I really have to disagree with your assessment on the strength of the Parthians, especially after they lost Mesopotamia and the huge amount of wealth therein, and not to mention the lost of their monopoly on trade with the east. They couldn't just blow the Romans out of the water. Even IOTL, when the Parthians had neither of these disadvantages, the Parthians were rarely able to defeat a well led Roman Army head on(despite the famous defeat of Crassus, which was an exception, not a rule). Most of the wars were stalemates, and when the Romans actually focused on them under decent leaders(Trajan and Septimus Severus come to mind), they were usually able to win. ITTL, the Parthians are now far weaker, far poorer, and thus any army of theirs is going to reflect that while the Romans are far stronger and far richer. It is likely the Romans play a heavy hand influencing internal Parthian Politics as well. Any war would only end in defeat for the Parthians, barring an internally focused or distracted Rome unable or disinterested in actually responding fully.
On eastern shores – A Roman Timeline
- Thread starter Alcsentre Calanice
- Start date
I guess you overestimate Mesopotamia. It is the richest province, no doubt. But Persis, Susiana and Media are economic powerhouses, too. Just the iranian plateau is not that important in that regard. And there is still trade with China and India.
However, the army should be smaller now. But not that much. This is not a standing army, like the roman one. It is a rather feudal army of client Kings. And remember Parthia and Hyrcania the homeland of the Parthians is still free. This is where these steppe cavalry came from and started to defeat the Seleucids.
You are right, that the roman armies usually defeated the parthian army. But these were huge invasion armies. Much bigger than the usual parthian 60.000 men army. The roman armies in Armenia and Mesopotamia are rather too small, to ensure a proper defense. The parthians control the Zagros Mountains. They can hit where they want and when they want.
However, the army should be smaller now. But not that much. This is not a standing army, like the roman one. It is a rather feudal army of client Kings. And remember Parthia and Hyrcania the homeland of the Parthians is still free. This is where these steppe cavalry came from and started to defeat the Seleucids.
You are right, that the roman armies usually defeated the parthian army. But these were huge invasion armies. Much bigger than the usual parthian 60.000 men army. The roman armies in Armenia and Mesopotamia are rather too small, to ensure a proper defense. The parthians control the Zagros Mountains. They can hit where they want and when they want.
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The Caucasus is related to the Black Sea, and the Black Sea area will become a problem since the Goths arrived around 250 CE and will quickly give up their pacifism when they see what they can gain by looting the Roman Empire.
So I think you're right, the first step has to be something dealing with the Caucasus.
I don't think an Arabian campaign is tha necessary. The coastal areas of Arabia are under Roman control in any case, and controlling the inland of Arabia isn't possible with the logistics of that time.
These problems are related. Discovering new lands (to conquer) is good, and there are many location waiting to be colonized by the Empire (Indonesia, Australia, southern Africa...) but why should the Romans set up expeditions?
100 years of civil war aren't that implausible if you look at the history of the Germanic tribes. Rome had allies and enemies within Germany and took care that the different tribes never united against Rome.
But isn't the problem that once you destroy the Parthian Empire, other peoples like the Gupta or the White Huns or other Huns or who knows will simpley crush the little buffer states and threaten Rome directly? Isn't it better to maintain all of Persia/Parthia as a united vassal state?
A reduced Parthia in the Iranian provinces will not only be weaker in military terms but also more vulnerable to central Asian and indian raids constantly keeping most of its army in the eastern and northern frontiers. Add some bribing by the Romans to stir the pot of civil wars and you neuter Parthia for the long term.
Yes, but so much changed that the Sassanians would likely be butterflied away.
Even so, the problems that led to the Parthian collapse should still be there. So even if the Sassanians don't exist it is likely that another dynasty would rise up and overthrow the Parthians.
I did not say it is implausible. Just less plausible than ongoing attacks every generation. And 100 years of silence about the East in a TL named "Eastern Shores" is a bit weird, is'nt it?
