Loving this so far! I sincerely hope Rome stays pagan though ( maybe as said before reducing the number of deities and giving Roman paganism rules and doctrines to combat Christianity). Keep up the good work.
Hadrian's Consolidation - reboot
- Thread starter Hecatee
- Start date
Vuu
Banned
Many things can change in such a short time period... 1760 to 1914 is spooky short.
I predict a massive population boom as the rapidly developing tech spreads through the empire (and soon the neighbors), except it will be severe - we're talking about a jump from a couple of millions to post-industrial revolution numbers - like, hundreds of millions. There ought to be an age of exploration really
Tools seem to be the biggest problem - as it was - even back in medieval times, someone knew how to theoretically make a steam engine, but there simply wasn't the stuff needed. Kinda like what we have now with the black hole drive
Governor’s palace, Alexandria, Egypt, March 180
Hecatee
Donor
Governor’s palace, Alexandria, Egypt, March 180
Marcus Aurelius stood, full of energy. This winter rest in Egypt had been wonderful, with the very restful cruise on the Nile and the visit of numerous temples on the banks as well as the stops in many villages where simple peasants had come to pay homage to him as if he was a pharaoh of olden times. It had only been fifteen years since an emperor had spent so much time visiting the country and yet this would be a life defining moment for many.
For the Emperor it had mainly been an opportunity to see how much change had taken place in the land of the pharaohs. Reforms he’d ordered during his last trip had been implemented, as well as more general laws. Overall the land was well ruled by the administration, and he could see that the people seemed somewhat healthier and richer thanks to controls against the abuses of taxes collectors.
The amount of judiciary disputes was also less important than on his previous visit, despite the fact that the economy had grown. The main issue seemed to be an increase in work contract related conflicts, with among others a particularly bad overseer that actually raped a number of his working women. Had they been slaves that it would not have mattered, but slaves were rare in Egypt and they were free women, dignified wives and mothers. That particular abuser had found its end under the teeth of a pack of hyena in an impromptu amphitheater next to the garrison’s quarters in Thebai.
In the island fortress of Sount he’d also met ambassadors from the kingdom of Kush, sent by King Adeqatali who wanted more trade and help against the powerful kingdom of Axum : while Marcus Aurelius was always a proponent of trade, he was certainly not ready to send his forces so far south, especially as the axumite kingdom provided his precious bunno beans !
But the vacation in the south had come to an unforeseen end when a messenger arrived from Alexandria. War had erupted on the north eastern border… The imperial entourage had immediately taken ships to the former ptolemaic capital, sailors using sails and muscular strength to accelerate the trip, not stopping on the way except to replenish their stores of food and water.
At the palace information had been available in larger amount. The wandering tribe of which they had heard while in the Euxine kingdom had been pushed south by hunger and attacked all the tribes on its way in order to gain food, causing a refugee crisis on the border. Worse, many expected those Gothii to now attack the empire… Reinforcements and directions were asked for by the local governors. The threat was still a few months from the border itself, but would be there by the end of spring.
The concilium was now meeting in the former ptolemaic council chamber, and had discussed the situation for an hour. Now the Emperor had made his mind and would give his instructions.
“I will not change my itinerary. This crisis does not yet require my personal supervision, but my heir will go in my stead, concentrate the necessary forces and deal with the threat. He shall have command of the fleets, including those based in Italia, to offer him as much strategic mobility as possible : should it be required he will be able to move legions from Asia Minor or the Danube area to either our border or the kingdom’s wall and thus defeat the enemy. Every effort will be made to move the barbarians to the wall, with our legions to come behind them to crush them as an hammer hitting the soft metal on an anvil. The empire is at war.”
Marcus Aurelius stood, full of energy. This winter rest in Egypt had been wonderful, with the very restful cruise on the Nile and the visit of numerous temples on the banks as well as the stops in many villages where simple peasants had come to pay homage to him as if he was a pharaoh of olden times. It had only been fifteen years since an emperor had spent so much time visiting the country and yet this would be a life defining moment for many.
For the Emperor it had mainly been an opportunity to see how much change had taken place in the land of the pharaohs. Reforms he’d ordered during his last trip had been implemented, as well as more general laws. Overall the land was well ruled by the administration, and he could see that the people seemed somewhat healthier and richer thanks to controls against the abuses of taxes collectors.
The amount of judiciary disputes was also less important than on his previous visit, despite the fact that the economy had grown. The main issue seemed to be an increase in work contract related conflicts, with among others a particularly bad overseer that actually raped a number of his working women. Had they been slaves that it would not have mattered, but slaves were rare in Egypt and they were free women, dignified wives and mothers. That particular abuser had found its end under the teeth of a pack of hyena in an impromptu amphitheater next to the garrison’s quarters in Thebai.
