reach the Emperor of Valerius betrayal. By the end of the year, Licinius II is forced to
act. He raised his army, and begins the march. At the same time, his messengers arrive to the gaullish camps and villages to ask for
warriors, willing to fight for the Emperor who gave them shelter. By the next year, history is about to decide the fate of the
Eastern Roman Empire.
351 AD
The Imperial army reaches south greek. It crosses the Isthmus in mid march. These lands are narrow indeed. Although Licinius has the
advantage of number, it means nothing here, as they would have to fight in a narrow path, or charge upwards a mountain. After weeks
of march, the Licinius army met the usurper Valerius at the banks of river Eurota. Small skirmishes between the camps during the next
days. For 5 days soldiers fight and die in attriction and skirmishing. At the beggining of the 6th day, Valerius Valens dies from old
age. The army's second in command, a minor Greek christian named Ioannes, surrenders unconditionally. The rebel army surrenders after
this move, followed by a decimation, and the transfer of the surviving men to the very eastern borders. The coup-d-etat is officially
defeated. Licinius II returns to Nicomedia without a triumph. To the West, the Christian faith is stable now between Romans and
barbarians, forming a sort of unity. Crispus knows that both realms are part of an Empire, who's bad luck was to split, so he asks
for meeting with the Eastern Emperor. The two meet by the end of the year in the city of Naissus, who by own is populated mainly by
Celts who abandoned Gaul. After days and weeks of discussion, the persecution of christianity stops in the Eastern empire. Licinius
and Crispus sign the Edict of Naissus, which basically repeats the Edict of Mediolanum, for the Eastern Empire. They also sign a pact
of military support and a 100 years non-agression. With these terms, its little to separate it from an alliance between the two
realms.
352 - 400 AD
Various events happen during this period, which is full of Emperors who fail to have their name carved in history. The Celtic
christianity of Saint Epona and Saint Esus mergers with Christianity to the Western empire. The two empires seem to live in
stability. Not as much as the old days when the Roman empire was at the peak of its power, but it is still a civilised land to live.
Until now. To the west, more and more German tribes appear to the horizon, crossing the Roman borders and settling in, mostly in
Alpean Gaul and the lands around Aquileia. There is general hostility between Romanised nations and barbarians and that leads to
situations unfavorable for the first ones. To the east, the large number of Gauls settles in the area of Thrace. The cities of
Andrianople and Phillipople speak Celtic as their second language. This forces the Eastern emperor to grand them rights, and equal
citizenship. With them, they bring the worship of Epona, who was mentioned before, as the goddess of war for the pagan Celts, but now
has little to no different from Saint Epona, protector of christian Celts. Many non ethnic Celts adopt this new religion, as they see
is something between the old faith and christianity. Within these 50 years, much of the Balkan lands follow this religion, as it
starts to spread in the Asia Minor as well. While these happens to the East, the West suffers even more. The pagan Germans becomes
more and more of a burden for the Roman emperor, as they dont pay taxation, they refuse to settle and ravage the lands. The western
empire considers them now as invaders and not as settlers. The Germans defeat a Roman army, and they soldify their positions in north
Italy. To Gaul, the Frankish tribes invade Gaul in the same style, overthrowing the Roman yoke in many cities of western Gaul and
establishing them as rulers. By the 70s of the 4th century, the Western Empire is split in half. Rome possesses almost all Italy,
Sicily and the africa shorelands, along with Ibera. The German tribes hold north Italy and the Alps. The Franks take over half Gaul,
with Roman authority only to the west lands. Typically its still Western empire, but you can hardly call the people Romans. The
barbarians bring with them the savageness of their lands. In order to Romanise them, and to hopefully ensure stability and dont break
apart, the Emperor grants them the right of Roman citizenship, along with military positions for their warlords, as long as they
convert to christianity. The new settlers, they are aware of the prestige Rome had and still has, and accept, because a few small
victories do not ensure their existance. To the east, Gothic germans appear to the Danube. While they still havent crossed the
Danube, the eastern emperor sends legions to the cold frontiers. In the mind of both the Eastern and the Western Roman Emperor lies
one question: What could cause thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homelands and start crossing into the
Roman lands so desperately? Problems do not stop to occure though, throughout the Roman world. The Berber Magistrate of Africa
rebels. The Roman legions fail to restore order, and the rebellion spreads to the entire Africa coastline, except the Egyptian lands.
Seeing these kind of events, it is expedient that the army should be reformed. Otherwise more and more military defeats will be dealt
to the Empire.

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Any thoughts so far?
 

Kosovic

Banned
314 AD
In Colonia Aurelia Cibalae, Constantine is grossly defeated by Licinius. (The change from OTL to ATL). Constantine is forced to withdraw back to Italian peninsula, signing a humiliating peace treaty which included to disband some of his veteran legions and acknowledge Licinius the Younger as Ceasar. Constantine withdraws to Ravenna, and then to Rome, humiliated as the senate and the people of Rome curse and insult him for his defeat. Licinius soldifies his power to the East. Nicomedia becomes the administation center of the East part of the Roman Empire. Later in 314 the empire splits in two halves. Licinius turns Nicomedia from administration center, to capital of the Eastern Empire and Constantine keeps Rome as the capital of the West.

