Brutus and Cassius win in Phillipi: a TL

Jokerang

Banned
Chapter 9: 20-10 BC

In 19 BC, the fleet that had been lost many years ago decided to return with some of the riches and natives to tell their story. Upon their arrival to Rome, they entertained Octavian and his court of the painted faces, blowdart guns that could shoot faster than arrows, and a number of strange and fabulous beasts.Octavian began organizing large expeditions to try and reconnect with the most far-flung corner of his domain. Alough most of the fleets did not make it back, the did colonize several island chains and the west coast of Africa.

During this time, Caeserion slowly puppetized Nubia. First he began attempting to limit ascess to the Nile river, an important water source and trade area for both Egypt and Nubia. Soon the Nubians were paying tribute to keep the river open and going. At the same time, Caeserion filled the Nubian royal court with pro-Egyptian advisors and ambassidors, hoping to gain influence. The countries on the east coast of the Red Sea in Arabia also felt Egypt's might: Caeserion once visited one of them and the local high priest declared him to be a devine being. The waters of the Red Sea became an Egyptian lake. The cult of Anubis also spread, reaching Hispania ands Parthia.

The Germanic Wars came to an end: the Boii were pushed back into Bohemia and forced to broker a harsh truce with the legions of Rome. Many of them were not happy with the davistation they had caused the outskirts of the Western Rome. Most of the Boii are forceibly relocated to a new and harsh to farm on land, competing wit the locals.

In Judea, an wealthy noble named Herod takes over the govenorship. He convinces the Senate to give him autonomy and also make Judea the equivilant of a client state. For this, the Jews call him "the Great" and nickname him the king. He sets himself to begin the construction of a new temple, to replace the one destroyed by Babylon in the last days of Isreal.

(Short, but covers a number of subjects. Happy Holloween. Next update will be on Anubis and religion.)
 
It is believeable that Roman fleet can across accidentally Atlantic Ocean but I don't believe that they can come back Rome. They hardly know where they are and how to go back.
 

Jokerang

Banned
It is believeable that Roman fleet can across accidentally Atlantic Ocean but I don't believe that they can come back Rome. They hardly know where they are and how to go back.
I agree, the whole things seems very ASB. But I thought that I'd introduce it as a nice plot twist. Besides, Clive Cussler had books on where the Ark of the Conevant was taken by ship to Virginia and another simular far-fetched story.
 

Jokerang

Banned
Chapter 10: Why Anubis won out among the Gods

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A stela with Julius Osiris making offerings to Anubis and Isis. Despite the rise of Anubis, Isis, remained the second most popular Egyptian deity in the world.

It is odd the the cult of Anubis, out of all of Egypt's gods, should be the one to take root in the outside world. by the 4th century BC, he had been given a minor role in the pantheon. In addition, the Ptolemeys introduced the Greek pantheon and Serapis, further limiting the cult of Aunbis' role in Egyptian religion and politics.

But two events served to change all this. First, Marc Antony had been using a lot system to decide which of the gods to give the most tribute to, under pressure of Cleopatra. On the first time around, he drew Horus, Neith, and Anubis. These three deities were to be honored the most as long as Antony ruled, and the preists would call upon the most during times of drought and just overall negativity.

The second event was the rescue of Caeserion by a jackal.

The Anubian cult proved to be the most suscessiful, due to the promise of an afterlife, it's condemnation of the guilty (evil people have no future after death), the equality of it's preisthood, and the sheer influence it held in Cleopatra's children and favorites. Beginning in 22 BC, the cult spread to Judea, where the local Anubians were opposed by the Jews, alough some small communitites took root in the south. Syria was the next stop for the cult; Antioch grew and cared over a moderately large Anubian cult. Wester Rome was to also attract itself to Anubis. Alougth Anubian worship was banned, for it was an advisary's god, it survuved in Gaul where the Celts identified the Jackal-Headed One with several local nature deities. Finall, it even made it's way to China: an Anubian temple was excavated in the Tian Shan mountians, far from the Nile River and Egypt.

By the birth of Christ, Anubis was the Second most worshipped god in the Ancient world. Only Jupiter and Juno were able to raise enough followers and money to rival the cult that once was the religion of beggars, the hopeless, and the outcasts. indeed, the rise of Christ was the only thing stopping the dominance of Anubis over the hearts and minds of the people of the two Romes.
 