In the island fortress of Sount he’d also met ambassadors from the kingdom of Kush, sent by King Adeqatali who wanted more trade and help against the powerful kingdom of Axum : while Marcus Aurelius was always a proponent of trade, he was certainly not ready to send his forces so far south, especially as the axumite kingdom provided his precious bunno beans !
But the vacation in the south had come to an unforeseen end when a messenger arrived from Alexandria. War had erupted on the north eastern border… The imperial entourage had immediately taken ships to the former ptolemaic capital, sailors using sails and muscular strength to accelerate the trip, not stopping on the way except to replenish their stores of food and water.
At the palace information had been available in larger amount. The wandering tribe of which they had heard while in the Euxine kingdom had been pushed south by hunger and attacked all the tribes on its way in order to gain food, causing a refugee crisis on the border. Worse, many expected those Gothii to now attack the empire… Reinforcements and directions were asked for by the local governors. The threat was still a few months from the border itself, but would be there by the end of spring.
The concilium was now meeting in the former ptolemaic council chamber, and had discussed the situation for an hour. Now the Emperor had made his mind and would give his instructions.
“I will not change my itinerary. This crisis does not yet require my personal supervision, but my heir will go in my stead, concentrate the necessary forces and deal with the threat. He shall have command of the fleets, including those based in Italia, to offer him as much strategic mobility as possible : should it be required he will be able to move legions from Asia Minor or the Danube area to either our border or the kingdom’s wall and thus defeat the enemy. Every effort will be made to move the barbarians to the wall, with our legions to come behind them to crush them as an hammer hitting the soft metal on an anvil. The empire is at war.”
Hecatee
Donor
It is the Bosphorus kingdom, modern day Crimea, here described under an alternate name because its the only big kingdom on the Euxine sea and that the sea as logistic highway is at the heart of the roman strategy
OH boy, here we go! Let's see how the nomads tribes like this Roman Empire! Amazing chapter as usual @Hecatee! Good Job!!!
If the Goths get a big enough drubbing, might the word spread back onto the steppe and dissuade later westwards migrations? Might future migrations go east instead? Could we even see crossings into North America?
This can only help to ensure the empire lasts much longer if any of those occur.
This can only help to ensure the empire lasts much longer if any of those occur.
Derek Pullem
Donor
The continued military success of the Romans must mean that the supply of cheap slaves continues to be maintained throughout the second century CE. if the Goths are handled roughly (as would seem likely) then this will be maintained into the third century reducing the need to introduce serfdom and the coloni and keeping the latifundia going. This in turn may keep the Roman armies more "roman" for longer and provide a new more mobile workforce for any of the the "new" industries being developed.
With any luck the stagnation of the empire in the third century may be avoided - with even more luck the Goths remnants may head towards the proto-Sassanids and keep them off Rome's back for a while.
With any luck the stagnation of the empire in the third century may be avoided - with even more luck the Goths remnants may head towards the proto-Sassanids and keep them off Rome's back for a while.
Vuu
Banned
"AY GOTHS I HEARD YOU HAVE A FOOD SUPPLY ISSUE BRUH!"
"Well indeed we do, all the land is unfertile, you see..."
"EXCELLENT, HAVE THIS MY FRIEND" *throws heavy plough at the Goths*
*Goth population swells to 300 million and overtakes Roman industry instead*
Them eastern european plains are srs bsns, are they not?
"Well indeed we do, all the land is unfertile, you see..."
"EXCELLENT, HAVE THIS MY FRIEND" *throws heavy plough at the Goths*
*Goth population swells to 300 million and overtakes Roman industry instead*
Them eastern european plains are srs bsns, are they not?
The way things are going in this timeline we are far more likely to have a Golden Age instead of a Crisis in the 3rd century.
Main gothic camp, northern Scythian plain, March 180
Hecatee
Donor
Main gothic camp, northern Scythian plain, March 180
Filimer son of Gandaric, looked at the others chiefs reunited under his roof. The Gauts were ready to move again. During the winter season they had sent parties of warriors in all directions in search of food but now was the time to move the whole tribe again.
They had to decide the direction in which to go. That was not an easy decision, even if they knew that they could not go back to the Gothiscandza that had been home to their tribe for generations for the land did not support their numbers anymore, especially with all the fighting with other tribes trying to flee from the peoples of the south.