What would you prefer? An enemy sitting in the Zagros Mountains were he can easily manouver and attack one of your wealthiest provinces whenever and wherever he wants?
Or an enemy who has to cross the iranian deserts, which are not easily everywhere crossable. Which makes attacks more forseeable. The deserts are a much better border than the Zagros Mountains! Of course the Roman Empire must support its Client Kings in the Zagros Mountains massively. Especially the Kingdom of Media should never fall!
Dividing the tribes beyond your border is a must do. No doubt about that. Probably the parthians already did that themselves with an civil war.
But the next step of divide et impera is, that the tribes directly at your border become your loyal allies.
I agree. And the romans did nothing in 100 years? Who believes that story?
But the Persians managed to cross it when they expanded into Afghanistan and India, and Alexander the Great did the same. So an organized army can cross the Iranian deserts and threaten Roman Mesopotamia.
Wait, I'll write something about Parthia/Persia. But you agree with me that the Goths are slightly more important in the moment?
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Liber Sextus: The Great Campaigns
Caput Vicesimus Tertius: Years of Apprenticeship
In 1023 AUC [1], Alexander, Roman Emperor but great only because of his name, died of a natural cause. Alexander's reign had been a time of gynecocracy, first by his mother Septimia, then by his sister Theoclia with her husband Gaius Claudius, fighting against Alexander's wife Sallustia Orbiana. Lucius, Alexander's sole surviving son, learned to hate women but for pleasure, and to despise the feminine rule his father had allowed to rise.
Born in 994 AUC [2], when Alexander was 33 years old, he saw his father's weakness and decided to incarnate strength. Lucius Septimius Geta should be remembered in Roman history, and already in his childhood, he loved to disguise as Alexander the Great, Hannibal or Caesar and to explain to everybody how he would win the war against Persia, Rome or Gaul.
Later, he gave up the costumes in favor of the maps, and moved existing and fictive legions through the empire for hours. When he played with friends, he was used to win – and when he was loosing, he changed the rules of the game to make sure he would nevertheless leave the room as the winner. Riding and swordplay were then the occupation for the rest of the day.
When he turned adult, he showed no inclination to serve as a civilian officer, but wanted to join the army immediately. When his father urged him to complete the traditional rhetoric studies, he asked: “Whom have I to persuade? Who is my judge? Who stands above the emperor? All of my words are orders, regardless of their form.” After this sentence and until his death, nobody ventured to challenge his choices again – when he was 18 years old, he was appointed Tribune and gained his first experiences campaigning against Alemannic and Frankish tribes on the northern border; even if his experiments with war elephants in the Germanic forests weren't very successful.
But Lucius was more than a Roman soldier – he was aware of his Phoenician ancestors from Syria and Leptis Magna, and learned some pieces of Punic he liked to throw at surrounding people when he was in rage. When he wore his Carthaginian uniform, he demanded to be addressed by the name of Maharbal, Hannibal's cavalry commander, and in his free time, he studied forgotten historians sympathetic towards Hannibal.
In historical circles, Lucius is remembered for writing the novel How Hannibal Won the War Against the Romans. In this counterfactual history, of low literary relevance but known for its richness of military detail, Lucius not only imagined a strategy for Carthage to win the Second Punic War, but also showed profound knowledge of Hannibal's cavalry tactics he later used himself as military commander.
Subsequently, he requested to be relocated to Numidia, where he wanted to learn more about the tactics of his forefathers. When he was 18 years old, he was finally appointed Legion's Legate of in Africa, and was quickly known as a brilliant tactician and reliable strategist – he even rose to the rank of General of the African legions, commanding the four legions of the African provinces [3].
Between repelling Berber raids on Roman forts and leading expeditions against desert tribes, Lucius studied the traditional Berber warfare: The Numidian light cavalry, specially adapted for mobile warfare and encirclements. Using his African experiences, he gradually formed two special cavalry legions consisting of gifted horsemen, which were trained for skirmishing and ambuscades.
With the Gothic problem becoming more and more pressing and with Alexander's declining health, Lucius would soon have the opportunity to demonstrate his new tactics' strong points in the Scythian steppe.
