What if both the Western and Eastern Roman empire survive

What if both the Western and Eastern Roman empire survive till the present day. What Will the world look like who will have colonies and what type of government would they have. You choose your desired pod.
 
I know some might think it hard almost asb. But I think if you allow for some events to not take place I feel both Romes could last. Atilla being held back to Germania for one.Better cooperation between the two romes. Don't allow Iconoclasm to become a phase in the ERE future. I'd think the Eastern roman may still choose to have Greek as their language instead of reamining latin. Tell me what you think could allow both Romes to survive.
 
"The empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been." It must be remembered that, until the fall of the Western Empire, the division was officially an administrative one: de iure there is only One Roman Empire with Two emperors. What I imagine that is going to happen is a "China-like" continuation of a cycle of unity-disunity, with the more ambitious emperors dreaming of achieving the same level of domination over the entire roman world as Constantine or Theodosius did, and with the Empire fragmenting after the force of reality imposes the fact that the Empire as it is, is too big for one single ruler. That is, until the two halves run out of resources to dominate each other. Knowing that the East is usually richer and more powerful than the West, the most plausible result is for the East conquering or puppeteering the West, unless a lucky or better in the art of war Western Emperor is able to defeat the East. Of course, it also depends on the extent of the Empires: The situation is different if the West is reduced to Italy or/and if the East is reduced to Basil II´s frontiers. Also, we also must remember the religious aspect, with the Emperors fighting over schismatic decisions, taken by the patriarchs under their rule, as well as the ambition of certain Patriarchs (like the one of Rome) to exercise Primacy/superiority over the entire Church, which would surely receive support from an emperor and vice versa. About colonies, the East is rich enough and with full control of about spices and Asian trade to be interested in colonies,specially American ones, for which also does not have the correct geographical location. Only the West can be interested in such ventures, and you need it to:
  • Having coast near the Atlantic
  • Having such a bad relationship with whoever dominates the commercial routes in the East that motivates the search for a route through the West, finding the New World in the process.
Regarding the language or system of government, that also depends on what state the Empires have survived. While it is possible or worthwhile to maintain the fiction that the two empires are one, the East will maintain Latin among its official languages. Of the two, the West is the most exposed to suffer a feudalizing phenomenon, with the consequent decentralization, compared to the East, which, as demonstrated by OTL, can maintain high levels of Autocracy and central power even if they are in their last legs.
 
Just for fun the only part surviving in the West is Sardinia and Crete in the East.

Both islands are known today for their casinos and their competition for the "Ancient Roman" tourist trade.

Or would a Napoleonicus Maximus ruling from Corsica be more amusing?
 
The hardest part here suprisingly isn't necessarily keeping the Western and Eastern Empires intact, but keeping them divided until the present day. How does one prevent a really strong Emperor from absorbing the other half? Or prevent the twin courts from fighting when one of them looks weak? There would have to be some kind of early, cultural or religious divide between the two maybe to prevent them from wanting to absorb eachother. Maybe some kind of early schism? Maybe making the Eastern Emperors somehow go Monophysite, or the Western ones somehow go Arian could work?

Saving the east is easy as long as the west survives, as they won't become overextended or go into debt from Justinian's reconquests. For the west to survive, they would probably have to be able to hold onto Africa, which could sustain them economically.
 
For the west to survive, they would probably have to be able to hold onto Africa, which could sustain them economically.
In the short term maybe, but things like the Carolinian renaissance or AL Andalus show you can have a strong polity with just Iberia or Northern Europe
 
In the short term maybe, but things like the Carolinian renaissance or AL Andalus show you can have a strong polity with just Iberia or Northern Europe
True, but the problem with the loss of Africa wasn't just the massive economic loss. When the Vandals took Carthage, they also took most of the Western Roman navy with them. Meaning that the Romans ceased being the sole hegemon of the Mediterranean and had to deal with a competing naval power that would constantly raid them.
 
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