315 - 316 AD
The empire is split in two halves. To the west, Constantine rules still, with the Edict Of Mediolanum still in charge. To the east, Licinius continues to persecute the christians, whose numbers keep dropping lower and lower. The humiliated Constantine, is advised constantly of revenge. Licinius raises his son, along with capable general from Andrianople Valerius Valens, to the rank of Augustus, and awaits acknowledge from the western Emperor. Constantine refuses, and breaks the peace treaty. The civil war starts again. Naval skirmish in the Adriatic end up in a stalemate. Constantine is ill-advised to draw legions from Gaul and begin the march. Constantine, knowing that this would be catastrophic for the Gaulish provinces, he plans to raise new legions from Italy. It takes around 2 years to raise a legion. Now, in one year or less, Constantine has to fill the gap that his defeat at Cibalae created.

317 AD
Early in 317, Constantine raised his army and begins the march towards the lands of Licinius. The Adriatic sea is dangerous, with the two Roman fleets at a constant stalemate, the only path is to north Italy, to Aquileia, and from there, down to the lands of Illyricum and then Dacia. Licinius, unable to abandon his anti-christian campaign to the east, sends general Valerius from Andrianople. Licinius took message of Constantine's movements only after the latter one reached Cibalae, the battlefield where he was defeated less than two years ago. The army of Constantine, unable to resupply due to the naval blockades, resorted to looting, while staying in Illyricum. Without his veteran units, the Constantinian army is nothing more than young men who lack the experience of fighting legionaries. Avoiding the coasts at any cost, Constantine's army, arrives at Sirmium and besieges it. The siege is long, and the army of Valerius has taken note of the siege, by messenger. Their march pace is speeded up. If Sirmium falls, then the road is open for the western army to reach Macedonia and Thrace. Valerius takes the Via Militaris and reaches Naissus to resupply. In the mean time, Sirmium is starving. The besieging army has all the time to forage and loot whatever the defenders couldnt save. Fortunately, Valerius arrives near the settlement of Sigindunum. Constantine cannot keep the siege, he withdraws and prepares for battle. It is already summer, and the two armies, equally matched, meet at the fields between Sirmium and Sigindunum. The outcome of the battle is a pyrrhic victory for Valerius, more of a stalemate, rather than a decisive move. Both armies withdrew towards different directions. Constantine is isolated, battered and bleeding. His army moves to the north of Illyricum, razing whatever is left from the previous months. By the end of the year, after starvation, guerrila fights and desertion, he reaches the Alps.

318 AD
The East might have won, but it was a strong blow for them as well. Valerius lost far too many soldiers. He already had entered Sirmium with supplies, hailed as savior and divine, although this is far from the truth. The army leftovers stayed at Sirmium until the winter of 317. Their march home started soon after, and they reached Thessalonica by the end of the year. From there, through Via Egnatia, the army enters Andrianople. Licinius is on his way to Nikomedia, having succesfully persecutiond the christians from Oriens. To the west, Constantine fails to reach Rome, as he dies from sickness, possibly dysentery. The surviving loyal soldiers carry the message all the way to Rome. Crispus is still 16 years old and hardly knows anything about governing an Empire. Licinius the Younger, lays claim upon the western throne, thus uniting the Empire again. The Roman senate refuses. The split between the two realms becomes even greater. Emperor becomes Crispus, firstborn of Constantine. He immediately arrives from Gaul to receive the Roman crown. Both parts of the Empire are exhausted and unwilling to commit more into the civil war. War continues, but the hostilities are kept in small naval skirmishes. Legions are drawn from Gaul to Italy, in case of a naval invasion, although nothing like this happens.

319 AD - 325 AD
In Western Empire, Crispus operates with the Edict Of Mediolanum. This causes unrest in Nikomedia between christians and followers of the old faith. The persecution of the christians by Licinius starts again. Hundreds of christians flee to the West. Crispus seizes the opportunity and contacts the eastern Emperor Licinius. The message is simple: peace, in exchange of religious tolerance. Licinius and his advisors laughed at it. The persecution continues. To make matters further worse, Crispus converts to christianity. For the first time in history of Roman Empire, and Emperor is a christian. The population has mixed feelings about this move. Unrest in the western realm becomes stronger and stronger. The christian numbers increase day by day, while the old faith fades. Crispus, a pious christian now, tries with peaceful methods to appease the crowds. The turmoil travels throughout the Italian peninsula, and into Gaul and Iberia. The barbarians despise christianity, and the on hearing that the Emperor is now a christian, they rebel. The lack of Roman legions favor the rebellion and soon, small Gaulish warlords proclaim themselves kings and overthrow the Roman yoke. Crispus abandons the peacefull methods and launches an invasion into Gallic lands. Within the year 324, Gaul is reconquered, with some of the former Gallic legions re-stationed there to avoid further discontent. In Iberia, situation is far calmer. The Iberians being far from Rome, hardly take notice of what is happening to the Empire. Crispus returns in 325 in Rome, which flaired up as soon as he left. Christianity is now a major religion in Rome, with the followers of the old faith becoming a small minority. Facing this turmoil, Crispus makes christianity the state's religion. Himself a christian, just how Constantine, his father would want, he created a realm where everyone is free to believe whatever he wants. Or so he believes.