[1] 270 CE
[2] 241 CE
[3] The original legion and three legions formed out of auxiliary cohorts.
No, he did not. You may review his route more closely. Smart young Alexander never crossed the two big iranian deserts (Kavir, Lut). When he marched back from India to Babylon he crossed a minor half-desert in Gedrosia. And lost half of his army. Imagine him crossing one of the real deserts!
No, this is impossible. Because before an army can threaten Mesopotamia it has to threaten Media (or Susiana, but this is less plausible). And with 2 huge roman armies coming from Armenia and Mesopotamia (at least 2 x 50.000 men = 10 legions plus auxilia) in order to reenforce their median ally, you better do not attack Media.
These deserts are indeed almost uncrossable with huge armies. But in between the 2 big deserts on the plateau, there is a half desert, which is manageable for steppe hordes and such. However the route is pretty clear and at least controllable, so that surprises should not happen. Of course you can always take the northern route via Parthia to Hyrcania or Media. But now you have to pass some pretty deadly bottlenecks, like the Caspian Gates. Of course you can pass them, if no Leonidas waits for you, but you loose time to invade a well defended Media. Time, 2 huge roman armies can use to move into position.
No. I just told you to not repeat the biggest mistake of the romans. To underestimate and neglect one front. Not for 100 years. Well, the romans neglected the german front, you the parthian.
Ok, I guess, you have been such exited about your great Indian Company and this worthless dynasty you described, that you forgot about the the real interesting part: the roman frontiers.
PS: Well, the very most interesting part would have been the roman constitution. I am still waiting for your hints, why these romans in your TL should not ruin their empire and destroy themselves.
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This is a very good point! Let's look at it in detail. I already said, that I think, that for a working defense of Mesopotamia and Armemia you need buffer-states as allies of the roman empire. Not clients of the King Of Kings, but clients of Rome. At least Media and Susiana. Perhaps Hyrcania too, that depends, where Hyrcania really was. After some research this is still unclear to me, perhaps south of the Caspian Sea. I recommended that Persis becomes an independent Kingdom too. Of course closely watched by the romans. Just to weaken the King of Kings.
Now the parthians are reduced to Parthia. Plus perhaps some allies in the desert like Ariana and Drangiana. But I doubt, they got numbers. So Parthia is pretty alone in defending the northern iranian mountains against these mid-asian steppe-hordes. On the other side: the parthians were such a horde themselves. And now, without a huge empire, they can focus on defending their homeland. Perhaps they even focus on Bactria and reconquer it?
Nevertheless, I can imagine, that they get into trouble in Parthia sooner or later. And the romans can't be interested in some superpower from the asian steppes to Bactria and Parthia. So sooner or later, the romans must support the parthians in their effort to defend the northern iranian mountains. Perhaps they can help in the West. In Hyrcania, where the iranian mountains meet the southeastern shores of the Caspian Sea. There was a wall. The 2nd biggest wall ever. Pretty similar to Hadrian's wall, but much longer. Called the "Red Snake Wall". So I can see the romans in Armenia and their Caspian fleet working together with the Parthian King. Perhaps over time he just becomes a more distant and pretty independent client king. More a real ally and partner against the asian hordes.
The Caucasus and Parthia (northern iranian mountains) are now indead the only fronts rest, the romans have to watch and worry about in the East. Well, both are extremely dangerous.
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Yes. The interesting point is, it is almost a copy of Hadrian's Wall. A stone wall of similar height, with watch towers about every 500m, small forts at the wall to manage the towers and bigger forts in the back to reenforce where needed.
This is one of two big invasion routes of these asian steppe hordes. The other is at the eastern end of the North Iranian Mountains. The area is called Margiana or Aria (where the real Arians lived historically, Hitler never admitted) IIRC. I never heard that any invasion army went directly over the iranian mountains. There are some passes. But obviously the hordes prefered the easy way bypassing the mountains west and east. Like in the Caucasus. Three major passes, but the invasions tried to bypass and went preferably east where modern Azerbaijan is located.
