Postumus: Call of the West

[ByzantineMan]

I’d like to thank Basileus444 for inspiring me to create my own timeline. At first, I was trying to make a TL about a much, much stronger Ethiopia, but I could not find a good POD to do so. However, I was researching the later Roman Empire and found a man name Postumus, Emperor of the Empire of Gaul. He was superb administrator and could easily handle barbarian invasions, most notably the Franks. Upon further reading, I found myself a POD, and here we are now. I don't believe that this has been done before, so I'm glad that I could be original!


March 12th, outside the city of Mogontiacum

Postumus was satisfied. He had successfully killed those who marched against him, and now the capital of his enemy, Laelianus, was firmly under his boot: right where it should be. Mogontiacum was a fine city, situated well on the Rhine. Postumus was cheering along with his men now that it was theirs.

“Men,” Postumus proclaimed, “the capturing of this city is a testament to the glory of the Empire of Gaul! Our enemies are no more. Laelianus was weak and foppish, as was what he attempted to do! Just like Caesar before us, we came, we saw, and we conquered!”


There was chattering amongst the men. Postumus thought nothing of it, but a common soldier by the name of Marius* spoke out.

Marius spoke with authority when he said “My Emperor, the city shall be burned to the ground! We will march in there and take what is rightfully ours!”

Postumus was not especially tickled by the sudden proclamation from a lowly soldier. However, the other men were forming around him. Postumus had to act.

“My soldiers. My brothers in arms. Do you not think that I would wish to do such an act? I do! But this city is no longer home to our enemies- it is ours. And, we shall treat it as such. These walls are Roman! We shant sink down to the level of our groveling enemies, as we can always do better than that weasel Laelianus and the children in armor that call themselves soldiers! We are, in every way, shape, and form, better than these savages. My soldiers, my brothers in arms, don’t sink down to their barbaric level.”

There was muttering in the crowd of soldiers. Marius was distraught with the sudden loss of support, as the soldiers began clamouring around Postumus, as his words influenced them and convinced them to not sack the city. There were cries of celebration. The city would not be sacked.

*In OTL, Marius was Postumus's successor as proclaimed by the soldiers.

Now, the main POD for this TL is that Postumus’s troops don’t kill him after he tells them to not sack Mogontiacum. I’m not sure if I’ll put in more PODs, but we’ll see what happens. Thank you for your time, and if things go well, I’ll keep making updates! Constructive criticism and thoughts about this TL would be greatly appreciated. I don’t want this to turn into anything stupid, and I certainly do not want to go ASB.

 

[Diez Mil Cantos]

Interesting. Could we get a bit more background and goings on of the nearby world?

 

[Scorpius72]

When exactly is this set?

 

[SlyDessertFox]

It's set during the Third Century Crisis for those wondering, at least that's the only time that would make sense with the names and terms used.

There's one small thing that I noticed: Postumus would never say "Empire of Gaul". The term Gallic Empire was, at least as far as I know, a modern term used to desginate the period where Postumus and his successors ruled Gaul. Postumus was proclaimed Roman emperor by his troops-he very much believed, or proclaimed at least, that he was the legitimate Roman emperor-altohugh he was unable to march on and claim the rest of the empire at this point, he almost certainly had ambitions to do so (though those don't have to be filled out obviously if events prevent them).

He would use "Empire of the Romans" or "for Rome" or 'Roman Empire" (I think you get the picture. Otherwise, interesting start.

 

[ByzantineMan]

Postumus

Thank you all for the feedback! It's really encouraging.

With regards to what Postumus thought of his realm, he never tried to march on Rome or Italy for that matter. His priority was Gaul, as it was his power base. If he marches on Rome, it leaves his heartland open to rivals for the purple and large barbarian tribes.

In all honesty, there is evidence for both ideas. For TTL, Gaul will be the focus of Postumus. As stated before, leaving Gaul will cause he rule to be shaky in the area he considered home, and there are too many obstacles for him to overcome to meet those goals (taking Rome) anyway. However, this is not to say that the idea is cast out of his head I'm referring to what he ruled over as the "Empire of Gaul" in order to not be really confusing.


This TL is set around the year 269 A.D, for those wondering.

 

[SlyDessertFox]

Thank you all for the feedback! It's really encouraging.

With regards to what Postumus thought of his realm, he never tried to march on Rome or Italy for that matter. His priority was Gaul, as it was his power base. If he marches on Rome, it leaves his heartland open to rivals for the purple and large barbarian tribes.