325 - 330 AD
Within these years the numbers of christians increase in Rome and they start to increase in other parts of Italy as well. In Rome, all the pagan temples have already been burned, destroyed, or simply made into christian churches. The same unrest that Rome has seen 8 years ago, is about to be seen in the whole western Roman world. Christianity is spreading, due to the continuous persecution of the Eastern Emperor Licinius and the favorable christian lands of the West. The East hunts christianity with a passion, proclaiming the old faith to be the one and true faith. The Eastern Empire now favors the ancient Roman god Janus, mostly by misinterpretations of old scripts, when Rome was a small city called Latium. This ancient deity is revived in the Eastern Empire, combined with Platonic scripts, it creates a strong religious backbone. Faith of Janus is signed as the official faith of the Eastern Empire, in the Edict of Byzantium, considering christianity and judaism to be false. More and more christians flee to the west, leaving few people behind. In Western Empire though, the numbers of refugees increase month by month, making squalor reach very high levels. In Rome, homeless christians live and sleep in the Forum, as the emperor hastes to build camps and villages for them to stay. These 4 years the religious word begins to spread. To the west, the christian monks start as new apostles, to teach the word of jesus christ. To the east, the priests teach the ancient doctrines.

330 - 336 AD
The "proselytism" has begun. The Eastern Empire is passing down to the populus, ancient teachings about the gods, Romans and Greeks. The new edict for the Eastern Empire acknowledges religious freedom, except to those of christianity and judaism. The message is simple: conversion or exile. The first targets are the areas of Asia Minor and the greek cities of Europe. After more than 12 years of persecution, there is still large number of christians in the empire. The center of the faith, the lands of Palestine are packed with christians and jewish. The wave still hasnt reached those lands yet. To the west, Crispus is unable to maintain peace between the immigrant refugees and the natives. Christian hits christian, christian robs christian, as the squalor reaches tremendous levels. By the year 333 AD, this situation is more than what Rome can bear. Crispus, who by now is a devout christian, taught the virtues of christianity and lived by them, as much an Emperor can do that, signs the order for religion persecution in the western lands...of the pagans. He intends to payback the Eastern Emperor Licinius, with the same coin. With their numbers dropping month by month, the pagans suffer as the legions burn their homes and force them to flee. This persecution will last for many more years, even after the end of the christian torments to the East.

337 - 338 AD
The word reaches Gaul once again, that conversion or defeat is the Roman ultimatum. The Romans demand from Gaul to formally submit to the one god, as Rome did 18 years ago. Gaul is flairing up once again, and the warlords, followers of Tutatis and Epona, march to war against Rome. Crispus immediately seats his younger brother Constantine to the Roman throne, and travels to Gaul, to rest the rebellion. After 1 year of campaigning, the Gaullish are defeated for second time, by their Roman adversaries. By the end of year 338 AD, Crispus reinstates Roman authority to Gaul. His emissaries are sent to all the surviving warlords of Gaul, they carry the proposal that will secure peace and stability in Gaul. Many of them accept the offer and start their travel to the center of the Roman world, Rome herself. In the mean time Licinius, who is more than 50 years old by now, delivers the final blow. Crucifications, butchering, looting, rapings. If the Eastern Empire was the center of christianity, it certainly is not right now. Licinius, old, tired and un-ethical reduced much of Eastern Empire. There are hardly any christians left, less than 10-15% of the population. The fields, ravaged. The towns, full of ruins of christian churches. He successfully launches the persecution to the eastern parts of the Empire, leading another handful of christians to seek refuge in Persian lands. The center of christianity and judaism, Jerusalem, has been burned from side to side. Actions that cause more harm, than good to the Empire. By the end of the year 338 AD, the persentage of christians dropped lower than 10% and soon to be extinct.

