Rex Romanum
Banned
No need to rush at all...just like I said MANY times before...consolidation is far more important than conquest...
A Much Larger Rome that Survives until the Present Day Version 2.0
- Thread starter ericams2786
- Start date
No need to rush at all...just like I said MANY times before...consolidation is far more important than conquest...
749 AUC (4 BCE):
Domestic: The Classis Italica is finished in April and Agrippa quickly leaves Ostia to hunt down Piratus and his band. Consul Paullus gets enough votes to rescind the lex Agraria Genucia, effectively allowing unlimited land ownership without the threat of a progressive tax to discourage land monopolization by the senatorial class. This measure is popular with the patrician order in the Senate, but offends Livius to such an extent that he begins seeking support among the equestrians and first order of commoners within the Senate to blunt the growing power of Paullus and his faction. Livius also begins actively writing against the Senate and distributing his writings to the Praetorian Guard and the citizenry. Kaeso Fabius Uticensis, Ptolemy and Livius’ greatest supporter in the Senate, begins spying on the workings of Paullus and his faction, reporting regularly to Livius about the situation. Livius begins writing to Ptolemy and telling him of the dangerous political climate in Rome. Marcus Tullius Tiro, freedman of Cicero after his death, dies in this year, leaving his estate and unfinished writings to his son, Lucius Tullius Tiro, who continues to use Tiro’s shorthand system of recording notes. Tiro eventually becomes quite influential in Ptolemy’s court and his father’s system of shorthand (called Tironian notes) will become widespread among imperial court scribes over the next several centuries. This year is the date usually given for the completion of the draining of the Pomptine Marshes, though it is noted in Livius’ history (and later Tacitus’ history) that the drainage system requires near constant maintenance to keep the marshes dry enough to end the periodic malaria epidemics. The Greek scientist and Aristotelian Iphidamas is born in Corinth. Iphidamas will go on to study Hipparchus’ theory on the motion of heavenly bodies and will eventually re-create a working version of Archimedes’ mechanical computer-calendar [OTL Antikythera Mechanism] from a schematic located at the Bibliotheca Magna Roma.
Military: The Xiongnu under Hzuizi advance west quickly, defeating Mus outside of Dara, capturing the city and burning it to the ground in Februrary. Hzuizi, maximizing his greater advantage in light cavalry, moves toward Hecatompylos before Mus is able to adequately defend the city, leading to its capitulation in early March. Two days after the fall of Hecatompylos, Ptolemy arrives at Apamela in Parthia by the middle of March with twenty legions and quickly begins to train another fifteen legions before beginning his campaign northeast against the Xiongnu. Hzuizi advances to Saramana, Mus’ headquarters, and besieges the city on April 12th. The siege persists until Ptolemy is able to win a pyrrhic victory against Hzuizi on May 26th, causing the Xiongnu guli to pull back to Hecatompylos, where he begins fortifying the city against the inevitable Roman counterattack. This is the first time in the war so far that the Xiongnu have gone on the defensive to a significant degree. Gaognu invades Gedrosia with a fresh army of horsemen and defeats Saloninus and King Sextus II at the Battle of Samydaces. Gaognu advances to the capital of Gedrosia, Parsis, by mid-July and begins a three-month siege of the city. In early October, Saloninus and Sextus II attempt to break out of Parsis and are successful on the third attempt. The battle is won after Saloninus is able to bring his modified triarii (a mixture of traditional Roman spearmen and the Greek phalanx) into play, pinning down and causing significant damage to Gaognu’s light cavalry. The next few months on the southern front is characterized by small, random battles to control trade routes and cities north of Parsis, with neither the Empire nor the Xiongnu making significant gains. The fierce Battle of Barbatium in October ends the stalemate in Gedrosia and ends in Gaognu’s defeat and death on the open plains outside of Barbatus’ namesake. The death of Gaognu is a major turning point in the war and the strain of the differences (and diverging ambitions) between the united tribes previously under Gaognu’s strong rule begin to show almost immediately after his death. Two weeks later at Hecatompylos, Ptolemy manages to drive Hzuizi and his army out of the city, winning yet another pyrrhic victory against the tough guli and forcing him to retreat back to ruined Dara. Upon hearing of Gaognu’s death, Hzuizi begins pressing his claim as chanyu of the western Xiongnu (despite Diogi’s rightful claim) and forges a separate, temporary peace with the Romans in late November, marching east to Bactria to backup his claim. Other guli such as Dongowao and Xiangi, as well as Diogi, begin fighting among themselves late in the year, leading to temporary peace agreements between the various factions and the Romans by the end of the year, leaving, Oxia, Margiana, India Occidia, Arachosia, Gandhara, and Bactria in the hands of the Xiongnu. Ptolemy remains at Hecatompylos, reforming his legions to incorporate more cavalry forces, focusing on the creation of viable light cavalry units, and prepares for an early campaign season the coming year. Agrippa and the new Classis Italica attempt to engage Piratus for much of the year, but are unable to bring his fleet to battle. Agrippa does manage to capture Piratus’ secondary fleet at Meninx, securing the city in the process and absorbs the remaining fleet of Spurius Uzocosis at Leptis Magna in September.
