Hey all,
I was curious as to what people thought the repercussions would be of a Roman settlement on the island of Wilhelmsburg on the Elbe.
Essentially, the idea behind this was a governor/ambitious naval officer/general petitions for funding and support to develop a trading settlement deep inside Germania, after determining that the island was a good location.
The settlements intention would be to trade with the various tribes, act as a centrepoint for Roman Hegemony. A mixture of naval operation, diplomatic mission, colonial endeavor, and trade point. One major point being to hire/recruit willing germans as either colonials within the Empire, or as soldiers/mercenaries to assist on other frontiers (i.e. Britannia).
As far as I am aware, the islets themselves were largely ignored, and should be too difficult to defend.
What could such a Roman settlement do for the region? It could have been begun at any time, but what about if the settlement was begun under Diocletian after the 3rd century crisis?