339 - 349 AD
Crispus meets up with the representatives of the Gauls. He offers them sanctification of their gods Epona and Esus, in order to convert them to christianity, and to also satisfy their pagan beliefs. Forced by the spilled Gaullish blood, and the turmoil of the times, many of them agree to the Roman terms. Those who dont, are presented with an awkward choice: to either flee to non-Roman lands, or to leave Gaul and march towards the Eastern Empire. Crispus would grant free pass through Roman lands, no matter which choice. To the East now. Licinius dies from old-age, on his way back to Nikomedia. Eastern Emperor becomes Licinius the younger, son of Licinius, as Licinius the II. August and co-emperor becomes Valerius Valens who, although aged, he is still capable as commander. As soon as Licinius gets to his fathers throne, he made it a target to rebuild the Empire, from the actions of his father. First was the reconcilment between the two empires. Licinius II and Crispus signed a pact of non-aggression and the exchange of populations, an act that would last for the next 10 years, instead of brutal persecutions. Many Gaullish warriors found themselves and their families moving towards the balkans these and the next years, seeking religious freedom. The exchange was hardly finished in 10 years, with hordes of Gaullish people swarming Illyricum. Settling in Macedonia and Pannonia, Licinius II grants them citizenship, knowing that they will be the plaster for the rebuild of the Empire. To the west, the pagan Gauls abandoned their homes, but the remaining became christians, praising Epona and Esus as christian saints. The conversion was slow, but it took place and reached entire Gaul. Lugdunum was the first Gaullish city to erect a christian temple dedicated to Epona.

350 AD
Valerius Valens is the victor over Constantine. The cocky August served the east Empire all his life, with little to earn. Ambitious, despite his old age, he dreams of Imperial purple. Yes, he wants the throne for himself, and why not, the Roman throne as well? The new emperor is not Licinius, he is nothing but a ghost of Licinius administration. In his mind, he believes that HE is the true heir, he is the rightfull heir, not Licinius II. So he makes the big plan. By the Via Egnatia, he moves to the south greece and plans to take over from there. He knows that Licinius is still in the eyes of the Legions, the true and only Emperor and that the legions of East would follow him, and he knows that his only chance is to march his army to Peloponessus and let the Imperial legions follow him, so he can make his stand here, on the rough hills of Attica and Peloponessus. His soldiers at Andrianople are newly trained. They are no match for superior forces of Licinius, but there, the narrow paths and the hillfight favor the defender. So when the Emperor will arrive to punish him, he can emerge victorious. A smart plan indeed. By mid 350, he drags his army towards southern Greece. He takes Via Egnatia once more, bypasses the city of Thessaloniki and the garrison and starts his march to the south. Greece is looted and the villages burned. He crosses the Isthmus and pillages the little wealth Peloponesse has to offer. The small regiments of Peloponessus capitulate. News reach the Emperor of Valerius betrayal. By the end of the year, Licinius II is forced to act. He raised his army, and begins the march. At the same time, his messengers arrive to the gaullish camps and villages to ask for warriors, willing to fight for the Emperor who gave them shelter. By the next year, history is about to decide the fate of the Eastern Roman Empire.

351 AD
The Imperial army reaches south greece. It crosses the Isthmus in mid march. These lands are narrow indeed. Although Licinius has the advantage of number, it means nothing here, as they would have to fight in a narrow path, or charge upwards a mountain. After weeks of march, the Licinius army met the usurper Valerius at the banks of river Eurota. Small skirmishes between the camps during the next days. For 5 days soldiers fight and die in attriction and skirmishing. At the beggining of the 6th day, Valerius Valens dies from old age. The army's second in command, a minor Greek christian named Ioannes, surrenders unconditionally. The rebel army surrenders after this move, followed by a decimation, and the transfer of the surviving men to the very eastern borders. The coup-d-etat is officially defeated. Licinius II returns to Nicomedia without a triumph. To the West, the Christian faith is stable now between Romans and barbarians, forming a sort of unity. Crispus knows that both realms are part of an Empire, who's bad luck was to split, so he asks for meeting with the Eastern Emperor. The two meet by the end of the year in the city of Naissus, who by own is populated mainly by Celts who abandoned Gaul. After days and weeks of discussion, the persecution of christianity stops in the Eastern empire. Licinius and Crispus sign the Edict of Naissus, which basically repeats the Edict of Mediolanum, for the Eastern Empire. They also sign a pact of military support and a 100 years non-agression. With these terms, its little to separate it from an alliance between the two realms.

