But for the time, are there really any better? Not that I think Galen would hit upon Jenner's solution, at any point...There are more ways of preventing smallpox than exposing them to cowpox.
But for the time, are there really any better? Not that I think Galen would hit upon Jenner's solution, at any point...
One of the things I learnt not too long ago is that it was these series of plagues that not only severely damaged the Roman empire in the long run but also aided in the spread of christianity throughout the empire.
True... let's just butterfly the smallpox-related plagues (which includes Cyprian, I take it), at least for Rome, and keep it in Parthia. Somehow, the Romans don't catch it... OR, it kills more Parthians and they barely can muster forces, leading the Romans to conquer them even quicker. The Roman stay away from plague victims (let's say Galen has a bright idea?), thus sparing themselves.Otherwise, you'll just be trading the Antonine Plague for the Severan Plague or the Constantinian Plague or what have you, or a worse plague of Cyprian (obviously, those are just examples to illustrate the point about the timing).
True... let's just butterfly the smallpox-related plagues (which includes Cyprian, I take it), at least for Rome, and keep it in Parthia. Somehow, the Romans don't catch it... OR, it kills more Parthians and they barely can muster forces, leading the Romans to conquer them even quicker. The Roman stay away from plague victims (let's say Galen has a bright idea?), thus sparing themselves.
There's also the consideration of why is Rome being spared from the plague? Has Parthia been spared? In that case, Parthia is a greater threat to Rome, so you might just be trading many legionary deaths in a sick bed for deaths in the battle field.
Right... Galen it is, then.Unless you go with Galen developing variolation and/or inoculation (which I honestly think is not implausible), the scenario you just proposed is pretty much ASB.
First you have to make Parthia ever a serious threat to Rome. They might be strong enough to keep themselves together and not get overthrown by the Sassanids, but they hadn't been a serious threat to the Romans since the late republic.
Well, by threat, I didn't necessarily mean a threat of invasion. Simply that they would pose a more deadly opponent to the Romans.