Twilight of the Ancients

Always glad to hear that readers are interested! Here is a bit on the ethnopolitical shifts of the Glycerian court.

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The insurrection of Symmachus and the largely pagan Roman aristocracy, and their subsequent defeat and destruction at the hands of (St.) Glycerian, would radically re-order the nature of politics in the city of Rome and, more broadly, Italy.

The executions of Glycerian would, at a stroke, quite literally decapitate or otherwise destroy the old Pagan elite of Rome. Julian had indulged them with favors, power and the fact that he himself was a pagan. Glycerian, a faithful Christian, would undo all of these privileges. Notably crowned by Pope Jerome [2], Glycerian would convert or destroy a number of pagan temples, in a manner similar to how Delphi and the Parthenon became monastic communities second only to Mt. Athos and the Patriarchates in the Arian East. The Pantheon of Hadrian would become the main church during his reign, used as the Imperial chapel. He would also repair the heavily damaged St. Peter's Basilica, which had been sacked by the pagans during their short period of dominion over the city of Rome.

With the executions, Glycerian had also gutted both the political elite and the landowning elite. He quickly created a new elite, by rewarding faithful Christians with villas in Rome and lands across non-Rugian Italy. Notably, most of these rewarded men were Germanic or part-Germanic generals, soldiers and potentates. Although many Germans remained pagan themselves, Glycerian would patronize the growing Christian population amongst the Germans and part-Germans in Rome. A few Romans would also be patronized- the father of the future general Lucius Aetius, and the father of the famous Boniface as well. Overall, however, a German/Christian faction had taken power alongside Glycerian. Many of these men were half-Germanic as well.

This shift in the Imperial court also represents the immense power Germans now held within Rome. The Visigoths were masters of most of Gaul, the Rugians controlled southern Italy, the Vandals were in Baetica and other Germans waited beyond the imperial borders, often in lands that had been Roman only a decade before. These Germanic elites would form much of the basis for the urban elites of medieval Italy, eventually ruled over by conquering barbarian nobles of a more military caste [1]. They would also form the backbone of the patricians, who would dominate every Emperor after Glycerian- and who would assassinate any ruler who tried to change that status quo...

[1]Spoiler: The Western Empire will fall.
[2] The Saint Jerome
 
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Glycerian, after his initial victories, largely settled down his military ambitions (such as retaking Africa or fighting the Burgundians) to bring some level of peace, and, more importantly, Nicene Christianity to the Empire. Another war could lead to civil war, and would most likely give the already powerful foederati even more power. Although Glycerian has been portrayed historically as a very Christian emperor- he did, after all, build the Emerita Cathedral, and would restore St. Peter's to its proper glory- he notably allowed the Vandals to remain Arian in pursuit of peace. The Goths and Rugians had, by this point, become proper Nicene Christians [1] The Angles who ruled northern Gaul remained pagan, and while Glycerian tolerated this initially, he would not do so forever.

Religious matters around Nestorius and the Council of Rome would also absorb Glycerian's attentions. As the first true Christian emperor in the West [2], Glycerian would do his best to counteract the great apostasy of Christians. Julian's paganism and the shock of barbarian invasions after the death of Eugenius has done much to damage the faith- pagan temples would be operating in remote regions of Alpine Italy, Sicily, the Pyrenees and elsewhere until the 8th century. Urban paganism was harshly suppressed, and many pagans who were not killed fled to the countrysides to avoid persecution. Nicene Christianity was strongest in Hispania (outside of Vandal territory), where the missions of St. Augustine and the work of the Egyptians near Olissipona had cemented Nicene Christianity as firstly the sole religious denomination in the peninsula, and secondly as the greatest religious force outside of Cantabria and Gallaecia, which were barely held by a number of British auxillaries.

He also had to deal with the Manichean preachings of Rumoridus, who had spread that faith across northern Italy and into Illyria. Rumoridus would only be captured in 418, and would be drowned in the ocean. His followers were rooted out, and while Manichean followers would survive in a few villages in Viennensis for another century, the faith had been crushed by Glycerian.

The Nestorians were also dealt with, expelled from the Empire by 422. After a decade of rule, Glycerian had, to a degree and with the help of the clergy, stabilized the Church and given it the infrastructure it needed to grow again. For the rest of his reign, harsh anti-pagan laws and taxes, along with aggressive preaching, would spread Nicene Christianity.

While Glycerian dealt with the Nestorians, events in Africa would draw the attention of none other than the Vandals. The comes Claudius had died in 415, and a confederation of Berbers had invaded Africa in 419. Nicene Latins in the cities, with the covert help of Glycerian, assassinated Claudius' sole son, Josephus in 419. A mob soon overthrew the Latins, and expelled them from Carthage and other cities. The Berbers continued to move into Africa.

Claudius' young daughter, Elissa, had gone to the Vandals for assistance. She married young king Geiseric in exchange for help in Africa. The Vandals would leave Baetica for the richer provinces of Africa. They would defeat the Berber hosts near Icosium [3], and Geiseric would vassalize and baptize the survivors at the battlefield itself. He then marched on Carthage, taking the city with the assistance of African Arians in 422. Africa up to Cyrenaica was conquered by June of 423, and Geiseric, with the blessing of the restored Arian Patriarch of Carthage and the Eastern Roman envoy, was created King of Carthage and the Vandals.