352 - 400 AD
Various events happen during this period, which is full of Emperors who fail to have their name carved in history. The Celtic christianity of Saint Epona and Saint Esus mergers with Christianity to the Western empire. The two empires seem to live in stability. Not as much as the old days when the Roman empire was at the peak of its power, but it is still a civilised land to live. Until now. To the west, more and more German tribes appear to the horizon, crossing the Roman borders and settling in, mostly in Alpean Gaul and the lands around Aquileia. There is general hostility between Romanised nations and barbarians and that leads to situations unfavorable for the first ones. To the east, the large number of Gauls settles in the area of Thrace. The cities of Andrianople and Phillipople speak Celtic as their second language. This forces the Eastern emperor to grand them rights, and equal citizenship. With them, they bring the worship of Epona, who was mentioned before, as the goddess of war for the pagan Celts, but now has little to no different from Saint Epona, protector of christian Celts. Many non ethnic Celts adopt this new religion, as they see is something between the old faith and christianity. Within these 50 years, much of the Balkan lands follow this religion, as it starts to spread in the Asia Minor as well. While these happens to the East, the West suffers even more. The pagan Germans becomes more and more of a burden for the Roman emperor, as they dont pay taxation, they refuse to settle and ravage the lands. The western empire considers them now as invaders and not as settlers. The Germans defeat a Roman army, and they soldify their positions in north Italy. To Gaul, the Frankish tribes invade Gaul in the same style, overthrowing the Roman yoke in many cities of western Gaul and establishing them as rulers. By the 70s of the 4th century, the Western Empire is split in half. Rome possesses almost all Italy, Sicily and the africa shorelands, along with Ibera. The German tribes hold north Italy and the Alps. The Franks take over half Gaul, with Roman authority only to the west lands. Typically its still Western empire, but you can hardly call the people Romans. The barbarians bring with them the savageness of their lands. In order to Romanise them, and to hopefully ensure stability and dont break apart, the Emperor grants them the right of Roman citizenship, along with military positions for their warlords, as long as they convert to christianity. The new settlers, they are aware of the prestige Rome had and still has, and accept, because a few small victories do not ensure their existance. To the east, Gothic germans appear to the Danube. While they still havent crossed the Danube, the eastern emperor sends legions to the cold frontiers. In the mind of both the Eastern and the Western Roman Emperor lies one question: What could cause thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homelands and start crossing into the Roman lands so desperately? Problems do not stop to occure though, throughout the Roman world. The Berber Magistrate of Africa rebels. The Roman legions fail to restore order, and the rebellion spreads to the entire Africa coastline, except the Egyptian lands. Seeing these kind of events, it is expedient that the army should be reformed. Otherwise more and more military defeats will be dealt to the Empire.

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401 - 430 AD
The african lands of the Western Empire are lost forever. In Gaul, the tension between Franks and Gauls increases year by year. The Alemmanni and Vandals of north Italy demand more and more rights and positions in the Roman ranks. A series of incompetend magistrates are stripped off their position to place German warlords. More german tribes cross into the Western Roman Empire. Another branch of Goths, the Visigoths cross the lands as if they seek refuge. They finally settle in Iberia, where they pillage and loot the Roman lands. The old Roman legions show their incompetense in fighting the Germanic tribes, by losing yet another battle. The Iberians hide behind their cities walls, as the Visigoths burn their lands. The emperor of the West tries hard to hold the Iberian lands. His legions marched twice into Iberia where they met the Visigoths with little success. At 408 AD he offers terms of peace: all Visigoths to convert to christianity, the lands of Iberia will be given to Visigoths as protectorate, military support against the Franks. The Visigoth warlords agree, and the kingdom of Visigoths is established under King Eurik I.After the peace treaty, the Western armies undergo a reformation. The old fashioned armor is abolished, the usage of chain-mail is favored, mostly due to lack of funding. Also, the glorious and infamous gladius was abolished as well, in favor of Germanic longswords. Generally the heavy legionaire had to lighten up to face the swift moves of the lightly armored German warriors. Cavalry is largely German mercenaries and conscripts, as Italy has few able horsemen to field. Despite those changes, the army still had difficulties to operate, as the, German now, commanders knew little about fielding so big armies. However, by 425 AD, authority was restored in the most part of Gaul. To the East, the increasing number of Goths (now knows as Ostrogoths) to the Danube, and the suffer of the Celts of Thrace, makes the Emperor go to war. Celts and Romans fight the Ostrogoths who refuse to flee the lands of Danube. The Empire is forced to sign treaty after two years of fighting and stalemates. The Ostrogoths are not allowed to enter Roman lands, but they become Roman protectorate and they are under full protection of the Empire. The legions are reformed and rearmed after the last war. Gladia were abandoned in favor of a new type of sword, mostly used by eastern barbarians. A curved saber, razor sharp, capable to cut feathers on wind, replaces the gladius, who was by far inferior. The new type of sword has nearly twice the length of a gladius, and fits better in fights against the new imperial opponents. The Celts bring the trend of chainmail, abolishing the logica segmentata and the old helmets. The shields also change to more mobile oval shields that still protect the body, but are not as heavy as scutae were. The new Roman legions now look more like copies of the barbarians they were fighting against for centuries. Knowing the eastern danger, many eastern armies were trained in the use of spear and pike, in order to stop the devastating heavy cavalry of the eastern realms. In matters of religion, paganism reduced to small levels in the Western Empire. The policy of the Western Empire to christianize every Roman citizen created a unity, although unstable. To the Eastern Empire, the sacrifices have been history for many decades. The Empire remains pagan, although christian at the same time. Saint Epona, protector of Celts, is now protector of all empire. Moreover, the name "Esus" is easily mistake for "Iesus" or "Jesus", so a confusion is indeed taking place. The worship of Epona has taken over most of the Balkans, ever since it came from Gaul, nearly 100 years ago. To the eastern lands of the Eastern Roman Empire, christianity and judaism start to spread again, while Zoroastrianism starts to be practiced in some areas of Palestine. By 430 AD, a certain stability exist in the world.