I can imagine, that the romans can help the parthian King here, at the shores of the Caspian Sea. At least in this TL, where the romans try to control the Caspian Sea. And the romans should be interested, that nothing worse than the already beaten and pruned Parthians invade and rule Parthia, or even more. Longterm this might be the base for a great friendship. The romans are not willing to expand any further. They got Mesopotamia and Armenia and secured it with Client Kings in Media, Susiana and (theoretically) Persis. They are not intersted to expand into such a dangerous area like Parthia. Or even worse Bactria. And the parthians pruned to their homelands are finally happy about any help they can get.
PS: There was another wall. Between the western Caspian Sea and the Caucasus. Not as impressing but still great. These Parthians did a lot of great stuff which is highly underrated. However #1 are the chinese, #2 the parthians , and the romans are just #3 if it comes to walls. No doubt about that.
PPS: I am not sure, if some of these walls were buildt by the Sassanids. So don't blame me, praising the Asarcids. However, there were more people, than the chinese, beeing better than the romans in building walls.
This is one of two big invasion routes of these asian steppe hordes. The other is at the eastern end of the North Iranian Mountains. The area is called Margiana or Aria (where the real Arians lived historically, Hitler never admitted) IIRC. I never heard that any invasion army went directly over the iranian mountains. There are some passes. But obviously the hordes prefered the easy way bypassing the mountains west and east. Like in the Caucasus. Three major passes, but the invasions tried to bypass and went preferably east where modern Azerbaijan is located.
I can imagine, that the romans can help the parthian King here, at the shores of the Caspian Sea. At least in this TL, where the romans try to control the Caspian Sea. And the romans should be interested, that nothing worse than the already beaten and pruned Parthians invade and rule Parthia, or even more. Longterm this might be the base for a great friendship. The romans are not willing to expand any further. They got Mesopotamia and Armenia and secured it with Client Kings in Media, Susiana and (theoretically) Persis. They are not intersted to expand into such a dangerous area like Parthia. Or even worse Bactria. And the parthians pruned to their homelands are finally happy about any help they can get.
PS: There was another wall. Between the western Caspian Sea and the Caucasus. Not as impressing but still great. These Parthians did a lot of great stuff which is highly underrated. However #1 are the chinese, #2 the parthians , and the romans are just #3 if it comes to walls. No doubt about that.
PPS: I am not sure, if some of these walls were buildt by the Sassanids. So don't blame me, praising the Asarcids. However, there were more people, than the chinese, beeing better than the romans in building walls.
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Arians are a sect of Christianity. I think the word you are looking for is Aryans.
Hmm, if Rome is trading with the Chinese and Indians heavily then they must have some good relations with the Kushan Empire. So if Parthia ever became too much of a problem they could always ally with the country they are most definitely trading with.
Also it seems this new guy seems to want to prove his place in history and you're spoiler about Scythia is leading me to believe Astrakhan will Finally be Roman! (even though as a city it didn't exist yet but it is still a very fertile and fortifiable region.
And with a wall across the small distance between the Don and Volga rivers (or even a Canal?) you got a good amount of land for forestry and agriculture as well as some primetime land on both the coast of the Black and Caspian Sea
Also it seems this new guy seems to want to prove his place in history and you're spoiler about Scythia is leading me to believe Astrakhan will Finally be Roman! (even though as a city it didn't exist yet but it is still a very fertile and fortifiable region.
And with a wall across the small distance between the Don and Volga rivers (or even a Canal?) you got a good amount of land for forestry and agriculture as well as some primetime land on both the coast of the Black and Caspian Sea
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Yes, the Romans (and the Indian Company) has strong contacts with the Kushan Empire ITTL. But it's quite hard to coordinate foreign policies between the Kushans and the Roman Empire because of the ancient lines of communication and the slowness of information. However, I can tell you that the Kushan Empire will still play a major role in the TL.