In all honesty, there is evidence for both ideas. For TTL, Gaul will be the focus of Postumus. As stated before, leaving Gaul will cause he rule to be shaky in the area he considered home, and there are too many obstacles for him to overcome to meet those goals (taking Rome) anyway. However, this is not to say that the idea is cast out of his head I'm referring to what he ruled over as the "Empire of Gaul" in order to not be really confusing.


This TL is set around the year 269 A.D, for those wondering.

Fair enough-though he still would call it "Empire of the Romans" regardless of his intentions-though I understand why you would use "Empire of Gaul"

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part two: Organizing the Empire

Mogontiacum is re-incorporated into the Empire, with Marius being placed as the Mayor of the city. Despite almost starting a revolt amongst the troops, Postumus recognizes the courage needed to pull of such an act, granting him the Mayorship in April of 269. Postumus needed some down time to re-establish the economic power of his realm. His first move was the imperial treasury. He strengthened security forces in Hispania in order to keep a steady supply of metals flowing through the Empire.


On terms of the military, Postumus needed to re-establish his authority. He had convinced them to not sack Mogontiacum, but his control needed strengthening. The more worrying parts of the army were scattered amongst the River Rhine, where they knew that if they left their positions to proclaim an usurper, Postumus would defeat them like he defeated Laelianus or numerous Barbarians would cross the Rhine, and no one wanted either of those to happen. At the same time, veterans were tasked with easy garrison duties in Hispania, perhaps at or near the aforementioned mines, and fresh recruits were placed on the area near and around the Rhine.


The idea of new offensives against enemies was discussed frequently by Postumus and his Praetorian Prefect Victorinus.

“My friend,” Postumus spoke in a calm manner, “there will always be a time for conquest. However, that time is not now. We need to spend this time re-organizing the Empire.”

Victorinus, however, had different ideas. “But my Lord! The leadership of Rome is fighting with numerous Barbarians. We should press our advantage now that the time is right.”

“Victorinus. I consider your opinions on the matter to stem from the truth. However, a march on Rome is out of the question for now. I rule from Gaul, but I rule for the glory of Rome. My people live here, I was born here, and here is where I shall die. If we were to invade while Rome is weak, we would be no better than the barbarians that threaten the security of us all! My priority is to protect the good Roman people. The farther I go from here, the less I am able to do that task.”

“All Right, my Lord. You speak with great wisdom on this matter. I will agree to focus on our realm as well as you do, my Lord.”

“Thank you, Victorinus. I knew that you would come to your senses.”


The two shared a laugh, with the two going to their respective places of living. They, along with the rest of the Gallic Empire, needed a rest.



Once again, I cannot thank you all enough for the feedback! I'm trying to update as soon as I can, and I promise that the wait will be, at the most, three days. Thanks for reading!

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part 3: Contentions with the Gallic Empire

Postumus laid in bed that same night. he was proud of his recent successes, but was afraid of the oncoming storm. His old rival Gallienus was dead, but the new Emperor of Rome, Claudius Gothicus, was being very active. He has defeated numerous invading tribes, and was gearing up to attack. However, Postumus's spies had not reported on who. For all intensive purposes, Claudius could be preparing to invade the realm of Postumus. Or, he would be invading the Vandals. He could not be certain of which one he would go for. However, he did know of one thing: There was simply no time to waste on anything. He could sleep later.

Postumus leaped out of bed, and read reports from all the corners of his Empire. He looked over the Hispania reports, only to see the same information about the disruption in the mines. At second glance, however, he saw a small report. Not even a report, but a stray letter from a man named Marcus Lysander- an odd name, given the mixed Graeco-Roman. It read as follows:

Dear Postumus, Emperor of the Romans,

"Dire news has come. There is much talk among the people about declaring for the man Claudius Gothicus. Your presence is needed here, the people do not know what they would be doing if they declared for Claudius. You need to reassert your dominance in this region, or it may be lost to that tyrant from Rome. Your people need you."

Sincerely, your humble servant Marcus

Postumus knew what he had to do. The disruption in the mines was very likely an outcome of the increasing disorder and talk among the people, but public opinion could be swayed in his favor if Postumus made a personal visit, in a series of tours. However, going to Hispania would take time- time that Claudius would use to potentially march on Gaul. Postumus knew that an invasion by Claudius would be absolutely brutal. Gaul's defences were adequate, but Claudius Gothicus was a military genius, the man who defeated barbarians time and time again. Furthermore, if Claudius invades, Hispania may erupt in open revolt for him, and leave Postumus with no source of metal. Luckily, Postumus had a plan. He called for Victorinus

"My Lord." Victorinus said in a tired voice. "What is the issue?"