Jokerang

Banned
Chapter 11: Who will Augustus choose?

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Head of Nero Drusus, one of Octavian's stepsons

Alougth Octavian had ended the Republician era and established a new monarchy, his mind was troubled by one question: who would suscede him when he died. Octavian had several choices that would be replaced and tested throughout his regime.

His first choice was his step-son Tiberius, an ambitious and power-ready young man. Fate, however, dicided that he would die early; he was slain in a Boii raid on eastern Gaul in 28 BC. This act was enough to have Octavian commit half the legions in the region to invade Germania. The next choice and rival of Tiberius was Marcus Agrippa, a commander in the Germanic wars and a friend of the Julian family. His loyality could be assured. But he was not a blood relative, and was not adopted by Octavian. Instead, Octavian named Nero Claudius Drusus has his sole heir to the empire.

The brother of Tiberius and another step-son of Octavian, Drusus was not the type at first expected to be a great leader. He was short (one historian of the time says 5'4') and prefered the writings of Plato and Stoicism rather than battle and glory in trimupths. Octavian had previously ignored him as an intlectual, but wanted a well-rounded heir, and thus chose him as the next man in line. Drusus was sent off to a military academy to learn from great commanders like Marcus Agrippa and Titus Flavianus.

Octavian bestowed many honors on his stepson. In 19 BC, Drusus was granted the ability to hold all public offices five years before the minimum age. When the incubent left Italy during his term as praetor in 16 BC, Drusus legislated in his place. He became quaestor the following year, fighting against Raetian bandits in the Alps. Drusus repelled them, gaining honors, but was unable to smash their forces, and required reinforcement from the generals. They then easily defeated the local Alpine tribes.

17 BC, Drusus was sent to govern Gaul to quell riots caused by the actions of a previous administrator. While there, a tribe of Germans entered Gaul and proceeded to attack Roman settlements. Drusus mobilized his legions and beat the invaders back across the Rhine. He penetrated deep into German territory, traveling as far as the North Sea and placing a yearly tribute on the Frisii. As a reward, Drusus was made praetor urbanus for 16 BC.

Proven himself in the frontier, Drusus now possesed all the things a true Roman Emperor was expected to have. Now all he had to do was dispose of any rivals and wait for the old man to die. . .
 

Jokerang

Banned
Need ideas

I am stumped on ideas for the next chapter. Would anyone like to request a subject? The first person to post an idea I like gets the next cameo.
 
In OTL Octavian negotiated the return of the Roman standards that Parthia captured when Crassus was defeated. He sent Tiberius as the head of the delegation to retrieve them as one of his diplomatic jobs to train him as a successor. Octavian could negotiate this in TTL and send Drusus as part of his grooming.

Octavian doubled the size of the Roman empire and secured more or less stable frontiers along the German border. This is also where he put relatives in command of the army to train them in generalship.

An early invasion of Britain?

Battle of Teutoberg Wald in 9 AD. OTL Varrus lost 3 legions and their auxiliaries (total 27,000-30,000 men). This was about 10% of the Roman army, lost in one battle and Octavian's greatest military disaster. Will this still happen? It did haunt him for the rest of his life.
 

Jokerang

Banned
In OTL Octavian negotiated the return of the Roman standards that Parthia captured when Crassus was defeated. He sent Tiberius as the head of the delegation to retrieve them as one of his diplomatic jobs to train him as a successor. Octavian could negotiate this in TTL and send Drusus as part of his grooming.

Octavian doubled the size of the Roman empire and secured more or less stable frontiers along the German border. This is also where he put relatives in command of the army to train them in generalship.

An early invasion of Britain?

Battle of Teutoberg Wald in 9 AD. OTL Varrus lost 3 legions and their auxiliaries (total 27,000-30,000 men). This was about 10% of the Roman army, lost in one battle and Octavian's greatest military disaster. Will this still happen? It did haunt him for the rest of his life.
For the standards idea, it might not be possible. The Eastern Republic has the land bordering the Parthians and is their best friend right now, so. . .

Lightbulb. War idea.

The two Romes go into another war in 5 BC over who gets the standards and some other things. Octavian is wounded in a battle and dies a few years later. Drusus gets the Empire.

As for Britain, I don't think so. I've already had the tribes in the southern part of the island unite, so it'll be a tough nut for the Romans to crack.
 
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