431 AD
The horde bigger than any other appear in the horizon. Hundreds of thousand of warriors, accompanied by their families reach the lands of the Ostrogoths. The Roman diplomats of the areas further Danube are hearing stories of bloodthirsty demons, riding on their horses, butchering every single living being on their way, looting and pillaring and destroying everything. The Huns have arrived. The Huns did short work of the Ostrogoths who faced the Huns helpless, despite the promises of Roman support. Eastern Roman Emperor at this time was Arcadian, an old and prudent man, and had no wish to see the red demons ravage his Empire. He quickly transfers an asian legion to european lands, and deploys his armies along the Danube river. By mid summer the Huns have completed their "conquest" of Ostrogoth lands, forcing them to flee to the west. They now, press towards the Roman lands. The Roman army meets them outside Phillipople, led by two brother, Atilla and Bleda. Arcadian, declines the terms given to him by the Huns, and battle commenses. The battle of Phillipople ends in a stalemate. This delivers a strike to both camps. Huns fear the Romans and disunity begins to surface. Romans fear the Huns and are ready to abandon their position. The Empire is saved, when Bleda and Atilla decide to move away from the Eastern Roman Empire. By the end of the year, they dwell at their steppes, until the right moment, when they would begin their march again.

432 AD
The Huns are on the move again. Atilla and Bleda are motivated by the slowly crumbling western empire. They pass to the Roman lands of Gaul. For the biggest part of spring they what they do best. They burn and kill most of the German lands and then they invade Gaul. The Franks and the Gauls cannot resist the Hunnic rage on their own. The Visigoths of Spain use this to proclaim themselves liberated from Roman control. The ruler of Africa, mounts an offensive in Sicily and captures it. The Eastern Roman Empire refuses to aid the Western Emperor. The lands of Britain are abandoned by the Western Empire to their own fate. In these troubled times and with the Huns pushing even deeper into Gaul, the old now Western Emperor Joannes, loses the Roman throne by a woman named Placidia and her son Valentinian. Placidia is an adventurist, an arriviste, and her son a completely incompetent person. The Gauls are forced to ask for peace with the Huns, they offer Bleda and Atilla military support and their allegiance against their enemies. Powerfull now, commanding many Scythian and German tribes, the Hun warlords turn their attention to Italy. The Roman protectorate of Alemmanni surrenders and follows the Huns. By the end of the year, the Huns poured down the Italian peninsula, looting and burning all they found on their path. And to the East, the situation is no favorable. Vandal and Alan hordes press on the Danube border again. To the eastern border, the Sassanids declare war and start invading the Holy Lands and Egypt. In the name of a "holy war" they seek to remove christianity and judaism and install zoroastrinism in those lands....and to gain a little extra coin by owning Egypt and Jerusalem.

433 AD
The temporary salvation from the barbarians reached the end for the Eastern Empire. The Vandals crossed the Danube and besiege the lands of Pannonia, Moesia and Dardania. The city of Salona falls to their hands after one month of siege, by brutal force. After Salona, they defeat a small Roman detachment and continue towards Doclea. Doclea falls to Vandal hands. Emperor Arcadian sends his caesar, Marcian to defeat the Vandal assault. The western army follows the Via Egnatia and reaches Thessalonica. Along with the city's garisson, Marcian marches towards Dyrrhacchium, who is the next Vandal target. The Vandal leader, Gaiseric, knowing the Roman legions come after him, he abandons his campaign towards Dyrrhaccium and retreats to Pannonia. Marcian follows him into it. After months of chasing, the Roman army meets the Vandals outside Salona. The outcome is a decisive Roman victory. Gaiseric, king of Vandals is captured after the battle and suffers a humiliating death as prey for hunting dogs. Marcian enters Salona as a savior. His army replenishes supplies, and by early summer, his legions march towards Sirmium, and from there to Sigindunum, and all the way to Phillipople. The Alans started to break through the Danube. The summertime favor the invaders, as the worm climate favored their movement. The West suffers though. The Huns have reached Rome, and besiege it. Lack of provisions, bad decisions of the Emperor and incompetense of many officers, caused the breakdown of the Western lands. The expected help from the East never arrived, Rome falls to the Huns after a monthly siege. What follows is the pillage of the city, the massacre of the inhabitants and the destruction of anything that stood higher than a Hun's head. The Western Empire is gone. The late Emperor Valentinian was found dead in the burned palace, days after the destruction. To the very east, the Sassanids are met with little success. The small cities fall almost instantly to the numbers of the Persian warriors. The heavy katafrakts of the east, trample over the small garrisons and take over much of the Holy Lands. They numbers count more than 80.000 soldiers, a number that the Eastern Empire can hardly match, especially with half the army fighting along the Danube river. Both eastern armies are less than 45.000 men together. Jerusalem falls after long monthy siege. By the end of the year, the Sassanids turn towards Antioch, leaving Egypt on its own.