Postumus started to inform him of the plan. "Victorinus, Hispania is in troubling times. I fear that they might rise against me, leave me for Claudius."

"What terrible news, my lord! What shall we do?"

"Listen to me, Victorinus. Claudius Gothicus to marching in northern Italia. Whether he is out for my head is out of my control. I wish to be on the border, manning the defenses with my soldiers. However, if Claudius invades, it would be the catalyst for open revolt in Hispania. I must go to Hispania, to strengthen my control there. I am taking the 3/4 of the Praetorian Guard with me to demonstrate my power."

Victorinus looked at him with a sense of disbelief. "With all due respect, your majesty, what am I to do with 1/4 of the guard?"

Postumus looked at him with a smile. "You, my brother, will take what is left of the guard and march to the border, gathering troops as you march south. If Claudius attacks, I expect you to stop him until I can return with the Praetorians and whatever troops I can quickly gather in Hispania. You see, it would be better for me to go and solidify my rule in Hispania, so if Claudius attacks, it will not declare for him. It is better than us doing nothing and loosing Hispania AND feel the wrath of Claudius.

Victorinus nodded. "Excellent plan, noble master. I shall leave as soon as I can."

"Then go! Prepair yourself!"

Victorinus hurried out the door. Postumus looked at the letter again- it was sent from the city of Tarraco.

"Tarraco," he though to himself. "What a nice first stop."

 

[ByzantineLover]

Good going so far, but wouldn't it make more sense for Postumus to split his Praetorian Guard equally between him and Victorinus? I'm not too sure if 1/4 of the guard would be enough to turn the tide in a fight against Claudius II.

But, it's your TL and you can write it as you please.

 

[ByzantineMan]

Re: Guard Splitting

Good going so far, but wouldn't it make more sense for Postumus to split his Praetorian Guard equally between him and Victorinus? I'm not too sure if 1/4 of the guard would be enough to turn the tide in a fight against Claudius II.

But, it's your TL and you can write it as you please.

That may be true, but it's unknown whether or not he will attack in the first place, and the loss of Hispania in its entirety would be worse than an invasion by Claudius. Besides, Victorinus and the 1/4 of the Guard would be meeting up with local garrisons and would be able to do further recruiting.

I'd like to reiterate how bad the loss of Hispania would be- Postumus would loose multiple mines of silver, gold and other metals, which in turn would mean a stop of new currency, a large manpower reserve, and the loss would put his Gallic and British possessions in between a rock (The Roman Empire) and a hard place (Barbarian Tribes). Thanks for your concern though! It's nice knowing that people are reading this

 

[Emperor Julian]

I wonder if a stronger Postumus could also help ensure the survival of the Palmyrean Empire as well. (or at least, have it be the Persians who conquer Palmyra instead of the Romans)

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part 4: Tarraco: Gateway to Hispania

Tarraco was a sizable city on the coast, filled with good, honest Romans. At least, that's what Postumus assumed, given the letter he received from Marcus and how it may have saved his dominion here. Postumus was intent on meeting Marcus. Such loyalty and devotion would not go without a just reward!

As he was riding his horse at the front of the Praetorian Guard, a man stood at the end of the trail. Postumus, not taking any chances, placed his hand on the handle of his sword. However, it would not be needed. The man on the trail spoke.

"Hail Postumus! Hail the true Emperor of the Romans!"

"Thank you, kind citizen. It is always nice to see a humble servant. May I have the pleasure of your name?"

"Of course my lord! It is Marcus- Marcus Lysander."

Postumus was delighted to meet the man that may have saved his Empire.

"Good citizen," Postumus said, "I owe you a great deal! I immediately rode for this place once I read your intriguing letter. We have much to discuss."

They continued marching, and they started to discuss the mindset of the people in Hispania. However, Postumus found that it was simply annoying for a mounted man to speak to a man on foot. With the raise of an arm, he ordered the Guards to halt.

"Marcus, allow me a moment to dismount. We shall continue this discussion, but it's too difficult if I am on a horse."

"Of course, my lord!"

As he got off, he looked at the Praetorians. One of them, it the front row, had a strained and tired look on his face.

"Soldier," Postumus said, "what is troubling you?"

The Guard stood up straighter as he said that he had sprained both ankles, making it difficult to walk, especially at the front line.