Foreign: Herod the Great dies and his son Herod Antipas (Antipater) becomes the ruler of Judea with the acquiescence of the Imperial Senate in Rome. Herod the Great’s other son by Malthace, Herod Archelaus, unhappy with Antipater’s ascendancy to the throne, begins plotting his brother’s death. The Mathurans defeat the Xiongnu in India Occidia and by the end of the year King Lakshmigopal approaches the border of Gedrosia, but decides to halt further advances until the next year to consolidate his gains and to strengthen his position across the Indus. Emperor Ai leaves Chang’an in charge of a large 100,000-man army to wrestle control of the western regions of the Tarim Basin from the Xiongnu and to build several forts in the area to secure China’s position in the strategically important region. Back in Chang’an, Consort Fu begins persecuting several members of the Wang clan (and Wang Mang in particular, who is quickly imprisoned) on behalf of Emperor Ai.
Domestic: The Classis Italica is finished in April and Agrippa quickly leaves Ostia to hunt down Piratus and his band. Consul Paullus gets enough votes to rescind the lex Agraria Genucia, effectively allowing unlimited land ownership without the threat of a progressive tax to discourage land monopolization by the senatorial class. This measure is popular with the patrician order in the Senate, but offends Livius to such an extent that he begins seeking support among the equestrians and first order of commoners within the Senate to blunt the growing power of Paullus and his faction. Livius also begins actively writing against the Senate and distributing his writings to the Praetorian Guard and the citizenry. Kaeso Fabius Uticensis, Ptolemy and Livius’ greatest supporter in the Senate, begins spying on the workings of Paullus and his faction, reporting regularly to Livius about the situation. Livius begins writing to Ptolemy and telling him of the dangerous political climate in Rome. Marcus Tullius Tiro, freedman of Cicero after his death, dies in this year, leaving his estate and unfinished writings to his son, Lucius Tullius Tiro, who continues to use Tiro’s shorthand system of recording notes. Tiro eventually becomes quite influential in Ptolemy’s court and his father’s system of shorthand (called Tironian notes) will become widespread among imperial court scribes over the next several centuries. This year is the date usually given for the completion of the draining of the Pomptine Marshes, though it is noted in Livius’ history (and later Tacitus’ history) that the drainage system requires near constant maintenance to keep the marshes dry enough to end the periodic malaria epidemics. The Greek scientist and Aristotelian Iphidamas is born in Corinth. Iphidamas will go on to study Hipparchus’ theory on the motion of heavenly bodies and will eventually re-create a working version of Archimedes’ mechanical computer-calendar [OTL Antikythera Mechanism] from a schematic located at the Bibliotheca Magna Roma.
