Roman reconquest of Carthage

Pellaeon

Banned
In 468 a combined host of both the Western and Eastern Roman Empire sought to retake Carthage from the vandals. The plan ended in fiasco with the fleet burned and army largely destroyed.

Could the western empire have been saved or its life prolonged if Carthage was retaken and Geiseric and the Vandals crushed?
 
I'm not sure if it would be enough to save the empire, but regaining the breadbasket of North Africa would definitely be the first step to prolonging its existence. You'd need more in depth reform in the government though, encouraging reurbanization, lowering the barbarian involvement in government and making the army not want to kill the emperor every time they wanted a pay raise are all necessary for the empire to survive past the fifth century.
 
This would be a prerequisite for saving the Western Empire, but it is not sufficient by itself IMHO, merely possible.

With the Western Empire somewhat more stable this could lead to a better position in the Balkans for the Eastern Empire, assuming the two halves cooperate.
 
I'd argue that by 468, the chance to save the empire is gone. According to Peter Heather, who does see the event as effectively the end of the WRE, a lot of territories that had been fought over in the last few decades, even when they were returned to imperial control, produced about 1/8 of their previous revenue. By the late 460s, the WRE needs an immediate injection of cash and the recapture of North Africa won't provide that. I think a better PoD would be a successful invasion in the 440s.

teg
 
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