"Well soldier, I so happen to have a spare horse. I offer it to you."

With the blessing of the Emperor, the soldier mounted the horse. Soon, they were upon the town. The sight was quite remarkable- A wounded man on the Emperor's steed, with the Emperor conversing with a common citizen- on foot, no less.

Postumus did not know it, but when the residents saw that image, they saw a man who was not an Emperor who was above everybody, but rather a common man who just happened to be in the position. Postumus, nor Lysander or the Guard, had inadvertently created a new image- a new sign of the relationship between the people, the Emperor, and the army. The sign would be very well received among the populace. Instead of hurling insults at him, the city dwellers applauded Postumus as he walked in. These occurrences would save Hispania for him, whether he knew it or not.




Once again, I cannot thank all of you enough for reading!

 

[ByzantineMan]

I wonder if a stronger Postumus could also help ensure the survival of the Palmyrean Empire as well. (or at least, have it be the Persians who conquer Palmyra instead of the Romans)

I'm still considering what to do about that- the next update will talk about what's going on in different areas of the Mediterranean before returning to Postumus.

Something that I'd REALLY like to do is have Zenobia marry Postumus, but that sounds like it would be heading into ASB territory. But hey, you never know

Thank you for reading!

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part 5: Residents of the Empire.

March 30, Lugdunum

Postumus was the leader of the Gallic Empire. However, there were more people in the playing field than him. First and foremost was Victorinius, Postumus's Praetorian Prefect. He was stationed in Lugdunum, encamped with what he had of the Praetorian Guard. In the surrounding areas, local garrisons were ready to mobilize and set up defenses against Claudius.

It began to rain.

"Well then," Victorinius said. The men huddled inside the fortifications to seek shelter and huddle around the fire. There was no news from scouts about enemy movements, and furthermore there were rumors of Claudius Gothicus having his hands tied with the Vandals in the east. Victorinius was not concerned about fighting. He joined his troops around the fire.

"Men, you can rest easy."

March 30, Northern Italy

Placiadanus was awaiting further reinforcements from Claudius, who was fighting marauding barbarians to the south. Placidanus made sure that his troops were always ready to march on Gaul. The Roman command in Italy has been very cautious about invading the realm of Postumus- much like Claudius Gothicus, Postumus was a military genius. The time to strike would be soon, but not now.

Cappadocia, March 30

Odeanathus angrily slashed a Goth who was attempting to flee. Although it happened years before, the shock of Maeonius attempting to kill him was alive and well- Odeanathus himself would not be where he was right now if it was not for his son, Hairan, who valiantly sacrificed himself in order to save his father's life. Odeanathus and his cavalry went back to the Roman camp, where celebrations were being held in light of the new victories.

"Odeanathus!" cried a drunken soldier, the enemy is gone! The goths will never threaten Cappadocia again! What more could anybody want?

Odeanathus gave him a cold stare. "My son."

The soldier stopped. Silence began to encompass the partying troops.

Odeanathus then shouted to his men, "be ready to march by dawn tomorrow. We leave for Palmyra."




D'oh! If you have not noticed, that last anecdote is my second POD. IOTL, Odeanathus was ruling the east under the command of the Emperor in Rome, but was killed by his nephew. ITTL, he survives, but his son is killed, meaning that Zenobia (and her child) still has some powerful cards to play. Thank you for reading!

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part 6: Touring Hispania

March 31st

After arriving in Tarraco, Postumus started off a series of games to amuse the population and solidify his standard among the people. Bread was dished out from chariots, and Postumus tossed coins into the masses personally before the games began. Soon, two teams of convicts and slaves were sent out into the arena to fight for their lives. The crowds were eager to watch, but Postumus had different things in mind.

"Marcus, why is your name the way it is? It is part Roman and part Greek."

"My lord, it is because I am of both cultures. My mother was Greek, a descendant of the colonists here, and my father was born here after his father, a soldier, retired here."

"Interesting," Postumus said. "What do you do for a living? And please, you may have the honor of calling me Postumus."

"Many thanks, Postumus."

As they were talking, the swords, spears and shields were clanking against each other in the arena below.

Marcus began to explain his profession. "I am a merchant of far-away places. I sell many things, ranging from the exotic to the mundane."

Postumus was intrigued. "What is the farthest away place that you've been too? Why did you go there?"

The clanking and clattering continued. Shouts from the arena were sometimes heard.