The Banassimes, converted Berbers, Vandals and Allemanni would form the backbone of the Arian nobility, alongside Punic lords and a few Latins in the far west. Mauretania soon reverted back to independence. The Nicene Christians were also completely expelled from Africa.

In Rome, Glycerian had to decide whether or not to go to Africa. On the one hand, the Arian Vandals had conquered Africa and expelled the Nicenes, putting the old grain-for-survival deal at risk. On the other hand, the Vandals were out of Baetica, giving Glycerian a much firmer hand in Hispania overall. In addition, the Eastern Romans had recognized and legitimized Vandal rule of Africa, making any invasion of the province very, very dicey. A war with the well-rested and prosperous Eastern Romans would be disastrous for the empire- and quite possibly the Church.

Glycerian, in the interim, moved troops out of Illyria and into Sicily, to protect them from the Vandals in Carthage. He also suffered personal tragedy when his eldest son Constantine died of leprosy. Constantine himself had been a promising general, fighting alongside his father in his early wars before contracting the disease in 420, dying in 424. Any further action was prevented by the war against the Angles.

The Angle king Offa had tried to convert to Christianity in 427, possibly to forestall Gothic encroachment into his lands. He had instead been assassinated by his largely pagan nobles, and his corpse thrown into the Sequana river. This enraged Glycerian, and gave a valuable opportunity to the Gothic king Euric. Euric would immediately declare war on the Angles in the name of Christ, with Glycerian's reinforcements coming later. The double blow was too great for the Angle forces, and although they fought fiercely, they would be conquered by Euric and Glycerian by the year 430, especially after the defeated Siege of Parisiorum in 428. Offa's son Alfred was made a vassal of Euric, ruling over a reduced amount of territory, and the Goths had further annexed both Parisiorum and Aurelianum under their aegis. Euric was now King of the Goths and the Angles, and foederati of most of Gaul. Glycerian allowed this growth in strength, because Euric was loyal and a friend of his.

Glycerian would then make war against a Burgundian raid into Gaul, defeating them at the Battle of Augustobona, after which they gave tribute and made peace. The rest of Glycerian's reign would be largely peaceful. Firstly, he sent a number of diplomatic hostages to the Huns under Rugila and then under Bleda, in 434 and 437. Among them was the future Lucius Aetius. He also ignored a British plea for help, not wanting to further enrich foederati or overextend his forces. Britannia had been a backwater and, more recently, traitorous province.

Glycerian was reportedly preparing to make war on the Vandals when he died at the age of 75 in 444. His weak-willed younger son, Anthemius, was a hedonist dominated (and some say cuckolded) by the Germanic elites that had been raised up under Glycerian. And on September 11th, 445, Bleda invaded the Western Roman Empire.

[1] The Visigoths would not convert to Nicene Christianity until the 6th century TTL. St. Augustine of Barcino, the future Pope, is certainly helpful in the Gothic conversion. The Rugians abandoned paganism upon entering Italy.
[2] Part of the St. Glycerian mythos TTL will be that he succeeded the lukewarm homosexual Constans and the outright pagan Julian. This ignores the short reign of the pragmatic Eugenius.
[3] Today's Algiers, although it was never a major city under the Romans
 
That's a really interesting TL! So far, a lot of plausible developments, interesting to see where this goes. I hope it isn't dead?
 
Not dead necessarily. I graduated college, lost an update, got writers block and have been unable to write recently because I am in the hospital. But it shall return.
 
Not dead necessarily. I graduated college, lost an update, got writers block and have been unable to write recently because I am in the hospital. But it shall return.
Congratulations on your graduation, and I hope you'll get out of hospital soon!
 
Very interesting...


Pelagius wrote On Nature and Defense of the Freedom of the Will. The main points of his works are

  • People should be baptized only once they are capable of faith and grace- Pelagius uses the age of 13 as this guideline. They are confirmed/baptized at the same time. Children before this may attend Church, but may not receive sacraments as they are incapable of true faith...
...Support for infant baptism built up after Constantinople, but dissipated after Pelagius' death in 404.

But why does support for infant baptism dissipate after the death of its leading (?) opponent?

 

The Sassanid civil war would last until 345, when Ardeshir was captured in battle and summarily executed. Whereas Ardeshir was a good ruler to all but the Christians, and lifted taxes on those in his territory, Bahram would be a cruel, harsh ruler given over to paranoia and inaction... Bahram would die in 392...

ISTM that any ancient or medieval ruler who lasts 47 years must be doing something right.
 
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Very interesting...



But why does support for infant baptism dissipate after the death of its leading (?) opponent?


Adult baptism was adopted at Constantinople. After Pelagius dies, the other supporters manage within a few years to suppress the rival practise.

ISTM that any ancient or medieval ruler who lasts 47 years must be doing something right.

Yeah. He manages to be easily malleable to the nobles who dominate his court. His paranoia is manipulated, but he is also protected as a cipher of the interests of the nobles. I may have to change that later...
 
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