WI: Roman Empire re-united in 423

OK, so Emperor Honorius died on August 15th, 423, at the age of 38, without leaving any heir. At the time, a guy named Castinus was patrician in the Western Empire; Theodosius II was Emperor in the East

wiki said:
Oost also argues that Theodosius reached an agreement with Castinus, where Castinus would act as his vice-regent in the West and in return Theodosius appointed Castinus and the Easterner Victor consuls for 424.[3] If such an agreement was made, Castinus broke it when he joined in declaring Joannes, the senior civil servant, as the new Western Emperor in late 423.[2]

Let's assume this doesn't happen, and Castinus and Theodosius reach an understanding, leaving the latter sole emperor. Joannes remains a senior civil servant in Rome and Valentinian and his mother Galla Placidia go and live their lives in Constantinople.

Given his connections to the Huns, Flavius Aetius might very well still end up with the top job after all. Or Bonifacius, who after all defeated Aetius initially, only to die of his wounds. Flavius Felix, who after all could count both Aetius and Bonifacius as his subordinates, also has a shot, as does Castinus, who might get to keep his job after all.

Anyway, does this new arrangement help or hinder the Empire? Generals were quite liable to fight and kill each other OTL at this point in time anyway.

However, ITTL, there is no Valentinian III to assassinate Aetius (assuming he still emerges victorious); there is no Galla Placidia to switch her favor from one bigshot to the other; there is no Honoria to send her ring to Atilla (assuming the story is true) etc.

Your thoughts?
 
OK, so Emperor Honorius died on August 15th, 423, at the age of 38, without leaving any heir. At the time, a guy named Castinus was patrician in the Western Empire; Theodosius II was Emperor in the East



Let's assume this doesn't happen, and Castinus and Theodosius reach an understanding, leaving the latter sole emperor. Joannes remains a senior civil servant in Rome and Valentinian and his mother Galla Placidia go and live their lives in Constantinople.

Given his connections to the Huns, Flavius Aetius might very well still end up with the top job after all. Or Bonifacius, who after all defeated Aetius initially, only to die of his wounds. Flavius Felix, who after all could count both Aetius and Bonifacius as his subordinates, also has a shot, as does Castinus, who might get to keep his job after all.

Anyway, does this new arrangement help or hinder the Empire? Generals were quite liable to fight and kill each other OTL at this point in time anyway.

However, ITTL, there is no Valentinian III to assassinate Aetius (assuming he still emerges victorious); there is no Galla Placidia to switch her favor from one bigshot to the other; there is no Honoria to send her ring to Atilla (assuming the story is true) etc.

Your thoughts?

I think that Italy, if secured, might not be the burden that it was in OTL VII century. Keep in mind that the Sasanians are busy with the White Huns during the V century, so the ERE could actually consolidate Italy before the Sasanians strike back.

Anyway, the VI century won't be pretty, but if Italy is secured you might have its economy intact, and this is important.
 

TinyTartar

Banned
I think that Italy, if secured, might not be the burden that it was in OTL VII century. Keep in mind that the Sasanians are busy with the White Huns during the V century, so the ERE could actually consolidate Italy before the Sasanians strike back.

Anyway, the VI century won't be pretty, but if Italy is secured you might have its economy intact, and this is important.

United or not, Italy won't matter if Africa cannot be held. Having the cash cow that was Africa was necessary to keep the whole rotten edifice standing.

However, a combined Rome might give it a fleet capable of keeping the Vandals out of Carthage.
 
It seems to me, that quite a bit of Rome's and Byzantium's success is dependent on keeping Egypt well functioning. How do you keep it that way?
 
OK, so Emperor Honorius died on August 15th, 423, at the age of 38, without leaving any heir. At the time, a guy named Castinus was patrician in the Western Empire; Theodosius II was Emperor in the East



Let's assume this doesn't happen, and Castinus and Theodosius reach an understanding, leaving the latter sole emperor. Joannes remains a senior civil servant in Rome and Valentinian and his mother Galla Placidia go and live their lives in Constantinople.

Given his connections to the Huns, Flavius Aetius might very well still end up with the top job after all. Or Bonifacius, who after all defeated Aetius initially, only to die of his wounds. Flavius Felix, who after all could count both Aetius and Bonifacius as his subordinates, also has a shot, as does Castinus, who might get to keep his job after all.

Anyway, does this new arrangement help or hinder the Empire? Generals were quite liable to fight and kill each other OTL at this point in time anyway.

However, ITTL, there is no Valentinian III to assassinate Aetius (assuming he still emerges victorious); there is no Galla Placidia to switch her favor from one bigshot to the other; there is no Honoria to send her ring to Atilla (assuming the story is true) etc.

Your thoughts?
Anything, anything that removes the puppet emperors of the 5th century is a positive for the empire. Preferably, a general such as Aetius or Bonifacius may end up emperor in this scenario (I can't see Theodosius maintaining official rule over the west for long). Thinking of Aetius with a free hand and all the legitimacy he needs as an emperor...that can only be a positive. Though you'd have to hope his son would not turn into another Honorius.
 
Inadvisable.
Why?

Anything, anything that removes the puppet emperors of the 5th century is a positive for the empire. Preferably, a general such as Aetius or Bonifacius may end up emperor in this scenario (I can't see Theodosius maintaining official rule over the west for long). Thinking of Aetius with a free hand and all the legitimacy he needs as an emperor...that can only be a positive. Though you'd have to hope his son would not turn into another Honorius.

Aetius didn't really show any inclination to assume to office of Emperor OTL, even though he had ample opportunity to do so. Plus, he was at least a quarter (and quite possibly half) barbarian himself, which also complicated things.
 
United or not, Italy won't matter if Africa cannot be held. Having the cash cow that was Africa was necessary to keep the whole rotten edifice standing.

Not necessarily.

The Western government was indeed very inefficient by this point. However, if (and admittedly this might be a rather big if) they can reform themselves, Italy was still rich and populous enough to defend itself.

Besides, if the scenario being considered is Theodosius being made Emperor in the West as well as the East, it's worth bearing in mind that the Eastern government seems to have been notably more efficient than its Western counterpart (which, to be fair, wasn't exactly difficult).
 
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