Well, the Goths are on the western bank of the Black Sea in Sarmatia/Ukraine (threatening Dacia and Moesia/Romania and Bulgaria). So the Roman armies will focus on the Odessa/Sewastopol: I don't think that the Romans will have the power to conquer everything up to the Volga
- do you think so?Wait, where do you got these information? The Rostov and the Volgograd region may be very fertile, but the Astrakhan are consists mainly of steppe. And I don't see where do you find the forests and the superb land on the coast of the Caspian Sea.
Well, but he marched through the Alborz and the Hindu Kush, and a comparable army could do the same to reach Persia through Bactria or Arachosia.
Hm, once Persia was reorganized by the Romans, I will come up with a map of Roman defense positions in the various Iranian mountain ranges like Aborz and Zagros. It's good news that the main part of Persia consists of deserts like Kavir, Lut or Makran (ancient Gedrosia) that haven't to be defended.
The Company isn't great, but wait for the effects of the capital the Company is bringing into the Empire and of the technology transfer.
Also, the dynasties aren't worthless, since I love to create the characters of different emperors raised in different environments and to imagine what sort of consequences their socialization process has on their reign.
The Roman constitution... Well, all legislative, executive and judiciary power is vested in the emperor.
The Senate consists of some aristocrats, but mainly of military officials born into the Equestrian Order.
Any other questions?
Well, until now there weren't any major civil wars because:
- the dynastic links weren't disrupted
- the Ears (created by the Severans) are controlling all important officials and can stop most of the conspiracy/usurpations
- the usurpers who manage to mobilize some forces are stopped by the Central Army (the Imperial retinue)
PPS: I am not sure, if some of these walls were buildt by the Sassanids. So don't blame me, praising the Asarcids. However, there were more people, than the chinese, beeing better than the romans in building walls.
But how did the Parthians manage to man these walls without a standing army? Can a feudal state like Parthia build and maintain such a wall? I suppose that the walls were created by the Parthians, but upgraded by the more centralized Sassanians.
The Romans aren't interested in these areas? Why not? I would love to include a Roman Alexander in the timeline, even if Rome looses these areas soon after the conquest.
At least I escaped from all this sect stuff by butterflying away Christianity
But I have to write something about Buddhism in the next posts... There is so much stuff to write aboutTHX!
THIS-IS-ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME with Mesopotamia!
Next update tomorrow, I have to change some things because of the helpful feedback.
It might not necessarily have to be direct, heck maybe no communication at all just when Parthania attacks Rome and Rome at least manages to take out a chunk of their resources the Kushan would see an easy prey!
The Parthians would then have to rebuild the ravaged eastern part of the country and have forces on standby on both the west with Rome, the North with the Steppe nomads eager to raid, the East with the Kushans, and perhaps the south if enough unforeseen developments take place.
Well, the Goths are on the western bank of the Black Sea in Sarmatia/Ukraine (threatening Dacia and Moesia/Romania and Bulgaria). So the Roman armies will focus on the Odessa/Sewastopol: I don't think that the Romans will have the power to conquer everything up to the Volga
Well that may be true but who knows? If Rome wants to Reaaally screw Parthia over they could hire a whole bunch of Goths and promise them Land in Parthian territory, thus creating something a perfect recipe for continuous internal wars that could never harm Rome similar to what happened in the Romulus Augustus Timeline.
As for conquering the Volga, well I think they might not be able to make it fully into Roman territory but they might be able to create a client kingdom (similar to the Crimean Kingdom)with perhaps the Northern border being like I said near glorious Volgograd with a defensible Wall or Moat(that could be used as a Canal perhaps?) near there with the southern border along the Caucasus Mountains this way the Eastern part of the East has two Lines of defense from Steppe or Gothic like Barbarians with both the Wall/Moat (maybe both? I really should stop bringing this up so often) and then they can fall back to the Mountain defenses in the Caucasus. Albeit putting so much attention that far out when more attention is needed in the Backyard dooes seem like a Problem...
