Guns of the Romans

I'll give you that most cultures that have discovered gun powder have eventually invented a gun of some sort, but how good those guns would be might be the big question.

Obviously, if they couldn't do much better than the 14th century handgonne from OTL, they probably would have lost interest pretty quickly. The earliest firearms were mostly used to scare the enemy because they could barely hit the broad side of a barn. Since the Romans had the best infantry, cavalry, and navy of their day without it, a short-sighted Roman commander might have scoffed at the potential of gunpowder.

But here's an interesting twist: supposing, say, the Goths or some other Northern European group got hold of the technology and actually managed to make it work for them after the Romans decided it was no good? That would have made Rome that much more vulnerable.
 
I think it'll take longer for Romans to develop gunpowder as an effective weapon then mediaeval Europeans so if this is developed around 50 AD we could see arquebuses by 400 and barbarian invasions prevented.
 
I think it'll take longer for Romans to develop gunpowder as an effective weapon then mediaeval Europeans so if this is developed around 50 AD we could see arquebuses by 400 and barbarian invasions prevented.

It might have given a slight tactical advantage, but a lot of the internal problems that led to the fall of Rome might not have been circumvented. For that matter, Rome's army in its heyday could have prevented such an invasion, but for a decline in organization and morale.
 
It might have given a slight tactical advantage, but a lot of the internal problems that led to the fall of Rome might not have been circumvented. For that matter, Rome's army in its heyday could have prevented such an invasion, but for a decline in organization and morale.

It would have made massive differences. For example at the Battle of Adrianople (or its equivalent) if the Romans had arquebuses it would have won the day with bullets regardless of tactical mistakes.
 

Nietzsche

Banned
Why do people always assume gun-powder = guns? You won't see guns first. You'll see rockets. Any retard can make one, they can be mass-produced and used enmasse as either a siege tactic or simply against a mass of infantry in a field. Would it be very effective? Well, in a siege situation, yes. Big explosive thing that's on fire against...mostly flammable structures. Know what else you get? Much easier mining. Easier mining means you can field larger, better-equipped armies. More armies equals more power-projection. And while I doubt we'll be seeing a space program in 1300, we will see a far more advanced..and dare I say it, steam-punkish(or 'gunpowder punk') civilization.

On the downside, alot more people are going to die. And if the Romans do develop it first as rockets, they might very well be seen as gods or, atleast, extremely powerful magicians by the less advanced nations/tribes of the world.
 
If it was invented in the 1st century, I see Explosive Artillery being the way Rome uses it.[ OTL Rome had very good Artillery Engines]
This means Rome Conquers Parthia in the 2nd Century.
By the 4th Century, I see the Legions carrying Grenades to be thrown starting the Battle, instead of the short javelins of OTL.
 
Weird, today I started working on a timeline with Archimedes discovering gunpowder, eventually rediscovered by the Romans who invent the gunpowder cannon.
 
Weird, today I started working on a timeline with Archimedes discovering gunpowder, eventually rediscovered by the Romans who invent the gunpowder cannon.
This is why every so often whe post the Instructions for making Paper Hats, :D They can be made out of Foil;) just as easy as Newspaper.:p
 
Top