"A rich man of which I collaborated with was interested in barbarian culture, for whatever reason. He was amassing a collection of items from different tribes. Some of them were easy to find by simpler means, given the amount of barbarians that push deep into our civilization. However, what I was tasked to locate would be more difficult to obtain-"

Postumus interrupted when he asked "Why was this man treating you as an errand boy? You are a merchant, are you not?"

Marcus continued. "A merchant I am, that is true. This man, however, was willing to pay me a very generous reward. A large sum of currency, and a night in bed with his Aphrodite-like daughter. Needless to say, it was a long night. Quite worth the travel!"

The two men shared a laugh and took a drink of their respective wine.

"Alright, alright," Postumus said, "get to the point, Marcus. Where did he send you?"

"I am unaware of the name, but it was a place north of Hadrians wall. Wait, even farther, north of the Antonine wall. It was filled with natural wonders, soaring mountains and pristine forests. Everywhere, there was a small lake. I was to bring home a tunic much like yours, although it was of a thicker material, and covered in squares of different shades of blue."

Postumus did not even here the victory scream of the winning team as he continued to ask questions.

"Tell me, Marcus, what where the inhabitants like? Were they peaceful? Warlike? Neither?"

"Postumus, they were very intimidating. Their faces were often painted blue, their weapons sharp, and the people fierce. I was looked upon with distasteful eyes by the commoners, although the tribe leaders were more than wiling to give me what I wanted in return for gold."

Postumus was wholly into the discussion when a Guard told him of the occurrences in the arena. Postumus hastily congratulated the victors for their courage and bravery in spite of the odds. The winning team would be sent free. The audience went wild. Soon, more bread was to be thrown into the crowd.

"And you forget what this place was called?"

"Now that I think about it, I believe it was called Caledonia- but I am not sure."

"Caledonia... Interesting. Thank you for the conversation Marcus."

As he finished that sentence, the bread was almost gone. It had been given out generously to the happy public.

Postumus and Marcus discussed the topic for several hours as they walked the city streets, flanked by the Praetorians. Once night fell, parting words were issued.

"Marcus! It has been a great day conversing with you. You are a smart man. In exchange for your loyalty, I offer you a place in my retinue, to follow me on my travels."

Marcus looked at him in disbelief.

"I would be honored, Postumus. But I will be needing time to sort out my home life. The "Aphrodite" I mentioned earlier- she is my wife."

Postumus smiled. "Marcus, the more the merrier! She shall accompany you as you accompany me. You deserve much after all you have done for the Empire."

The two said their goodbyes. Before going to bed, Postumus consulted a map he had of the known world. His eyes wandered to Caledonia.

"Interesting indeed."

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part 7: People of the Mediterranean

After the events of Tarraco, the rest of Hispania soon heard of Postumus and the new relationship between the people, the Emperor, and the army. The accidental change of policy encouraged many men to join their local garrisons and the army. On the one hand, Postumus is thrilled at the pride exerted, but since the "new image" of the nation was not his intention, he knows not of how to keep up the image except to hold all soldiers and garrisons he comes across in a very high regard. He may do such things, but in order for his tour in Hispania to be successful, he needs to understand exactly what he created.

Meanwhile, Odeanathus marches back to Palmyra. Zenobia has spent the days of being alone by raising her child Vaballathus and dreaming that he may rule instead of her stepson, Hairan. She dreamed of him being disposed in some way. Vaballathus was the true Lord of Palmyra. Zenobia looked at the beautiful city that she called home and wished that it would be hers (and by extension, her son's) to rule, free from Rome.

Marcus Aurelius Probus was taking a nice ride on his horse along the River Danube. He wished to get out of the town Sirmium, his place of birth. He was now a Military Tribune, but he always liked visiting where he was born. He had a distaste for the garrison there and how the only operation that it did was fighting. Not that it was a bad thing, but Probus started to view a soldier as more than a weapon of war- it was a strong citizen who would be willing to do work for his Emperor. Probus knew that many things had to be done to strengthen the economy, and that soldiers were some of the best people to do so. However, his emperor was always fighting barbarians, so the ideas that Probus thought of would have to wait. He keep wondering if there was someone who would listen to him.



Sorry for the long wait! I'll be sure to make more updates, probably one every 2 days now. Thanks for reading!

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part 8: The Vandals and their passing

Claudius Gothicus needed to do a large cleaning of his Empire. The Vandals were raiding Pannonia, and Postumus ripped out a huge chunk of the West. However, Claudius could only focus on one thing at a time. Claudius and his advisers and generals agreed that a victory must be achieved against the Vandals, with as little casualties as possible so that an invasion of Postumus could be achieved. The Romans were confident that they could inflict a stinging defeat against the barbarians in a single pitched battle.

