WI: Emperor Constantine V defeats the Bulgars and restores the Danube border?

What if, whether he still dies in 775 or not, Emperor Constantine V manages to defeat the Bulgars so badly that he reestablishes the Danube river border in the north? What would such a victory have mean for Constantine, his dynasty, the empire and Iconoclasm?

In such a scenario, where would the Romans have turned to next - Southern Italy? Asia Minor? Syria? The Slavic tribes in former Dalmatia & Pannonia? Tunisia?

And finally, out of curiosity, how well would Byzantine iconoclasm have given itself to proselytisation?

Any thoughts?
 
I don't know enough but it seems such a victory might be pyrrhic and Rhomania would have to wait to be strong enough to take anyone else on.
 
To be fair, if Rinki Pass could be avoided, chances are it might have been an easy thing.

Perhaps if he followed Anchialus by sending a ship for a new fleet loaded with infantry (say ~30 to a boat, so 24,000), he could have done some serious damage and taken back Bulgaria by force whilst it was disintegrating. Throw some of the Bulgarian Magnates the offer of clemency and even status as Dynatoi, and you could see a rapid Roman reconquest.

In which case the Romans have a pacified Bulgaria and a Danube frontier, and gone on a second campaign against the Abbassids, this time with potential Bulgarian reinforcements, and more troops than before. If successful, it might have been enough to upset the consolidation of Abbasid power, perhaps fracturing the Caliphate early into an Arab, a Persian, and an Egyptian Kingdom. Which is a great position for the Romans to later exploit.
 
I am writing similar TL on Russian alternate forum - with brave Konstantin VI
Next step - Benevento
But I totally believe that Irene will fuck up Bulgaria
 
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