WI: A rival for the Early Roman Republic

The cities in the Po valley are far enough away from both Rome and the Etrsucan heartland that they aren't in immediate danger of being swallowed up. As to how they become powerful enough to rival Rome, I think that this is where the Gauls might play an important part: Rome was sacked by the Gauls led by Brennus in 390 BC (Supposedly, some say 381 BC or even later). Eventually, these Gauls displaced the Etruscans in the Po River valley as the dominant group, thus Cisalpine Gaul; my idea then is to have the Po Etruscans survive and integrate these Gauls.

The effects of this would be two-fold IMO: first, the cultural changes that such an integration entails helps me rationalize why the Romans won't simply gobble up these groups the same way they did the Etruscan heartland. Second, this would have huge ramifications for Gaul later on, if they remain in contact with the Cisalpine Gauls: the Etruscans had a society that was, for the most part, on par with the Roman Republic, at least in terms of government and culture, which the Gauls might be willing to adopt, and the system of government of the Etruscans (independent cities united in a loose confederation) is something that the Gauls would be familiar with.

The Gauls that sacked Rome between 390-87 BCE were the Senones, whom were located in Umbria. The Celts that conquered the Etruscan territories around the city of Felsina (Bologna) were the Boii tribe. Milan was founded by the Insubres, related to the Aedui of northern Gaul. Therewas the Cenomani, possibly related to the Aulerci (Le Mans) in northern Gaul, the Lingones in Ferrara, the Sallasi in the Aosta Valley, and the Celto-Ligurian Taurini in Piedmont. But the Senones under Brennus, the Boii in the Po Valley, and the Insubres of Lombardy could potentially have made a more lasting impression in ancient Italian history.

Brennus could have alternately completed his siege of the Capitoline Hill, destroyed the Republic, and relocated his people from Senigalla to Clusium and created a new Celtic state encompassing Etruria, Umbria and Latium.

The Italian Boii had already captured former Etruscan holdings, and would have adopted early on some of the more practical aspects of their urban culture, as the Ostrogoths had after their conquest of Italy centuries later.

The Insubre of Milan were part of a greater confederation of Gaulish tribes headed by the powerful Aedui in Saone-et-Loire.
 
You could always go ASB, and Isot in Venice from around 850 AD back to 250 BC
Origins

While there are no historical records that deal directly with the obscure and peripheral[4] origins of Venice, tradition and the available evidence has led several historians to agree that the original population of Venice comprised refugees from Roman cities such as Padua, Aquileia, Altino and Concordia (modern Portogruaro) and from the undefended countryside, who were fleeing successive waves of Germanic invasions and Huns.[5] Some late Roman sources reveal the existence of fishermen on the islands in the original marshy lagoons. They were referred to as incolae lacunae ("lagoon dwellers"). The traditional founding is identified with the dedication of the first church, that of San Jacopo at the islot of Rialto (Rivoalto, "High Shore"), given a conventional date of 421.[6]

The last and most enduring irruption in the north of the Italian peninsula was that of the Lombards in 568, leaving the Eastern Roman Empire a small strip of coast in the current Veneto, and the main administrative and religious entities were therefore transferred to this remaining dominion, centered upon the Exarchate of Ravenna, the local representative of the Emperor in the East. The Venetian tradition of the islanders' aid to Belisarius was reported in early histories to explain the largely theoretical link to Ravenna, and to the Eastern Emperor. New ports were built, including those at Malamocco and Torcello in the Venetian lagoon. The tribuni maiores, the earliest central standing governing committee of the islands in the Lagoon, dated from c. 568.[7]

The Venetians traditionally having offered asylum to the Exarch, in flight from the Lombard Liutprand,[8] the Byzantine domination of central and northern Italy was subsequently largely eliminated by the conquest of the Exarchate of Ravenna in 751 by Aistulf. During this period, the seat of the local Byzantine governor (the "duke/dux", later "doge") was situated in Malamocco. Settlement on the islands in the lagoon probably increased in correspondence with the Lombard conquest of the Byzantine territories.

In 775-76, the bishopric seat of Olivolo (Helipolis) was created. During the reign of duke Agnello Particiaco (811-827) the ducal seat was moved from Malamocco to the highly protected Rialto, the current location of Venice. The monastery of St. Zachary and the first ducal palace and basilica of St. Mark, as well as a walled defense (civitatis murus) between Olivolo and Rialto were subsequently built here. Winged lions which may be seen in Venice are a symbol for St. Mark.

In 810, an agreement between Charlemagne and Nicephorus recognized Venice as Byzantine territory and recognized the city's trading rights along the Adriatic coast, where Charlemagne had previous ordered the pope to expel the Venetians from the Pentapolis.[9] In 828, the new city's prestige was raised by the acquisition of the claimed relics of St. Mark the Evangelist from Alexandria, which were placed in the new basilica. The patriarchal seat was also moved to Rialto. As the community continued to develop and as Byzantine power waned, it led to the growth of autonomy and eventual independence.
 
A TL this early back is outside of the scope of many folk, I suspect. I'm interested, but I know nothing about the period. :eek:
Help with the graphics would be more than enough, really. I'm willing and capable of doing all of the writing myself, even if I'd appreciate help there too, but I really can't do the graphics part on my own.
 
Yeah.

(filler)
Why not PM a few of the mapmakers on the board, then? I've found them oftentimes willing to take up a request/challenge like this, and we don't get many detailed OTL or ATL maps of ancient Italy anyways. Do you have any rough-on-details maps of OTL from the time, to help with plotting the locations of the older cities? Locations of tribes? Names of cities and rivers? The resources'll help immensely.

I'd volunteer, but there's a lot of boarders much more skilled and (probably) willing. and I procrastinate.
 
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