Roman Kushite province

[Byzantion]

What if the Romans conquered Kush during the Imperial age ? Maybe after setting up a few client kingdoms ? There may had been even one. Allegedly Nero planned a Kush conquest. What would a Kushite Roman province add to the Roman Empire ? Would there be a larger presence of Kushites and Nubians in other parts of the Empire ? A more prominent role of Kushite people who would become citinzens in 216 AD ? Might there be a minor spread and adoption of old Pharaonic belief systems in Italy ?

 

[Byzantion]

What if the Romans conquered Kush during the Imperial age ? Maybe after setting up a few client kingdoms ? There may had been even one. Allegedly Nero planned a Kush conquest. What would a Kushite Roman province add to the Roman Empire ? Would there be a larger presence of Kushites and Nubians in other parts of the Empire ? A more prominent role of Kushite people who would become citinzens in 216 AD ? Might there be a minor spread and adoption of old Pharaonic belief systems in Italy ?

I would find it fascinating if Kushites became Roman citizens in 216 AD.

 

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Kush was likely a client kingdom of the Roman Empire IOTL, being beaten by the Romans in a brief war not too soon after Egypt's annexation into the Empire. Kush being annexed outright doesn't change much beyond that Rome has direct access to Nubian gold mines. It would be an extra source of manpower and slaves. Maybe a Roman emperor visits Nubia and takes a liking to the leopard skins that Nubia was famous for exporting: might influence fashion trends of the Roman upper class. It would be a relative backwater province with a minimal Roman military and cultural presence that doesn't extend beyond Meroe. Apedemak, a Nubian god, could gain some traction from soldiers returning from campaigning there.

 

[Sheliak Lawyer]

I have heard the Kushites were excellent archers-perhaps some of them would join the Roman army as archer auxilia.

I imagine Roman control of Kush would allow for more expeditions deeper into east Africa. They might get closer to finding the source of the Nile than they did in OTL.

 

[Cuāuhtemōc]

I have heard the Kushites were excellent archers-perhaps some of them would join the Roman army as archer auxilia.

I imagine Roman control of Kush would allow for more expeditions deeper into east Africa. They might get closer to finding the source of the Nile than they did in OTL.

The Romans wouldn't be able to penetrate far beyond the Sudd: the OTL expedition got stuck in the swamps there. There's always the potential of Roman trade and diplomatic expeditions to Axum and the Swahili Coast via ports the Romans can construct in the Nubian coast of the Red Sea.

 

[Arkenfolm]

I have heard the Kushites were excellent archers-perhaps some of them would join the Roman army as archer auxilia.

I imagine Roman control of Kush would allow for more expeditions deeper into east Africa. They might get closer to finding the source of the Nile than they did in OTL.

They'd more just get closer to Ethiopia (well, the predecessor states to Ethiopia) in terms of Romans in Africa. The Sudd is a formidable barrier to Roman expeditions that they could only say "there's good stuff beyond here" and be unable to exploit it.

 

[GauchoBadger]

The Romans wouldn't be able to penetrate far beyond the Sudd: the OTL expedition got stuck in the swamps there. There's always the potential of Roman trade and diplomatic expeditions to Axum and the Swahili Coast via ports the Romans can construct in the Nubian coast of the Red Sea.

So, a roman Eritrea or Axum is more probable?

 

[Nabongo Mumia II]

They'd more just get closer to Ethiopia (well, the predecessor states to Ethiopia) in terms of Romans in Africa. The Sudd is a formidable barrier to Roman expeditions that they could only say "there's good stuff beyond here" and be unable to exploit it.

The Romans wouldn't be able to penetrate far beyond the Sudd: the OTL expedition got stuck in the swamps there. There's always the potential of Roman trade and diplomatic expeditions to Axum and the Swahili Coast via ports the Romans can construct in the Nubian coast of the Red Sea.

So, a roman Eritrea or Axum is more probable?

You know, I made my own forum called Latinized East Africa, when the Romans decide to set up colonies on the coasts of Kenya and Tanzania. I also did propose the Romans sailing down the Blue Nile and colonizing the land around lake Victoria, but as Rouge Trade Enthusiast put it, 'the Sudd is a force to be reckoned'(may not have been those exact words, but something like that). If you want to know more you can go check out the forum(oh, and it wouldn't be bad if you could jumpstart the conversation again).

Well, I think that having Nubian Kush as a Roman province would give them access to their archery skills as stated by Sheliak Lawyer, they would have access to the Nubian gold mines, and I think they might have discovered the source of the Blue Nile earlier on, which would have influenced what those explorer guys like Livingstone came to do in our Continent.

 

[Tomislav Addai]

If I understand correctly Sudd are the swamps of South Sudan

 

[Sheliak Lawyer]

Perhaps the Romans could bypass them by going by the Red Sea or west into the deserts of OTL Chad and South Libya?

 

[ben0628]

Perhaps a Kushite could become emperor of Rome?

 

[Byzantion]

Perhaps a Kushite could become emperor of Rome?

A Kushite version of Phillip Arabs would be interesting, especially if he is a successful emperor who has a historic reputation and persisting legacy.