What if the battle of yarmouk was a byzantine victory

GdwnsnHo

Banned
We all can agree that Africa is worth keeping right

Well of course. Africa, Egypt, Syria.

Y'know, all those rich provinces that the Romans lost because of Yarmouk are all worth keeping.

1) They are genuinely very rich

2) Money doesn't have to be spent to reconquer them

3) Resources can be deployed elsewhere.

Africa is the most worthwhile to keep - furthest from any real danger/invasion. And the former (continued? I don't know) powerbase of the Heraclian Dynasty.
 
Well of course. Africa, Egypt, Syria.

Y'know, all those rich provinces that the Romans lost because of Yarmouk are all worth keeping.

1) They are genuinely very rich

2) Money doesn't have to be spent to reconquer them

3) Resources can be deployed elsewhere.

Africa is the most worthwhile to keep - furthest from any real danger/invasion. And the former (continued? I don't know) powerbase of the Heraclian Dynasty.
How was Syria rich again? I know how Africa and Egypt were rich(breadbaskets) but I don't know about syria
 

GdwnsnHo

Banned
How was Syria rich again? I know how Africa and Egypt were rich(breadbaskets) but I don't know about syria

It was quite rich because it was quite urbanised. I don't know much about its farming, but it is the home of Damascus, and it is the entire levant, one of the most urbanised areas in history. Lots of people = lots of taxes and manpower.

Certainly more urbanised than say, Spain, or France at this point in history.
 
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Certainly more urbanised than say, Spain, or France at this point in history.

Yes it was. And counting the decline of the cities during the late empire, which hit the West much harder than the East or Africa, the difference is even bigger.

And don't forget the lot of trade routes though Syria.
 
Rome controled the richest part of the western world until the Arabs came. In TTL Rome will keep most of it. I believe that those provinces with a Roman-Catholic population will eventually be lost.
 
Rome controled the richest part of the western world until the Arabs came. In TTL Rome will keep most of it. I believe that those provinces with a Roman-Catholic population will eventually be lost.

The Byzantines were Roman Catholics at this point. Or the Roman Catholics were Orthodox, whichever way you prefer to look at it. :p But, whilst there were already differences between the Greek-speaking and Latin-speaking parts of the Church, the Great Schism was still four hundred years in the future.
 
The Schism may be 400 years in the future, the Pope severing his links with "Rome" is only 100 years in the future. And no, Isconoclasm was not the reason.
 
It was quite rich because it was quite urbanised. I don't know much about its farming, but it is the home of Damascus, and it is the entire levant, one of the most urbanised areas in history. Lots of people = lots of taxes and manpower.

Certainly more urbanised than say, Spain, or France at this point in history.

Thank you for this information
 
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