TL Planning: Aurelian TL
- Thread starter FLAYvian1310
- Start date
Out of curiosity @FLAYvian1310 have you read the Byzantine Republic by Anthony Kaldellis? A lot of it's conclusions I think have some interesting implications for the Roman Empire, particularly in this transitional period into late antiquity. I myself have been tinkering with the idea of a timeline where something like the more democratic atmosphere of Byzantium establishes itself in this era.
No they haven't, so good on you for picking up that idea. Feudalism was likely inevitable, but seeing that idea evolve along different lines could certainly be done, I'll have to do more on that.
Very good idea, it's possible that art and architecture would remain more consistent with that of the earlier periods.
No I have not, I most certainly will have to from you have said about it.
Also, if you do do that TL, I would be very interested to see it.
i am not sure of the particular point of feudalism we know from western europe was inevitable after all it came into existance because of certain specific aspects. I think its possible to see some changes there, for example it could be possible that under right circumstances a situation more similar to medieval italy or then byzantines could evolve
Yeah I'll second this. Feudalism (to the extent that it was a thing) is not inevitable and it's definitely not an inevitability in the Roman Empire.
While Constantine was born before the events of the POD, his later career is probably butterflied by the longer reign of Aurelian and differing circumstances likely averting the Tetrarchy as we know it, although his father might still likely attain some prominence as an officer in Aurelian's army, unless he dies in the Persian campaign.
Aurelian pushed for the Cult of Sol Invictus as a predominant religion of Rome, much like later emperors like Diocletian (and at first Constantine) did, traditional Roman religion is already on the outs but Aurelian's reign could solidify the worship of Sol Invictus as the primary faith of the Empire.
Why would Aurelian’s reign be able to solidify it when Diocletian & CO’s reigns could not? I don’t know if Christianity was destined to become the predominant religion but the worship of Sol didn’t seem to do any better against Christianity than the other faiths despite imperial support for decades.
i think for the worship of Sol to become dominant/stay around some big divergences in both religions would need to happen, it also doesnt help that the larger centers of the cult of Sol where rather far away from Rom (tho i could be wrong here) Maybe a fusion with the Isis cult could make it reinvigorated and desirable to a larger population. I think the problem of most other cults were that they were too elitst, closed and elaborate with their rituals (eg. Mithraism)
It's definitely not a given it'll be solidified, but IMO it has more of a fighting chance if Rome is stabilized earlier and we don't get the chaos of the Tetrarchy and its fallout. Plus even IOTL I don't think Christianity was destined to succeed, if Constantine hadn't legalized it there's a chance it might not have been able to spread so well as it did.
The mystery cults don't have a chance at anything more than being elitist social clubs, and even that much requires anything other than Christianity being dominant to happen. I don't think incorporating the Isis cult is either necessary or possible for Sol's cult to spread, AFAIK it did do better than Isis IOTL as the Isis cult was just another mystery cult akin to Mithraism but less exclusive. The Cult of Sol Invictus however already to some extent co-opted Mithra (according to various interpretations, Mithra was either subordinate to or the same being as Sol) as well as the traditional Roman pantheon and the Imperial cult.
I'm about to start writing the Prologue Chapter of the new TL, so keep suggestions for it coming!
Also, something of note and something I realised in planning; The early parts of this TL will have parallels to Roma Renovata est, which makes sense for two people who paralleled each other as much as Aurelian and Majorian.
Also, something of note and something I realised in planning; The early parts of this TL will have parallels to Roma Renovata est, which makes sense for two people who paralleled each other as much as Aurelian and Majorian.
I just hope you really pu in there some different social economic and military developments to keep it interesting, there are alot of timelines that boil down to "if x person survives situation Y will just be longer and better" Like the typical rome survives and reconqueres all this territory to have nice borders but doesnt really change in any significant way, this just gets stale after a while. it would be sad if the story is just "Aurelian reunites Rome wins all the bettles and all is well again -the end"
Well, considering the time period this is in, things definately won't play out like that. Their will definately be major reforms, especially of religious and military developments due to the character of Aurelian.