Military: The Xiongnu under Hzuizi advance west quickly, defeating Mus outside of Dara, capturing the city and burning it to the ground in Februrary. Hzuizi, maximizing his greater advantage in light cavalry, moves toward Hecatompylos before Mus is able to adequately defend the city, leading to its capitulation in early March. Two days after the fall of Hecatompylos, Ptolemy arrives at Apamela in Parthia by the middle of March with twenty legions and quickly begins to train another fifteen legions before beginning his campaign northeast against the Xiongnu. Hzuizi advances to Saramana, Mus’ headquarters, and besieges the city on April 12th. The siege persists until Ptolemy is able to win a pyrrhic victory against Hzuizi on May 26th, causing the Xiongnu guli to pull back to Hecatompylos, where he begins fortifying the city against the inevitable Roman counterattack. This is the first time in the war so far that the Xiongnu have gone on the defensive to a significant degree. Gaognu invades Gedrosia with a fresh army of horsemen and defeats Saloninus and King Sextus II at the Battle of Samydaces. Gaognu advances to the capital of Gedrosia, Parsis, by mid-July and begins a three-month siege of the city. In early October, Saloninus and Sextus II attempt to break out of Parsis and are successful on the third attempt. The battle is won after Saloninus is able to bring his modified triarii (a mixture of traditional Roman spearmen and the Greek phalanx) into play, pinning down and causing significant damage to Gaognu’s light cavalry. The next few months on the southern front is characterized by small, random battles to control trade routes and cities north of Parsis, with neither the Empire nor the Xiongnu making significant gains. The fierce Battle of Barbatium in October ends the stalemate in Gedrosia and ends in Gaognu’s defeat and death on the open plains outside of Barbatus’ namesake. The death of Gaognu is a major turning point in the war and the strain of the differences (and diverging ambitions) between the united tribes previously under Gaognu’s strong rule begin to show almost immediately after his death. Two weeks later at Hecatompylos, Ptolemy manages to drive Hzuizi and his army out of the city, winning yet another pyrrhic victory against the tough guli and forcing him to retreat back to ruined Dara. Upon hearing of Gaognu’s death, Hzuizi begins pressing his claim as chanyu of the western Xiongnu (despite Diogi’s rightful claim) and forges a separate, temporary peace with the Romans in late November, marching east to Bactria to backup his claim. Other guli such as Dongowao and Xiangi, as well as Diogi, begin fighting among themselves late in the year, leading to temporary peace agreements between the various factions and the Romans by the end of the year, leaving, Oxia, Margiana, India Occidia, Arachosia, Gandhara, and Bactria in the hands of the Xiongnu. Ptolemy remains at Hecatompylos, reforming his legions to incorporate more cavalry forces, focusing on the creation of viable light cavalry units, and prepares for an early campaign season the coming year. Agrippa and the new Classis Italica attempt to engage Piratus for much of the year, but are unable to bring his fleet to battle. Agrippa does manage to capture Piratus’ secondary fleet at Meninx, securing the city in the process and absorbs the remaining fleet of Spurius Uzocosis at Leptis Magna in September.
Foreign: Herod the Great dies and his son Herod Antipas (Antipater) becomes the ruler of Judea with the acquiescence of the Imperial Senate in Rome. Herod the Great’s other son by Malthace, Herod Archelaus, unhappy with Antipater’s ascendancy to the throne, begins plotting his brother’s death. The Mathurans defeat the Xiongnu in India Occidia and by the end of the year King Lakshmigopal approaches the border of Gedrosia, but decides to halt further advances until the next year to consolidate his gains and to strengthen his position across the Indus. Emperor Ai leaves Chang’an in charge of a large 100,000-man army to wrestle control of the western regions of the Tarim Basin from the Xiongnu and to build several forts in the area to secure China’s position in the strategically important region. Back in Chang’an, Consort Fu begins persecuting several members of the Wang clan (and Wang Mang in particular, who is quickly imprisoned) on behalf of Emperor Ai.
Thanks! Glad you liked it! Anything you see that could be improved upon?
@ Pendragon: Yes, the political crisis will explode soon and yes some folks are going to die. Ptolemy is a just ruler, but he will not put up with this long (of course he will be in Parthia when it explodes).
@ Rechyt: Yes Stolo is still imprisoned and he will be mentioned again. He will eventually return to Rome and tell about his adventures in China.
@ Rechyt: Yes Stolo is still imprisoned and he will be mentioned again. He will eventually return to Rome and tell about his adventures in China.
I could really use an update
It's coming buddy...work has been super busy and I usually try to catch a few minutes at the end of each day to work on the update. But it's coming I promise. Thanks for your continued interest!
