The Gallican Empire: Rome Survives in Gaul

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Malta

Abd ar-Rahman II said:
Would we extend on the butterfly outside of the Gallic empire ? Say will Odaenathus survive his OTL murder ?
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That’s going to be the case. I kind of see Odaenathus as slightly less ambitious than Zenobia, or at the very least less likely to the sudden power grabs she made in Egypt and more wary of the Sassanids.

He and his first born son does not die, this is going to create a bit of a power struggle down the road but at the very least it will mean the Syrian-Palmyrene Kingdom will be busy.

Just trying to figure out who to set up in the Balkans.

Probus was likely killed along with Claudius and Aurelian. Carus likely being from Gaul means he may still be alive. Diocletian might be as well. Constantinus might be dead while Maximian is alive.
 
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Peace On The Danube: At What Cost?
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    Following Postumus’ sack of Rome, those who still were opposed to his rule fled across the Adriatic Sea to the Balkans where they raised up the former senator Tacitus to the purple as their own Emperor in Thessaloniki. Unfortunately for the opposition to the Gallican Emperor the rest of the Empire for the most part did not recognize Tacitus’ rule or the senate in Thessaloniki. Odaenathus in Palmyra and Marius in Alexandria deferred to Postumus - cutting off much of the grain trade to Tacitus’ regime which weakened his ability to organize an offensive against his opponent. This let Postumus gather his strength and perform several feats to entrench his rule in the West, namely launching an attack on the Alamanni and securing the province of Raetia but also gaining the loyalty of Noricum and Pannonia Superior putting pressure on Tacitus.

    With the loyalty of the Danubian Legions still shaky after their defeats in Italy, Tacitus took the course of bring battle to the Goths along the frontier as a way of gaining the loyalty of the soldiers but also booty in which to bribe them. Postumus would continue to take a diplomatic approach with Tacitus, sueing for peace rather than violence on the frontier but he did send the Legatus Marcus Aurellius Carus to invade Tarsatica (Trsat, Croatia) in the province of Dalmatia. The balance between the two Emperors was maintained just until 268 when Tacitus was killed in an accident, his half-brother Florianus would be recognized as Emperor for only a little while as later he died from the Cyprian Plague that ravaged the Balkans.

    Pressured with the threat of the Danubian Legions going over to Postumus and renewed attacks by the Scythians into Thrace and as far south as Cyprus the Thessaloniki Senate finally gave in and recognized Postumus as Emperor. Fortunately for both sides, Postumus chose the Illyrian Marcus Aurelius Probus as the Dux for the Danubian and Asian Provinces and allowed the Thessaloniki Senate their own remit in the region. Probus for his part would be a good administrator not seeking to go against either the Gallican Emperor or the Thessaloniki Senate - even deferring to the Senate.This recognition would be the final piece for the growing regionalization of the Roman Empire, as an informal series of Duces or Dukes would become the premier powers in the East while Postumus and the Gallicans as Emperors maintained their rule in the West.
     
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    • Sceonn

    Very Diadochi-esque. If overall symbolic subservience to the Western Emperor is sustained it might lower the risk of internecine war and compel each Dux to expend outward.
     
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    Map of the Gallic Empire and its vassals CE 268 / 1021 AUC
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    Here is a map displaying the breakdown of the "Gallic Empire" and its vassal states.

    Following Postumus' negotiations of peace between the share of the Roman Empire he ruled (from de jure in Rome but de facto ran from Lugdunum in Gallia Lugdunensis) and the other "Dux" that he "named" in the other parts of the Empire at large. Marius of Alexandria, Probus of Macedonia and Odaenathus of Palmyra.

    An important development of this division was the growing decentralization and self-sufficiency between each of the divisions - as throughout much of its history the various provinces of the Empire had been maintained by the constant flow of cash outward from Rome itself but by the earlier events of the Third Century - along with an uptick in deurbanization - allowed for resources to be used and maintained closer to home. Case in point the Gallo-Roman aristocracy now funding much of Postumus' portion of things being much less keen on allowing their legions to go abroad on vanity tours and conquests (except across the Rhine).

    The situation of course was by no means completely stable. Especially when one considered how the title of Dux would be passed on once the current Dux that held it died. It would however be an important factor in giving the administrations of each Roman territory to breath without internal infighting - though that did not mean they would escape fighting coming from external sources.

    Green - The Gallicans (Postumus)
    Brown - The Danubians (Probus)
    Pink - The Palmyrenes (Odaenathus)
    Yellow - The Egyptians (Marius)



    Gallic Empire Map 268 CE.png
     
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