WI: Multipolar Classical Age

What if Rome never dominated the Mediterranean like it did in OTL? What if other polities (like Carthage and Ptolemaic Egypt) survived Rome's rise and flourish to become her rivals? Or maybe some of the Germanic tribes adopt some aspects of Roman culture and formed their own states that can challenge Roman expansion.

How does this affect European history and culture, if the Middle Ages still came to be?
 
Last edited:
Albeit on a wider scale, you could argue this happened OTL.

There was always a rival based in or around Persia (Seleucids, Parthians, Sassanids).
If you went further east there would be large Indian kingdoms, and even further east China. On a global scale, the Classical Age could be considered multipolar OTL. ;)
 
Some will dismiss your idea so clearly presented. I won't. Consider the Celts and the Mauritanians and the peoples who became the Slavs. The roots of greatness are all there.
 
Albeit on a wider scale, you could argue this happened OTL.

There was always a rival based in or around Persia (Seleucids, Parthians, Sassanids).
If you went further east there would be large Indian kingdoms, and even further east China. On a global scale, the Classical Age could be considered multipolar OTL. ;)

Good points.

But Im talking about the Mediterranean region.
 
Many fewer Latin-based languages. If Rome adopts a religion similar to OTL Christianity, or stays pagan, either way the religions of the Mediterranean will be far more diverse. Date of POD really influences a lot here- but the Romans (assuming they have similar attitudes to OTL) will desperately want to conquer these empires because they are "barbarians" in Roman eyes, and for personal glory for the generals. Essentially later Roman Republic, but for centuries.
 
I would expect the economy of this alt-Mediterranean to be less trade-based without the Pax Romana keeping the sealanes free from disruption. Which would mean the economies would be more localized and less prone to disruption.
 
Many fewer Latin-based languages.
That´s not clear.
OTL, Latin did not cross Jirecek line - Greek remained the prevalent language despite Greece having been ruled for 6 centuries (from 200 BC to 400 AD) by Latin speakers.
If Rome adopts a religion similar to OTL Christianity, or stays pagan, either way the religions of the Mediterranean will be far more diverse. Date of POD really influences a lot here- but the Romans (assuming they have similar attitudes to OTL) will desperately want to conquer these empires because they are "barbarians" in Roman eyes, and for personal glory for the generals.

Romans never called Greeks "barbarian".
Imagine that instead of being picked off piecemeal from 200 BC to 30 BC as per OTL, the Diadochi somehow manage to unite to meet the peril of Romans, probably in the first half of 2nd century BC. Yet Rome still conquers Spain and Gaul as per OTL, with the result that over centuries the locals adopt Latin based languages as per OTL.

What would be the relationships if Roman Empire and Greek Empire coexist for centuries?
Also, North Africa did OTL have a Romance language... which has gone extinct and been replaced with Arabic.

What would happen if, after Carthage loses Second Punic War, the Greeks having successfully defended themselves from Roman attack make Carthage their ally and prevent Rome from picking them up in Third Punic War?
 
I imagine Rome dominating central Europe+ France while a surviving Carthage might expand further south while also expanding through the rest of Iberia, making the Pyrenees a de-facto boundary.

As for the east, it's anyone's game. Though whoever holds Egypt will become the hegemon of the eastern Mediterranean, IMO.
 
Top