Well some Foederati might ease the Manpower situation a little as long as they are used in moderation, as in don't give some German dude command over tens of thousands of soldiers. Keep it closer to just sending in some barbarian group against another Barabarian group that their group has a hatred for or something and try and get them with as many casualties as possible because you don't have to give land to those who die.
Well when I said Astrakhan I meant the fertile Delta in that region which gives significant influence over the entire western part of the Eurasian steppe allowing for trade with steppe peoples which would mean competition for the near monopolies that the Indian and Alexander companies have as well as needing little to no investment because you're buying it from nomads who just happened to be passing through and not coming there to directly trade for those specific wares so it might be more or less the same price.
Also I originally had the idea months ago of an Isolated part of Alexanders empire in Astrakhan's general area not directly connected to the empire so with the Romans having coastline on the Caspian I adapted the Idea at first.
Also there are many trees on the Western side of the Caspian sea near the Caucasus mountains, the eastern part not so much. And even on parts like Astrakhan's local steppe it might still have sufficient trees to host civilization.
At least I escaped from all this sect stuff by butterflying away Christianity
Eh, if you skip it or only give it a small paragraph we won't mind.
Anyways it's all you're TL do what you think is best.
Digression: A New Persia
Lucius spent three years collecting military experience in Africa and building up his own Numidian cavalry retinue, a force that he would later on add to the Central Army. There, he learned how to lead mobile forces in the desert and in the mountains, how to harass the enemy to gain victory and to avoid a hopeless fight. He trained his army until it was fit for both close combat and skirmishing, and his men were soon known as the best qualified of the Roman Empire.
But the system working against the Berber tribes of the Libyan Desert would soon be tested by a much more serious enemy. Since the previous chapters dealt only with the Roman Empire, the reader might ask what happened to the Parthian Empire, Rome's greatest foe. Indeed, I rarely mentioned the once mighty Persia in the preceding parts of my history, without giving any reason for this omission.
Therefore, I will try to explain what came to pass in Persia in the days after Trajan's and Quietus' wars. All of Parthia's problems problems had begun with Osroes I, Great King of the Parthian Empire,who lost Mesopotamia to the Romans. This caused great unrest among the Megisthanes, the Parthian noblemen, and Osroes was soon overthrown by the eastern anti-king Vologaeses III.
During his reign, Vologaeses III had to cope with the financial problems caused by the loss of Mesopotamia and by various rebellions of usurpers dissatisfied with Vologaeses' fiscal policies. Also, in 880 AUC [1], Kanishka the Great, Kushan Emperor of India,had taken advantage of the Parthian weakness and conquered the eastern territories of Iran – despite Vologaeses'greatest efforts, his greatest wish, the reconquest of the indispensable Mesopotamian heartland, never came to fulfillment.
It was up to his son Vologaeses IV, who came to power in 900 AUC [2], to try the impossible. In 916 AUC [3], when the Roman Empire was occupied with the Hibernian guerilla, the Judean revolt and the several barbarian invasions, Vologaeses IV thought that his opportunity had come and decided to chance it. Mesopotamia, including Mesene, was indeed won back – but after this initial success, Avidius Cassius crushed the Parthian army in Mesopotamia and reconquered the Roman provinces. Finally, a Roman army lead by Marcus Claudius Fronto captured the imperial Parthian residence of Ecbatana and enforced peace.
Luckily for the Parthian Empire, Marcus Lollius was convinced that the Roman Empire was completely overstretched and accepted a status quo ante bellum. But even without the loss of any territories, the authority of the Great King was shattered and could not be restored. Also, the Romans gladly supported any revolt within the Empire to further undermine the power of the Parthian Great King.
In the decades following the Lollian War, Parthia saw many civil wars, interregna and anti-kings. The Romans supported alternatingly rebels and central authority, to ensure that nobody would reach supremacy within the empire. Unsurprisingly, this favored feudalism and weakened the central authority even more. The Parthian rulers lacked recruits for their armies and the funds to pay them.
