MAlexMatt
Banned
Specifically, there are two deaths I see as possible PoDs and I'm not sure which one I want to run with.
1. Odaenathus of Palmyra somehow avoids assassination. He defeats the Goths and goes on to further cement his rule in the East. I don't think a Palmyrene Empire could really be a permanent fixture of the region, but one that hangs on for a couple decades, maybe a couple generations, is a fascinating prospect. A Palmyra that becomes a Rome of the East, even just for a little while, would be a great TL to explore IMO. If he can play the political game long enough to defeat a particularly bad Roman Emperor totally enough to gain recognition I see no reason his Empire couldn't survive at least until his death. He had had no trouble kicking the Sassanids around, so there's no threat from that direction. There's even the possibility of him TAKING territory from them.
Or, instead
2. Carausius of Menapii isn't killed by his treasurer. While he was already in a somewhat delicate position by the time of his death, his hold on the Roman Channel fleet and the loyalty of several legions still leaves him in a relatively strong position. Even IOTL the Roman commander was only able to re-take Britain because of the flummoxing of the British commander. With a talented man like Carusius leading the defense, it's perfectly possible for the Romans to be held off indefinitely. I see here the possibility for a more permanent separation -- while Palmyra just needs one bad ruler to lose it all, Britain's island status and a few decades of independent inertia are going to mean a lot when Rome comes a knocking, good or bad ruler.
Which would you guys be more interested in? 'British' Britain is something of a cliche here, but as far as I know all TLs like that involve a sub-Roman Britain, with a PoD after the Romans leave of their own accord. A 'British' Britain from the late 3rd century is something still undone.
On the other hand, Palmyra has a cool factor to it that British Britain lacks. I'll admit to having a bit of hero worship of Odaenathus. From what I know of the man, he could have marched to the Indus and there is very, very little the Sassanids could have done to stop him.
1. Odaenathus of Palmyra somehow avoids assassination. He defeats the Goths and goes on to further cement his rule in the East. I don't think a Palmyrene Empire could really be a permanent fixture of the region, but one that hangs on for a couple decades, maybe a couple generations, is a fascinating prospect. A Palmyra that becomes a Rome of the East, even just for a little while, would be a great TL to explore IMO. If he can play the political game long enough to defeat a particularly bad Roman Emperor totally enough to gain recognition I see no reason his Empire couldn't survive at least until his death. He had had no trouble kicking the Sassanids around, so there's no threat from that direction. There's even the possibility of him TAKING territory from them.
Or, instead
2. Carausius of Menapii isn't killed by his treasurer. While he was already in a somewhat delicate position by the time of his death, his hold on the Roman Channel fleet and the loyalty of several legions still leaves him in a relatively strong position. Even IOTL the Roman commander was only able to re-take Britain because of the flummoxing of the British commander. With a talented man like Carusius leading the defense, it's perfectly possible for the Romans to be held off indefinitely. I see here the possibility for a more permanent separation -- while Palmyra just needs one bad ruler to lose it all, Britain's island status and a few decades of independent inertia are going to mean a lot when Rome comes a knocking, good or bad ruler.
Which would you guys be more interested in? 'British' Britain is something of a cliche here, but as far as I know all TLs like that involve a sub-Roman Britain, with a PoD after the Romans leave of their own accord. A 'British' Britain from the late 3rd century is something still undone.
On the other hand, Palmyra has a cool factor to it that British Britain lacks. I'll admit to having a bit of hero worship of Odaenathus. From what I know of the man, he could have marched to the Indus and there is very, very little the Sassanids could have done to stop him.