Claudius and the Romans had planned to load the city of Scarbantia with many objects of value, to lure the Vandals in. Once the Vandals leave, the Romans would spring upon them, easily dispatching the over-encumbered barbarians with ease. Fighting is hard, after all, when someone is carrying many pounds of valuables. On April 12th, the city is laden with goods and the Romans set up camp a few miles south of the city. Claudius is very certain of a victory, certain to the point of sending a messenger on horse to tell Placiadanus in Northern Italy to begin mobilization of troops and prepair for an invasion once reinforcements from Claudius arrive. Once word arrives, Placiadanus eagerly prepares by gathering new troops and revising invasion plans.

On April 16th, the Vandals march into Scarbantia. There was little to no struggle from the very small local garrison, allowing the Vandals to pour in like water into a lake. The horsemen dismounted, the infantry sheathed their swords, and spears were strapped to their backs in order to carry the valuables. The captains and commanders were suspicious, but they were easily distracted by the plunder. In mere hours, the infantry left the city with many, many pounds of rewards, from cloth trinkets to gold coins. The Romans wait for the time to strike.

 

[ByzantineMan]

Part 9: The Vandals and their passing continued

From what Claudius could see, the Vandals had left the city. His men hurried to their position, waiting to strike. Once the Vandals were on the main road out of the city, surrounded by dense forests, the Romans sprang into action. Several volleys of Pila leaped into the fray, at multiple times impaling more than one Vandal with a single Javelin. The Vandals that were left standing were engaged by the Roman infantry. However, the barbarians had more than infantry- the archers and cavalry were still in the city, and they witnessed the massacre of their comrades. The cavalry, very adept at raiding, immediately rose to their steeds and began scavenging the area for the Roman camp. The ones that stayed continually harassed the fully exposed Roman Legion.

The Archers, meanwhile, followed in the way of the remaining Horse archers- but the archers were much more effective due to their larger numbers. Arrows began raining on the Romans, who were still concerned with the infantry on the road. The Roman archers and cavalry could not quickly maneuver in the forest parallel to the road. As they began to move to counter, more and more arrows fell on the Legionaries.

This was disastrous for the Romans, but the barbarian Vandals had one more trick up their sleeve: a raid on the Roman camp and supply lines. Taking after the Persian and Indian cavalry at Guagamela (although these barbarians did not know it) they ran out of the fight and went straight for the Roman camp. Tents were burned, food was taken along with plates, coins and other trinkets, and the non-combatants in the army were slaughtered. The Vandals won the fight here.

However, Claudius Gothicus was no fool. Once his infantry was finished with the Vandal foot soldiers, he wheeled them around and marched them back to camp to ward off the meandering cavalry. By this time, his archers had been set up at the perimeter of the forest, and they began to fire back at the Vandals, who were more or less in open ground. The Roman cavalry, supplemented by mercenaries, launched themselves at the Vandal horse archers, where after a brief chase, the Vandals ran out of arrows, swiftly becoming cut up by the Romans, who then swept the remaining archers. Now, all the Romans could make a mad dash for their camp.

Many of the barbarians raiding the camp had dismounted in order to get into the various tents and buildings. They fell to the Roman sword. The rest of the battle consisted of mopping-up the remnants of the Vandal force. By the end of the day, the Vandals were practically eliminated, removed from the area as a fighting force. At the same time, however, Claudius did not have the ample amount of troops and supplies to strike at Postumus. He sent another messenger to Placiadanus to inform him of the new plans.

But Placiadanus had his own plans.

 

[The Professor]

Hmmm, are we getting an early split of the Roman Imperium but into 3(6) rather than 2(4) - Gallic, Central, Palmyrene?
Not sure how long that'd last or how much difference in the long run as depends on how they stand up to the barbarians

 

[ByzantineMan]

Hmmm, are we getting an early split of the Roman Imperium but into 3(6) rather than 2(4) - Gallic, Central, Palmyrene?
Not sure how long that'd last or how much difference in the long run as depends on how they stand up to the barbarians

At this time, it's the Gallic Empire and the Roman Empire proper. Palmyra is still firmly within the Roman Empire because Zenobia still has her husband, who rules Palmyra in the name of Rome. It's not a sperate entity like it turned out to be OTL.

And we'll see how they stand up to barbarians.