The discovery of the compass is going to revolutionize Roman shipping.
Hadrian's Consolidation - reboot
- Thread starter Hecatee
- Start date
Did the romans not already have the numeral system down and sinple mathematics
Near Susa, July 248
Hecatee
Donor
Near Susa, July 248
The Parthian army more of a disheartened mob than an army. Outnumbered, outmatched, surrounded, with Romans guarding the walls of Susa and Romans behind the rear guard, with allies defeated or having defected and currently ravaging the country on their path home, it was clear that the empire had been defeated, again, by the Romans.
Vahram I, son of Ardeshir II, shahanshah, knew he had lost. The question was whether his life was also forfeit… One good news was that a lot of the Empire’s nobles had fallen in the fighting, either in the failed assault on Babylon’s wall, where many had wanted place of pride, or later in rear-guard operations to protect the army.
But that would be a problem for later. Maybe later in the day, but later anyway. For now he had to go to the Romans and ask for peace. Messages had been sent on the previous day to the commander of the Roman forces, and a large tent had been set between the Parthians and the main roman army.
This was of course humiliating, but there was no way around it if Varham wanted the Parthian empire to have any kind of army in the future, irrespective of whoever ran it. Sitting on his horse in court dress instead of armour, surrounded by twenty of his highest surviving counsellors similarly attired, he went to the rendezvous point.
Under the tent was an empty golden roman curule chair set on a dais, behind which was a gilded portrait of the emperor. Obviously the man had not been able to reach this border of his empire in time or maybe he had stayed on another of the attacked borders. In any case he would not be meeting the shahanshah on this occasion.
Just below the days was another roman chair, this one silver, next to which were three others made of ivory, set just slightly behind the silver one. Obviously the seat of the roman commander in chief and of the legion commanders. Three of them, that was a lot… Yet even with their attached auxiliaries it seemed too few men for a disaster of the scale which had befallen the empire. The Parthian empire had mobilized many more men, they should have been able to… well, no gain in ressassing the past, not when the present was so important.
Chairs had also been provided for the Parthians : a high backed one for the shahanshah, simpler ones for the other nobles, all in exquisitely carved citrus wood, but pointedly not in metal or ivory, which the Romans reserved for themselves.
They did not have to wait long. A man in a senatorial toga, with the usual red shoes, large purple band and iron ring, entered the tent followed by three men in elaborate armors. Around them were twelve lictors who wore their fasces on their shoulders and took place behind the dais and the Roman officials, a sign of power but set in a non-threatening way, or as non-threatening as could be.
Two priests entered the tent from both sides and did a quick ceremony to ensure the benevolence of the Gods over the meeting before retreating as quickly as they had come. It was time. Speaking in his slightly accented greek, the Shahanshah opened the discussions.
Three hours later it was done. The empire had capitulated, Susa and the lands around it down to the Mesopotamia would become a Roman protectorate under a petty king appointed in Rome from a local dynasty, the Empire had to pay a large sum of gold and large quantities of silks and spices, and to give a lot of hostages, including twenty of his principal rivals at court… Five of them had been present during the negotiations and stayed behind to ensure compliance with the terms.
A disaster, yes, but maybe not the end of Vahram I’s rule…
The Parthian army more of a disheartened mob than an army. Outnumbered, outmatched, surrounded, with Romans guarding the walls of Susa and Romans behind the rear guard, with allies defeated or having defected and currently ravaging the country on their path home, it was clear that the empire had been defeated, again, by the Romans.
Vahram I, son of Ardeshir II, shahanshah, knew he had lost. The question was whether his life was also forfeit… One good news was that a lot of the Empire’s nobles had fallen in the fighting, either in the failed assault on Babylon’s wall, where many had wanted place of pride, or later in rear-guard operations to protect the army.
But that would be a problem for later. Maybe later in the day, but later anyway. For now he had to go to the Romans and ask for peace. Messages had been sent on the previous day to the commander of the Roman forces, and a large tent had been set between the Parthians and the main roman army.
This was of course humiliating, but there was no way around it if Varham wanted the Parthian empire to have any kind of army in the future, irrespective of whoever ran it. Sitting on his horse in court dress instead of armour, surrounded by twenty of his highest surviving counsellors similarly attired, he went to the rendezvous point.
Under the tent was an empty golden roman curule chair set on a dais, behind which was a gilded portrait of the emperor. Obviously the man had not been able to reach this border of his empire in time or maybe he had stayed on another of the attacked borders. In any case he would not be meeting the shahanshah on this occasion.
Just below the days was another roman chair, this one silver, next to which were three others made of ivory, set just slightly behind the silver one. Obviously the seat of the roman commander in chief and of the legion commanders. Three of them, that was a lot… Yet even with their attached auxiliaries it seemed too few men for a disaster of the scale which had befallen the empire. The Parthian empire had mobilized many more men, they should have been able to… well, no gain in ressassing the past, not when the present was so important.
Chairs had also been provided for the Parthians : a high backed one for the shahanshah, simpler ones for the other nobles, all in exquisitely carved citrus wood, but pointedly not in metal or ivory, which the Romans reserved for themselves.
They did not have to wait long. A man in a senatorial toga, with the usual red shoes, large purple band and iron ring, entered the tent followed by three men in elaborate armors. Around them were twelve lictors who wore their fasces on their shoulders and took place behind the dais and the Roman officials, a sign of power but set in a non-threatening way, or as non-threatening as could be.
Two priests entered the tent from both sides and did a quick ceremony to ensure the benevolence of the Gods over the meeting before retreating as quickly as they had come. It was time. Speaking in his slightly accented greek, the Shahanshah opened the discussions.