However, the Persians were discontent with the piteous state of their homeland, and unrest among the Parthians magnates grew. Lead by Ardashir of the House of Sasan, satrap of Persis, they gathered in the Hyrcanian city of Hecatompylos. There, in one of the first capitals of the Parthian Empire, the leaders of the hostile Parthian royal branch lines made peace and elected Ardashir I[4] as their leader.
In 977AUC [5], Ardashir entered the metropolis of Ecbatana, where he was acclaimed King of Kings of Persia by the warriors of Iran. Capitalizing on his great popularity, he restricted the authority of the feudal lords as much as possible and tried to establish a modern administration based on Rome bureaucracy. He is specially remembered for was the building of the Great Wall of Zadracarta [6] to defend Parthia and Hyrcania from steppe nomads incursions.
Despite of his image as a warrior, Ardashir was a peaceful ruler. Besides some conflicts against steppe tribes, no major war occurred during his reign, mainly due to the needed reorganization of the Persian armed forces. Indeed, while the Parthian army consisted of feudal contingents, Ardashiraimed at building a standing army modeled on the Achaemenid military.
After a long rule of 31 years, ArdashirI of Persiadied in 1008 AUC [7] and handed power over to his son Shapur I.Thanks to the work of his father, one of the best armies of the world was available to the new Persian ruler. Shapur I, dreaming of a restoration of the First Persian Empire, was determined to gain back what his ancestors should never have lost.
Due to Rome's pacifist stance in Mesopotamia, Persia'smost important enemy stood in the east. Though Arachosia, Areia, Drangiana and Gedrosia, old Persian satrapies, had been conquered by the Kushans hundred years ago, Shapur nevertheless decided to regain them. After having dealt with various internal problems, he gathered the Parthian army in Nissaia, a city of Margina in the northeastern part of his empire, and in 1010 AUC [8], he invaded the Kushan territory.
The Kushan Empire, plagued by feudalization and lacking in acompetend ruler, was unable to offer effective resistance and had to sue for peace in 1013 AUC [9]. The Kushan Emperor was forced to sign a peace treaty restoring the Indus border between the Sassanian and Kushan Empire – the river had already been the border between India and Achaemenid Persia [10], and Shapur could return to Persia as the restorer of Persian power.
Now, he could finally turn to the west to reconquer the western half of the Persian Empire...
[1] 127 CE as IOTL
[2] 147 CE as IOTL
[3] 163 CE
[4] IOTL and ITTL founder of the Sassanian dynasty
[5] 224 CE
[6] Gorgan
[7] 255 CE
[8] 257 CE
[9] 260 CE
[10] As shown in this map
Map of Shapur's eastern conquests
Lucius spent three years collecting military experience in Africa and building up his own Numidian cavalry retinue, a force that he would later on add to the Central Army. There, he learned how to lead mobile forces in the desert and in the mountains, how to harass the enemy to gain victory and to avoid a hopeless fight. He trained his army until it was fit for both close combat and skirmishing, and his men were soon known as the best qualified of the Roman Empire.
But the system working against the Berber tribes of the Libyan Desert would soon be tested by a much more serious enemy. Since the previous chapters dealt only with the Roman Empire, the reader might ask what happened to the Parthian Empire, Rome's greatest foe. Indeed, I rarely mentioned the once mighty Persia in the preceding parts of my history, without giving any reason for this omission.
Therefore, I will try to explain what came to pass in Persia in the days after Trajan's and Quietus' wars. All of Parthia's problems problems had begun with Osroes I, Great King of the Parthian Empire,who lost Mesopotamia to the Romans. This caused great unrest among the Megisthanes, the Parthian noblemen, and Osroes was soon overthrown by the eastern anti-king Vologaeses III.
During his reign, Vologaeses III had to cope with the financial problems caused by the loss of Mesopotamia and by various rebellions of usurpers dissatisfied with Vologaeses' fiscal policies. Also, in 880 AUC [1], Kanishka the Great, Kushan Emperor of India,had taken advantage of the Parthian weakness and conquered the eastern territories of Iran – despite Vologaeses'greatest efforts, his greatest wish, the reconquest of the indispensable Mesopotamian heartland, never came to fulfillment.