750 AUC (3 BCE):
Domestic: Livius writes the first edition of his scathing attack on the Senate under Paullus’ leadership, Contra Senatus (Against the Senate). Though the political treatise attacks the Senate as a corrupt and regressive institution, he is careful not to include the names of specific senators in his work. Though Paullus is outraged over the treatise, he attempts to smooth over relations with Livius through Uticensis, but relations between the two remain cold throughout the year as Livius attempts to spread his ideas about the Senate through the population in Rome. Paullus and his allies in the Senate work to ensure that the senators appointed to represent the senatorial provinces are sympathetic to their views and against the power and office of Ptolemy. The Classus Senatus, the Senatorial Fleet is finished in this year with Paullus’ son, Tiberius Larcius Remigius, being appointed the first Prefect of the Senatorial Fleet. The Senate votes to grant Media, Elymais, and Persia the status of senatorial province, but does not grant that status to the other provinces annexed after the conquest of Parthia by Caesar because of the ongoing war with the Xiongnu. Vibius Cornelius Cenaeus' son, Lucius Cornelius Cenaeus takes over his father’s factory at Thapsus. He will go on to expand his father’s business throughout northern Africa and eventually his business will be the cornerstone of Rome’s glassware trade with Han China. Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman stoic philosopher is born in Hispania. Ptolemy’s eldest son, Germanicus, now 12 years old, begins his formal military training with Legio X. The Senate now has 101 members.
Military: Ptolemy continues to train and re-fit his legions with significant cataphract and light cavalry forces until late April, making sure to fill the ranks of his auxiliary troops with local Parthian horsemen. In late April, Ptolemy leaves Hecatompylos and begins his famous march northeast into Xiongnu-controlled Bactria. Because of the distraction caused by Gaognu’s death the previous year, Ptolemy makes surprisingly easy gains initially, conquering Dara quickly from the remnant Xiongnu forces. Hzuizi hears of Ptolemy’s breach of the ceasefire and ends his feud with Xiangi in Arachosia to confront Ptolemy once again. Ptolemy wins a significant victory against Hzuizi at Traxiana on August 2nd due in large part to his cavalry-based legions. Ptolemy is so impressed with the victory over Hzuizi that he immediately sends an order to Saloninus and Mus, ordering them to re-fit their legions similar to his and to avoid engaging the Xiongnu until their cavalry forces are strong enough to counter their advantage in mobility. Ptolemy skirmishes with Hzuizi several times throughout the remainder of the year and lays siege to Merv in November, but is forced to retreat back to the safety of Dara because of the unusually bad winter weather near Merv. Hzuizi uses the lull in fighting to campaign quickly southward to challenge Xiangi (and his ally Diogi) for the title of chanyu (despite Diogi already claiming sovereignty over his father’s empire). Sextus II and Saloninus spend the entirety of this year fending off attacks by the Mathurans, but are defeated during their valliant defense of the mountain passes at the Battle of Parsici Montes. King Lakshmigopal campaigns toward Parsis by June, and quickly lays siege to the city. In October, Parsis capitulates and Sextus II and Saloninus retreat to Pura, hoping to stop the Mathuran advance toward Persia. In early November, the Xiongnu guli Dongowao attacks King Lakshmigopal’s supply lines, causing the Mathuran king to abandon Parsis and defend his supply train. A series of inconclusive battles end badly for Lakshmigopal (mostly due to his over-reliance on his war elephants – thus decreasing his mobility during battle) and he is forced to retreat from Gedrosia, leaving the majority of the country in the hands of Dongowao, who promptly occupies Parsis and declares himself the Gedrosian king and chanyu of the Western Xiongnu (a claim he hopes to back up with his huge army – the largest of the Xiongnu armies invading Rome at this time). Mus campaigns separately from Ptolemy during the year, campaigning southeast into Arachosia to challenge Xiangi’s power in Arachosia. After a disasterous engagement at Ariaspe in July, Mus retreats west to Prophtasia, where he remains until the next year upon receiving Ptolemy’s order to re-fit his legions with cavalry units and to avoid engaging the Xiongnu. Diogi moves his army into Arachosia to help his ally, Xiangi, against Hzuizi and the Mathuran commander Kalipooma invades north into Gandhara to capture the area from the Xiongnu. Agrippa engages Piratus several miles off the coast of Hispania near Tarraco and inflicts a severe defeat on the pirate and his band. Piratus moves his devastated fleet back to his original port of Ibera. Agrippa pursues him, but the natural bay created by the land near Ibera shelters Piratus’ fleet and is instrumental in his minor defeat over the Classis Italica in June inside the harbor. After the minor defeat, Agrippa lands a contingent of marines at Ibera and moves his fleet southward to the port at Saguntum and tightens his blockade of the Hispanian coast from Tarraco to his new headquarters. The Roman marines capture Ibera, denying Piratus the chance to escape by land. The marines quickly take control of Ibera and purge the city of its resident pirates, crucifying as many as two hundered suspected pirates outside the city walls within days of capturing the city. Piratus remains hidden for the rest of the year in the natural caves located in the cliffs overlooking the bay south of Ibera, plotting to retake Ibera and escape Agrippa’s blockade.