Three hours later it was done. The empire had capitulated, Susa and the lands around it down to the Mesopotamia would become a Roman protectorate under a petty king appointed in Rome from a local dynasty, the Empire had to pay a large sum of gold and large quantities of silks and spices, and to give a lot of hostages, including twenty of his principal rivals at court… Five of them had been present during the negotiations and stayed behind to ensure compliance with the terms.
A disaster, yes, but maybe not the end of Vahram I’s rule…
That reassessment needs to be done at sometime...how are the Romans so powerful? This information would be of great value to other enemies of the Romans.
It is hard to assassinate your enemies while they are hostages. Smart.
Near Luoyang Shi, Serica, October 248
Hecatee
Donor
Near Luoyang Shi, Serica, October 248
Manlius Torquatus Primus looked behind him as the column crossed the top of the hill. Already the barbarians had reached the outskirts of the capital and had started to loot it, some fires were already visible in the distance.
Shaking his head, the roman pressed his mount forward, his legionary escort ready against any attack. It was a shame, really, to see an Empire’s capital attacked in this way. Surely Rome would never know such indignity ! When it was but a town it had been captured by Brennus, but now ? Impossible !
Yet here the emperor’s forces had fallen him, and the Wuhuan had been able to rise in anger against the imperial tax collectors. Unfortunately too many forces were tied down further south, where a peasant revolt had erupted. There was clearly a lack of internal police force and problems with speed of communication in the Empire, which allowed those revolts against the decadent imperial administration.
Torquatus had discussed the situation with imperial officials disquieted by the situation, trying to understand what had happened. It seemed that tribes broken during the reign of the divine Marcus Aurelius had been settled inside the empire and on its northern border, only a few day’s ride from the capital. There they had been able to regain in strength while the imperial gaze turned south and inward, to the point that the barbarians had seen an opportunity to strike.
Now the capital would be besieged, with the emperor inside. Torquatus had offered his men’s service for the defense, but officials had declined, not wanting to face the idea of having foreigners defend the imperial person : it would be a shame too far. Instead they had provided Torquatus and his men with travel passports to the coast, where they could await the Roman trading fleet.
Manlius Torquatus Primus looked behind him as the column crossed the top of the hill. Already the barbarians had reached the outskirts of the capital and had started to loot it, some fires were already visible in the distance.
Shaking his head, the roman pressed his mount forward, his legionary escort ready against any attack. It was a shame, really, to see an Empire’s capital attacked in this way. Surely Rome would never know such indignity ! When it was but a town it had been captured by Brennus, but now ? Impossible !
Yet here the emperor’s forces had fallen him, and the Wuhuan had been able to rise in anger against the imperial tax collectors. Unfortunately too many forces were tied down further south, where a peasant revolt had erupted. There was clearly a lack of internal police force and problems with speed of communication in the Empire, which allowed those revolts against the decadent imperial administration.
Torquatus had discussed the situation with imperial officials disquieted by the situation, trying to understand what had happened. It seemed that tribes broken during the reign of the divine Marcus Aurelius had been settled inside the empire and on its northern border, only a few day’s ride from the capital. There they had been able to regain in strength while the imperial gaze turned south and inward, to the point that the barbarians had seen an opportunity to strike.
Now the capital would be besieged, with the emperor inside. Torquatus had offered his men’s service for the defense, but officials had declined, not wanting to face the idea of having foreigners defend the imperial person : it would be a shame too far. Instead they had provided Torquatus and his men with travel passports to the coast, where they could await the Roman trading fleet.
Femto
Banned
I think the romans could rule part of India a thousand years in the future. Hell, they could rule the whole thing.
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I wonder when the shipping ability will have reached a point where the Romans could cause some trouble in China if they so wished.
Hecatee
Donor
No
You may remember that the Romans have slowly developped internal security force, the praesidii, made mainly of former soldiers and men wanting an uniform but not to travel the empire : only a few centuries in each province, they provide city security and police the main roads, destroy brigands infestations before they become too much of an issue, catch military deserters, this kind of activity which helps prevent some phenomenon that plagued the roman empire.
Hecatee
Donor
They could do it in under 50 years if they so wished, but that would not be their way of doing business. I mean, if they had wanted OTL they could certainly have carried quite a large expedition in the Indian ocean had their indian commercial fleet (around 120 ships of around 200 tons of carrying capacity each in the mid 1st century AD) been mobilized against a target, but they did not want such kind of risks or adventure
Derek Pullem
Donor
Lessons from a future forestalled.
At least now the Romans will understand that nomads make poor border guards. Perhaps the splintering of China (if it occurs as per OTL) is good for the romans as there will be multiple states desperate for the business they used to conduct with the Han as a whole.
Hecatee
Donor
Note that the splintering will be different from OTL due to a longer Han rule, up to almost the OTL Jin dynasty, and the enemy here was no longer existant OTL at this late date. A good half a century more of stability has helped the indian ocean trade immensely and roman finances too ! But now we come to a period of trouble for everyone because yes, China will splinter.
I am guessing you find it a cliche that you don't like? I definitely do not see the cycle of civilization in China as a weakness but rather how impressive and resilient that culture is. After all many great nations fell into dust and never rose up again. Rome included. China may fall but then it builds itself up again, even when done by foreign conquerors they never assimilate China, it is always the other way around. It seems to be almost a law of nature that states eventually fall, but if the culture propping them up is strong enough they will always come back. In this way China is maybe the most powerful civilization of all time. Persia is similar though that is a different story