Would a surviving Gallic empire be able to hold back the Germans

Would a surviving Gallic empire be able to hold back the Germans

  • yes

    Votes: 15 46.9%
  • no

    Votes: 17 53.1%

  • Total voters
    32
Say the Gallic empire survives with these borders

Would it be able to hold the Germans back
Map_of_the_Gallic_Empire%2C_260_AD.jpg
 
Depends.
OTL, it was just as riddled by usurpations as the rest. Its internal instability was, ultimately, its downfall.

If the PoD for its survival is some Reform which stabilises and strengthens it, then i don't see why a Roman successor state with such a manpower Base can't deal with a few Frankish and Alemannic plunderers. They might have a hard time when Vandals et al. cross the frozen Rhine in 406, but at least they'd have to try to fight back instead of giving up thei very own territory.
 
Depends.
OTL, it was just as riddled by usurpations as the rest. Its internal instability was, ultimately, its downfall.

If the PoD for its survival is some Reform which stabilises and strengthens it, then i don't see why a Roman successor state with such a manpower Base can't deal with a few Frankish and Alemannic plunderers. They might have a hard time when Vandals et al. cross the frozen Rhine in 406, but at least they'd have to try to fight back instead of giving up thei very own territory.

Agreed. Ultimately, the Western Empire didn't fall because it lacked the resources to defend itself, but because it was unable to harness those resources effectively. If a Gallic Empire somehow manages to reform its government to be more efficient, I see no reason why it couldn't defend its eastern border.
 
If Postumus realized what his power rested on and he'd enshrined that maybe...: the power of the border legions and the quiet support of the provincial elites...
 
Issue as others have said isn't raw potential it's the ability to utilise it and I'm not convinced the Gallic Empire had that potential.
 
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