Literature, Art, and Science: Buteo carves a giant statue of Ptolemy (a classic example of Latin-era sculpture) dressed as Jupiter with a lightening bolt in one hand and a fasces in the other. The statue is placed in the court yard of the Palatium. Most of the bottom section, atrium, and mausoleum of the Pyramidia Cleopatra is completed by this year according to the notes of the Persian architect in charge of the project, Shahrus of Susa. The Thermae Ptolemae are completed in this year.
Foreign: Emperor Ai of Han manages to bring the entirety of the Tarim Basin under the control of China and arranges a beneficial and lucrative treaty from the Xiongnu guli Baodong (who’s territory borders the basin) who allies himself with China and leaves Gaognu’s confederation. Emperor Ai remains in the Tarim Basin building several forts along the periphery of the territory to protect it from foreign invasions and to secure trade routes. He also founds the city of Xian’gu, adjacent to both the Yarkant and Aksu rivers. In China, Consort Fu and her followers continue their persecution of the Wang clan and she de facto runs the Han government in Chang’an. Nabatea and Nubia begin trading and the two kingdoms ally later in the year.
Domestic: Livius writes the first edition of his scathing attack on the Senate under Paullus’ leadership, Contra Senatus (Against the Senate). Though the political treatise attacks the Senate as a corrupt and regressive institution, he is careful not to include the names of specific senators in his work. Though Paullus is outraged over the treatise, he attempts to smooth over relations with Livius through Uticensis, but relations between the two remain cold throughout the year as Livius attempts to spread his ideas about the Senate through the population in Rome. Paullus and his allies in the Senate work to ensure that the senators appointed to represent the senatorial provinces are sympathetic to their views and against the power and office of Ptolemy. The Classus Senatus, the Senatorial Fleet is finished in this year with Paullus’ son, Tiberius Larcius Remigius, being appointed the first Prefect of the Senatorial Fleet. The Senate votes to grant Media, Elymais, and Persia the status of senatorial province, but does not grant that status to the other provinces annexed after the conquest of Parthia by Caesar because of the ongoing war with the Xiongnu. Vibius Cornelius Cenaeus' son, Lucius Cornelius Cenaeus takes over his father’s factory at Thapsus. He will go on to expand his father’s business throughout northern Africa and eventually his business will be the cornerstone of Rome’s glassware trade with Han China. Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman stoic philosopher is born in Hispania. Ptolemy’s eldest son, Germanicus, now 12 years old, begins his formal military training with Legio X. The Senate now has 101 members.
Military: Ptolemy continues to train and re-fit his legions with significant cataphract and light cavalry forces until late April, making sure to fill the ranks of his auxiliary troops with local Parthian horsemen. In late April, Ptolemy leaves Hecatompylos and begins his famous march northeast into Xiongnu-controlled Bactria. Because of the distraction caused by Gaognu’s death the previous year, Ptolemy makes surprisingly easy gains initially, conquering Dara quickly from the remnant Xiongnu forces. Hzuizi hears of Ptolemy’s breach of the ceasefire and ends his feud with Xiangi in Arachosia to confront Ptolemy once again. Ptolemy wins a significant victory against Hzuizi at Traxiana on August 2nd due in large part to his cavalry-based legions. Ptolemy is so impressed with the victory over Hzuizi that he immediately sends an order to Saloninus and Mus, ordering them to re-fit their legions similar to his and to avoid engaging the Xiongnu until their cavalry forces are strong enough to counter their advantage in mobility. Ptolemy skirmishes with Hzuizi several times throughout the remainder of the year and lays siege to Merv in November, but is forced to retreat back to the safety of Dara because of the unusually bad winter weather near Merv. Hzuizi uses the lull in fighting to campaign quickly southward to challenge Xiangi (and his ally Diogi) for the title of chanyu (despite Diogi already claiming sovereignty over his father’s empire). Sextus II and Saloninus spend the entirety of this year fending off attacks by the Mathurans, but are defeated during their valliant defense of the mountain passes at the Battle of Parsici Montes. King Lakshmigopal campaigns toward Parsis by June, and quickly lays siege to the city. In October, Parsis capitulates and Sextus II and Saloninus retreat to Pura, hoping to stop the Mathuran advance toward Persia. In early November, the Xiongnu guli Dongowao attacks King Lakshmigopal’s supply lines, causing the Mathuran king to abandon Parsis and defend his supply train. A series of inconclusive battles end badly for Lakshmigopal (mostly due to his over-reliance on his