434 AD
The Roman armies meet a terrible defeat outside of Antioch. The prisoners were executed and the officers decapitated, with their hands placed on top of pikes. Ferbuary 434 AD and the siege of Antioch begins. Marcian, who is successfully defeated the Alans, is forced to march with his army to Thessalonica, and then by fleet to the southern shores of Cilicia. The trip is long, many soldiers get afflicted with pneumonia. Their stop to the port city of Rhodes seems like heaven to them. They finish their trip and they land to the port of Seleucia. They begin the march towards Antioch...only to see smoke and flames. Antioch has been taken by the Sassanids, and had the same fate Jerusalem had. Marcian sets up his defenses in the narrow paths of Cilicia. He sends messengers back to the Emperor in Nikomedia. With less than 20.000 men, its impossible to hold the Persians off forever. Emperor Arcadian transferred the capital of the Empire from Nicomedia to Andrianople, until the Persian danger was gone. The rest year is followed by a number of attriction fights and the Roman army in a tactic retreat through Anatolian lands. The decisive moment is around october of year 434 AD. Marcian faces off the Sassanid army in the mountain passes around Nicaea. The narrow Roman victory forces the Sassanids to fall back to defensive. The end of the year finds the eastern Empire crumbling. Half lands gone, with Sassanid flags waving on their walls. Emperor Arcadian dies of sorrow and old age. He leaves no heir behind him, so Marcian usurps the throne for himself.

435 - 440 AD
To the west, the hatred towards Huns is increasing. Romans are oppressed by the Huns, and the German subjects of Bleda conspire against the Huns. Atilla is assassinated, and soon, Bleda follows. The Huns become leaderless, their "vassal" Germans uprise. A number of small battles and the takeover of the rural areas by German warlords, cause the steady withdrawal of Hunnic warriors and their families, towards their old lands. More than 40 German warlords now rule in central and southern Italy, each of them with his own tribe. Their disunity leads to their defeat by the stronger, Vandal warlord. The ruler Gunderic, an old but strong man, united the German tribes under the banner and name of the Vandals and created what his supposedly half-brother Gaiseric could not: a sovereign kingdom. Before 437 AD he became king of Rome, creating the Vandal Kingdom of Italy, which incorporated the Alemmani kingdom, thus creating the first Italian state after the fall of Rome, less than 10 years ago. In Gaul, the wars between Gauls and Franks ceased and two united kingdoms appeared. The Gaullish kingdom, under High King Aemilius (a Roman Gaul) and the Frankish kingdom, under King Marwig. Western Europe is largely christianic now, the old religions are gone. Though it came from Palestine, most of the barbarians call christ the "Roman god". The Eastern Empire took a serious blow. The loss of Palestine and Syria, along with most of the eastern lands, except Egypt, caused a serious blow to the Imperial coffers. The capital did not exist anymore, as the administration was constantly on the move. Marcian had an epiphany. To gather up the refuges from the lands conquered, and settle them in the cities of Bosporus, thus giving them a land to live, a place to work, so that they can make profit for him. Chalcedon, Byzantium and the fishing villages of the area grew in population. Marcian begins to expand those cities, often taking from ravaged and destroyed settlements, even desecrating ancient temples for their material. Before 440 AD those cities were large enough to start producing enough coin for the empire to rerun her business. And her business is conquest.

441 AD
Marcian founds Marcianople, a brand new built city at the shores of Bosporus, where the ancient city of Byzantium was. The products of the area provide alot of coinage to the, old now, Emperor. Marcian saw the potential of this settlement to be a great city, and invites the Celts of Thrace to leave the mountainous areas along Evros and populate this area, where they could grow crops. He donates lands to the poorest classes and imposes heavy taxation for the rich landowners. Much of the taxes are taken by force. The lack of lands and funds prevent from fielding large numbers and the grand armies of the once glorious Roman Empire. The armies undergo yet another reform. Core infantry becomes lighter, having only chainmail cuirass, abandoning all heavy armor. The armies now invest on spears, and their curved swords become shorter, to save metal. Alot of attention is given to archery, as its the only way now to hold enemies at bay. Cavalry is shrunk in numbers, as Emperor Marcian refuses to resort in mercenaries. The year ends without major events, in both east and west.