It was up to his son Vologaeses IV, who came to power in 900 AUC [2], to try the impossible. In 916 AUC [3], when the Roman Empire was occupied with the Hibernian guerilla, the Judean revolt and the several barbarian invasions, Vologaeses IV thought that his opportunity had come and decided to chance it. Mesopotamia, including Mesene, was indeed won back – but after this initial success, Avidius Cassius crushed the Parthian army in Mesopotamia and reconquered the Roman provinces. Finally, a Roman army lead by Marcus Claudius Fronto captured the imperial Parthian residence of Ecbatana and enforced peace.
Luckily for the Parthian Empire, Marcus Lollius was convinced that the Roman Empire was completely overstretched and accepted a status quo ante bellum. But even without the loss of any territories, the authority of the Great King was shattered and could not be restored. Also, the Romans gladly supported any revolt within the Empire to further undermine the power of the Parthian Great King.
In the decades following the Lollian War, Parthia saw many civil wars, interregna and anti-kings. The Romans supported alternatingly rebels and central authority, to ensure that nobody would reach supremacy within the empire. Unsurprisingly, this favored feudalism and weakened the central authority even more. The Parthian rulers lacked recruits for their armies and the funds to pay them.
However, the Persians were discontent with the piteous state of their homeland, and unrest among the Parthians magnates grew. Lead by Ardashir of the House of Sasan, satrap of Persis, they gathered in the Hyrcanian city of Hecatompylos. There, in one of the first capitals of the Parthian Empire, the leaders of the hostile Parthian royal branch lines made peace and elected Ardashir I[4] as their leader.
In 977AUC [5], Ardashir entered the metropolis of Ecbatana, where he was acclaimed King of Kings of Persia by the warriors of Iran. Capitalizing on his great popularity, he restricted the authority of the feudal lords as much as possible and tried to establish a modern administration based on Rome bureaucracy. He is specially remembered for was the building of the Great Wall of Zadracarta [6] to defend Parthia and Hyrcania from steppe nomads incursions.
Despite of his image as a warrior, Ardashir was a peaceful ruler. Besides some conflicts against steppe tribes, no major war occurred during his reign, mainly due to the needed reorganization of the Persian armed forces. Indeed, while the Parthian army consisted of feudal contingents, Ardashiraimed at building a standing army modeled on the Achaemenid military.
After a long rule of 31 years, ArdashirI of Persiadied in 1008 AUC [7] and handed power over to his son Shapur I.Thanks to the work of his father, one of the best armies of the world was available to the new Persian ruler. Shapur I, dreaming of a restoration of the First Persian Empire, was determined to gain back what his ancestors should never have lost.
Due to Rome's pacifist stance in Mesopotamia, Persia'smost important enemy stood in the east. Though Arachosia, Areia, Drangiana and Gedrosia, old Persian satrapies, had been conquered by the Kushans hundred years ago, Shapur nevertheless decided to regain them. After having dealt with various internal problems, he gathered the Parthian army in Nissaia, a city of Margina in the northeastern part of his empire, and in 1010 AUC [8], he invaded the Kushan territory.
The Kushan Empire, plagued by feudalization and lacking in acompetend ruler, was unable to offer effective resistance and had to sue for peace in 1013 AUC [9]. The Kushan Emperor was forced to sign a peace treaty restoring the Indus border between the Sassanian and Kushan Empire – the river had already been the border between India and Achaemenid Persia [10], and Shapur could return to Persia as the restorer of Persian power.
Now, he could finally turn to the west to reconquer the western half of the Persian Empire...
[1] 127 CE as IOTL
[2] 147 CE as IOTL
[3] 163 CE
[4] IOTL and ITTL founder of the Sassanian dynasty
[5] 224 CE
[6] Gorgan
[7] 255 CE
[8] 257 CE
[9] 260 CE
[10] As shown in this map
Map of Shapur's eastern conquests
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