war elephants – thus decreasing his mobility during battle) and he is forced to retreat from Gedrosia, leaving the majority of the country in the hands of Dongowao, who promptly occupies Parsis and declares himself the Gedrosian king and chanyu of the Western Xiongnu (a claim he hopes to back up with his huge army – the largest of the Xiongnu armies invading Rome at this time). Mus campaigns separately from Ptolemy during the year, campaigning southeast into Arachosia to challenge Xiangi’s power in Arachosia. After a disasterous engagement at Ariaspe in July, Mus retreats west to Prophtasia, where he remains until the next year upon receiving Ptolemy’s order to re-fit his legions with cavalry units and to avoid engaging the Xiongnu. Diogi moves his army into Arachosia to help his ally, Xiangi, against Hzuizi and the Mathuran commander Kalipooma invades north into Gandhara to capture the area from the Xiongnu. Agrippa engages Piratus several miles off the coast of Hispania near Tarraco and inflicts a severe defeat on the pirate and his band. Piratus moves his devastated fleet back to his original port of Ibera. Agrippa pursues him, but the natural bay created by the land near Ibera shelters Piratus’ fleet and is instrumental in his minor defeat over the Classis Italica in June inside the harbor. After the minor defeat, Agrippa lands a contingent of marines at Ibera and moves his fleet southward to the port at Saguntum and tightens his blockade of the Hispanian coast from Tarraco to his new headquarters. The Roman marines capture Ibera, denying Piratus the chance to escape by land. The marines quickly take control of Ibera and purge the city of its resident pirates, crucifying as many as two hundered suspected pirates outside the city walls within days of capturing the city. Piratus remains hidden for the rest of the year in the natural caves located in the cliffs overlooking the bay south of Ibera, plotting to retake Ibera and escape Agrippa’s blockade.
Literature, Art, and Science: Buteo carves a giant statue of Ptolemy (a classic example of Latin-era sculpture) dressed as Jupiter with a lightening bolt in one hand and a fasces in the other. The statue is placed in the court yard of the Palatium. Most of the bottom section, atrium, and mausoleum of the Pyramidia Cleopatra is completed by this year according to the notes of the Persian architect in charge of the project, Shahrus of Susa. The Thermae Ptolemae are completed in this year.
Foreign: Emperor Ai of Han manages to bring the entirety of the Tarim Basin under the control of China and arranges a beneficial and lucrative treaty from the Xiongnu guli Baodong (who’s territory borders the basin) who allies himself with China and leaves Gaognu’s confederation. Emperor Ai remains in the Tarim Basin building several forts along the periphery of the territory to protect it from foreign invasions and to secure trade routes. He also founds the city of Xian’gu, adjacent to both the Yarkant and Aksu rivers. In China, Consort Fu and her followers continue their persecution of the Wang clan and she de facto runs the Han government in Chang’an. Nabatea and Nubia begin trading and the two kingdoms ally later in the year.
"contra" is a preposition that takes the accusative, so "Contra Senatum"
Very nifty and very cool, I especially like what is going on. The various socio-polticial classes are quite interesting and provide a depth and nuance to this story that makes it more than simply "Rome Survives, so deal with it." Seriously, the fact that while they will survive but taht its history will not be so perfect is really amazing.
And as I said in previous posts, I am really interested in seeing how things develop as the actions between the Throne and the Senate begin coming farther and farther to reaching a boiling point.
And as I said in previous posts, I am really interested in seeing how things develop as the actions between the Throne and the Senate begin coming farther and farther to reaching a boiling point.
Wait if this Is going were I think it's going would the empire turn into a monarchy or could it still be under senatorial control.
Thank you for the correction. My Latin is obviously not the best, I'm sort of self-taught, but don't know a whole lot about it. Thanks again!
Power and influence will shift periodically between the emperor and the Senate throughout history, with the emperor usually being just slightly more powerful. Basically it will just depend on events and personalities as to which is the most powerful institution.
I very much like this and think that it works great in both a narrative and storytelling perspective. I can also see some future documentary actually saying something like this as it looks back on the Roman history.
By the way, have you ever throught to create various offshoot bits of info or future timeline segments. Basically if you found yourself hitting a writers block or just something comes to you that doesn't fit in where your timeline is currently set at.