The Gauts has lost their old protector, the Marcomanni, to the attacks of the peoples from the south, and they had welcomed Marcomanni refugees amongst them before moving. Filimer had even used the gratitude of the refugee to plot the destruction of his internal enemies, especially the aliorumnas which none of his men dared to touch but which he had exterminated by a group of refugees during one of their nightly ceremonies, only to be cut down by Filimer’s own guards for their sacrilege…
Once the opposition to the move of the tribe had been crushed it was only a matter of moving… It had taken time, but they’d started their move, going slowly toward the south-east : land was said to be fertile and far from the southern peoples. He’d found a great river which he had later learned was called Borystene by the southern peoples, and followed it south. Captured scythians had told him that the river came to a sea on which cities were built, by which he understood large settlements like those of the bigger chieftains but even larger, and that they were surrounded by walls that protected them from those who sought to enter uninvited.
Once more he thought this meant strong wooden palissades such as those he was used to, maybe with an earthen berm to reinforce them. With thousands of warriors at his back he knew he could take such place with ease.
He was about one season’s walk from the cities and the sea, and hoped to settle in before winter came again, so as to benefit from the grain the locals would have planted which would feed both his tribe and its most cherished possession, the large cheptel the tribe brought with it.
But it seemed the peoples of the south had gotten wind of their migration. Mounted patrols had clashed with some of his warriors and a larger group that had come somewhat too near the river that they called as border for their territory had been engaged by a large infantry force.
They did not fight in the same way as the tribe, did not even look like men under all that iron they wore. All that iron… Such a fortune ! And if this was what the soldiers wore, what did the kings of that tribe own ?
So the decision that had to be taken was whether to leave the river and move toward the border or whether to keep going south in search for a land to settle, in time growing in strength and then attacking the southerners… A hard choice, but decision must be taken now...
Filimer son of Gandaric, looked at the others chiefs reunited under his roof. The Gauts were ready to move again. During the winter season they had sent parties of warriors in all directions in search of food but now was the time to move the whole tribe again.
They had to decide the direction in which to go. That was not an easy decision, even if they knew that they could not go back to the Gothiscandza that had been home to their tribe for generations for the land did not support their numbers anymore, especially with all the fighting with other tribes trying to flee from the peoples of the south.
The Gauts has lost their old protector, the Marcomanni, to the attacks of the peoples from the south, and they had welcomed Marcomanni refugees amongst them before moving. Filimer had even used the gratitude of the refugee to plot the destruction of his internal enemies, especially the aliorumnas which none of his men dared to touch but which he had exterminated by a group of refugees during one of their nightly ceremonies, only to be cut down by Filimer’s own guards for their sacrilege…
Once the opposition to the move of the tribe had been crushed it was only a matter of moving… It had taken time, but they’d started their move, going slowly toward the south-east : land was said to be fertile and far from the southern peoples. He’d found a great river which he had later learned was called Borystene by the southern peoples, and followed it south. Captured scythians had told him that the river came to a sea on which cities were built, by which he understood large settlements like those of the bigger chieftains but even larger, and that they were surrounded by walls that protected them from those who sought to enter uninvited.
Once more he thought this meant strong wooden palissades such as those he was used to, maybe with an earthen berm to reinforce them. With thousands of warriors at his back he knew he could take such place with ease.
He was about one season’s walk from the cities and the sea, and hoped to settle in before winter came again, so as to benefit from the grain the locals would have planted which would feed both his tribe and its most cherished possession, the large cheptel the tribe brought with it.
But it seemed the peoples of the south had gotten wind of their migration. Mounted patrols had clashed with some of his warriors and a larger group that had come somewhat too near the river that they called as border for their territory had been engaged by a large infantry force.
They did not fight in the same way as the tribe, did not even look like men under all that iron they wore. All that iron… Such a fortune ! And if this was what the soldiers wore, what did the kings of that tribe own ?
So the decision that had to be taken was whether to leave the river and move toward the border or whether to keep going south in search for a land to settle, in time growing in strength and then attacking the southerners… A hard choice, but decision must be taken now...
Oh you poor, poor baby! you can't even imagine how much your decision is going to hurt!!! I can't wait to read the next chapter this time Rome will show the world why even today we considerate one of the great empire of all time!!!
this time Rome will show the world why even today we considerate one of the great empire of all time!!!
You know what people are gonna hate me for this but it would be a nice change of pace to see the Goths not get screwed in a Rome-wank scenario. Maybe get turned into Laetii and allowed to settle on the south bank of the Don and Volga rivers to the northern side of the Caucus Mountains. Maybe allowed to settle Hyrcania and around the Caspian sea.
It would also be cool to see a scenario where the goths integrate into roman society similar to the Greeks and Syrians did gaining equestrian status and such with maybe even a Gothic imperial Dynasty to rejuvenate a decaying empire.
It would also be cool to see a scenario where the goths integrate into roman society similar to the Greeks and Syrians did gaining equestrian status and such with maybe even a Gothic imperial Dynasty to rejuvenate a decaying empire.