Rome's point of no return?

My knowledge of Classical Antiquity is slipping away. :( When would you consider be the latest the Roman Empire could be saved? Where it could have a future where it wouldn't necessary be conquering the world in a century, but as THE military, cultural, political, scientific power on the European continent. Preferably a single united Empire governed in Rome, but I wouldn't mind a West-East divide, or a Byzantium Reconquista.

The latest.

Thank you! :)
 
My knowledge of Classical Antiquity is slipping away. :( When would you consider be the latest the Roman Empire could be saved? Where it could have a future where it wouldn't necessary be conquering the world in a century, but as THE military, cultural, political, scientific power on the European continent. Preferably a single united Empire governed in Rome, but I wouldn't mind a West-East divide, or a Byzantium Reconquista.

The latest.

Thank you! :)

X century re-conquest of cilicia and part of siria by the byzantines.
(arabs weakening, turks still to come)
 
I think the latest the West in some form could be saved would be the 468 expedition against the Vandals with the Eastern Roman Empire. That had all the ingredients needed to succeed, but it ended up being a spectacular failure that crippled what was left of the West's military.
 
I think the latest the West in some form could be saved would be the 468 expedition against the Vandals with the Eastern Roman Empire. That had all the ingredients needed to succeed, but it ended up being a spectacular failure that crippled what was left of the West's military.

Wow, I remember that! Thanks!Just what I needed. Perfect date too.
 
Hmm, I'd say the death of Aetius. Was it Gibbon (I think it was Gibbon) that said that there were simply no comparable men to replace him the way Stilicho was replaced by Boniface and was replaced by Aetius in turn.
 
Hmm, I'd say the death of Aetius. Was it Gibbon (I think it was Gibbon) that said that there were simply no comparable men to replace him the way Stilicho was replaced by Boniface and was replaced by Aetius in turn.
I don't know. If an Empire is dependend on great men being around, then I think it is alraedy lost.
 
Personally, I tend to put in a period of division between the "full" Roman Empire, and the Byzantine Roman Empire, which comes down in the period 650-750. The Roman Empire before this is still recognisably the same beast as that existing in the time of Caesar and Augustus: afterward, it's been transformed.

So, I'd say the last chance to save the earlier Empire is to somehow butterfly the Great Plague of 542. Without it, and its devastating recurrences, the whole Empire is on far steadier ground even if the other problems of Justinian's reign still happen.

Regarding the later Byzantino-Roman Empire, the best point for a proper "saving" of the state is the POD I used for my own TL, to get a competent dynasty of Emperors on the throne sometime between 1040 and 1060. It's certainly possible to avoid the disaster of the Fourth Crusade, but I strongly suspect that a Komnenid sized Byzantine Empire would be extremelly tempting when the Mongols come along, and they'll finish it off.
 
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