442 - 445 AD
Eponism is the major faith in the Eastern Empire. While the Sassanid captured lands still have multiple faiths, the core of the Empire follows Eponism now. Eponism as now considered a form of christianity, as the confusion came from the name Iesus/Jesus and the Celtic god Esus. In Eponism, Saint Epona gave birth to Esus, a demi-god who was foully murdered by his enemies and his followers await his return, as a god. The difference between Christianity and Eponism is that, while the glorified person is Jesus, it's Epona, who is praised and worshipped in Eponism, as she is the one who set up the plans for the kingdom of her son. For the West, Eponism is a heresy, cursed many times by the religious leaders. For the East, the Western Christianity is still a religion based on a weak man who couldnt protect himself. The Vandals, pagan while following the long-gone Huns, have embraced Christianity now. The Sassanids, consider both religion of the "Western World" as pathetic heresies, and plan to spread the word of Zoroaster to the faithless Westerns. The fiasco of Nicaea, 8 years ago, is the only thing that hold them back. The Romans won a pyrrhic victory, yet a victory nontheless. Many minor events happen at the end of that era. Marcian, the last Roman Emperor, dies from sickness. The Eastern Roman throne is taken by a Celt named Brenus. Vandal king becomes Huneric, after Gunderic's death. In the Sassanid lands, the civil war strikes between brothers who all wish to be Shahs. Hormizd III, the rightfull Shah, and Peroz the Usurper, fight for the throne.

446 - 550 AD
During these years, Brennus endorses Eponism at the state's faith. He funds Marcianople and Chalcedon and grants lands to the people, the same way Marcian did. Within the 25 years of his reign, Marcianople becomes a large city. Brennus II (son of Brennus I) becomes Emperor at 470 AD and transfers the capital from Andrianople, to Marcianople, hoping this would drag even more people in the city. However, the for-long neglected Egypt rebels against the Roman authority. Another coffer blow, delivered to the Eastern "Roman" Empire. Egypt was a rich land, and they profited alot the Empire with their tributes. Now, even less money for the Imperial coffer. Brennus II reign lasted until the end of 5th century, he was succeeded by Hieronymus, a Roman-Greek general of Macedonia. To the Western, Huneric's reign brought much wealth to Rome. He conquest of Sicily and Sardinia, added two more regions to draw taxes from. Moreover, he went as far as naming himself King of Vandals and Romans, which was an outrage, however taken lightly by the Celt emperors of the East, who considered themselves simply "Emperors of Celts and Greeks". Huneric even forced, before his death, the coastal cities of Gaul, to pay him small tributes. The Western Roman Empire was trying to revive herself, and all that by a barbarian German, captain of those who sacked the capital...Rome. The 6th century is by far more favorable for the West. The new leader, Gentus was a Vandal-Roman, pious christian, and mindful leader. He abolished many un-civil rights and donated land to the landless. He formed an Imperial army, based in old Roman fashion. Heavy assault "Legionary" infantry, with strong shields and chainmail armor, wielding axes and swords. Auxiliary soldiers, and medium cavalry, to hit the flanks and break the enemy. The army became proffessional, with mediocre salaries, and underwent hard training. The new Roman Kingdom was ready, not only to defend against anyone, but conquer and reinstate the Roman glory. After his death, the Throne of Rome passed hands to his son, Elderic, who preserved what his father created. To the East, situation was far more dire. The Slavic nations of Moravia invaded the Roman lands, as they were hunted by the Avars. Hieronymus had no other choice, but to allow them to seek refuge in Roman lands. Their language was known only by very few of his diplomats. Their ways, far more different than the Roman. The Slavs didnt pillage the lands given to them, but rather settled and tried to herd sheeps and raise crops. Though they did have their warriors, they prefered to live peacefully, worshipping their pagan gods. Most of them settled in the areas of Naissus and Sigindunum. As the years passed, with more Slavs arriving, their language war accustomed, with many Romans understanding them. The Imperial army, protected them, and they lived peacefully, although there was still caution between Romans and Slavs. Hieronymus passed legislations to make them Roman citizens and give them rights. Soon, the Slavs were allowed to own property inside the Roman cities, and own their lands. Moreover, they were to present 18 year old males to the garrison commanders, as soldiers. The increase of population, due to the Slavic migration was a good thing to inflate the Imperial army numbers. Before the migration, the Imperial army was less than 30.000 soldiers. After it, the numbers were doubled, numbering at least 55.000 soldiers. Hieronymus did what we could to make Slavs accepted to the Roman Empire. So by the time he died, he was definately successful in his own mind. In 522 AD, the successor, and son, of Hieronymus, Marcus, a Greek man, abolished the "Roman" idiom, making the Empire a Greek one. He abolished the use of Latin, and used the Greek language for all official business. He translated all documents from Latin to Greek, and used to Greek alphabet to script the Celtic, who was the spoken language from Andrianople to Nikomedia, and the Slavic, who was mostly spoken to the northwest. The first attempts had little success, so it was needed for a variable alphabet to be made. Marcus died and left the throne to Alexander, husband of his daughter Caliroe. Alexander became Emperor at 540AD, hardly 20 years old. Just like his name-sake, he was a dreamer, and his dreams was all about restoring the empire of Alexander the III.

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