Rough Sketch for Byz. Timeline

[Nikephoros]

Below I will post my ideas for a Byzantine timeline. Feel free to tear this apart, because it is just a rough sketch.

Eventually this will be fleshed out, but I want to see if my ideas are plausible.

Rough Idea:

Maurice gets wind of a plot to depose him. In order to keep closer tabs on the Army he allows them to return to Thrace. With the army happy to be back home support for the coup dissolves. After winter ends Maurice sends the army back on campaign. Offensive against Avars continues. Avars inflict huge defeat on Roman Army. The remnants of the army limp back across the Danube. Maurice reorganizes the Balkan defenses (He creates the themes essentially)
Avar offensive against Rome is defeated by "Thematic" forces. Maurice personally takes control of central forces and attacks Avars. At a battle the Romans capture the Avar Khagan. While Maurice was on campaign, Asian troops (i.e. Byz. forces in Asia Minor) seize Constantinople. Maurice withdraws from campaign to deal with the usurpers. Heraclius the Elder sends his son with an army to assist the Emperor. The North African troops tilt the balance in Maurice's favor. After a thirty day seige the usurpers challenge Maurice in an open battle. Maurice wins resoundingly. A combination of the Avar's civil war and Maurice's borrowing of "Thematic" troops lead to invasion of the Balkans by Slavs, Bulgars, and Avars. Much of Thrace and Ilyrria fall to the invaders. Situation stabilizes.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Khosroes II invades Roman Mesopotamia. Amida and Edessa are taken by the Persians. Roman counterattacks prove ineffective. Persians push into Anatolia and the Levant. Romans win major battle outside of Antioch.

Roman counteroffensive restores status quo. In Arabia a new sect of Christianity wins new converts at an overwhelming rate. Followers of this new sect pour into the weakened border areas. New Arab states form. The new states form buffers between the two empires.

 

[Nikephoros]

bump

bumpitybumpbump.

 

[Basileus Giorgios]

Well I certainly like it. Why not have the Arabs replace Persia as a rival state to Rome, and have many of the Empire's monophysites acting as a "fifth column" to this Christian-Arab-Persia, forcing Constantinople to become rather more tolerant religiously. With Rome able to retain Egypt and North Africa, a reconquest of Italy and the Balkans becomes possible, which could do all sorts of interesting things to Visigothic and Frankish history

In short, go for it

 

[Nikephoros]

How plausible is Maurice fending off the coup? Would it really occur to him to bring back those troops?

 

[chunkeymonkey13q]

Some Brief Comments

I can certainly see Khosrau II invading the Roman Empire in this timeline as he did in ours, but I think he would still attempt to use and find a good casus belli first (in our timeline he used the murder of Maurice and his sons to justify his invasion). Otherwise, I like how you had the Romans suffer several defeats by the Avar Confederation who were reaching their zenith around this time, while the Romans as I am sure you know were cash strapped and in a desperate situation. It does not yet seem like (from the narrative you have written so far) that the Romans, however, should be in the same state of trouble as in our timeline (the way you described their civil war made it sound quite brief when compared to the one in our timeline), and so I am not sure that their situation would be as desperate as you have outlined. Dates, however, would be helpful. Good work, I am rooting for the Roman Empire.

 

[Nikephoros]

I can certainly see Khosrau II invading the Roman Empire in this timeline as he did in ours, but I think he would still attempt to use and find a good casus belli first (in our timeline he used the murder of Maurice and his sons to justify his invasion). I can certainly see Khosrau II invading the Roman Empire in this timeline as he did in ours, but I think he would still attempt to use and find a good casus belli first (in our timeline he used the murder of Maurice and his sons to justify his invasion).

He certainly will invade, casus belli or not, but he would rather have one. Maybe he can use Christians as a scapegoat.

Otherwise, I like how you had the Romans suffer several defeats by the Avar Confederation who were reaching their zenith around this time, while the Romans as I am sure you know were cash strapped and in a desperate situation.

I eventually have the Romans win, but I want them to suffer and learn from their defeats.

It does not yet seem like (from the narrative you have written so far) that the Romans, however, should be in the same state of trouble as in our timeline (the way you described their civil war made it sound quite brief when compared to the one in our timeline), and so I am not sure that their situation would be as desperate as you have outlined.

That narrative is merely a rough draft. The first part of this timeline will probably only deal with the first revolt. I don't want to go too quickly. I honestly think that the Romans have it easier and I hope I didn't make it too desperate.

Thank you for your opinion.

 

[chunkeymonkey13q]

Yeah, no problem. It’s definitely a good start and I look forward to reading the rest of it. Keep in mind, however, that a stronger Roman Empire and a stronger Sassanid Persia (which it looks like you have in this timeline so far) will likely mean a weaker Arab explosion (though of course as the timeline creator, you can use any series of events to beef this up should you choose to do so).

 

[Nikephoros]

Yeah, no problem. It’s definitely a good start and I look forward to reading the rest of it. Keep in mind, however, that a stronger Roman Empire and a stronger Sassanid Persia (which it looks like you have in this timeline so far) will likely mean a weaker Arab explosion (though of course as the timeline creator, you can use any series of events to beef this up should you choose to do so).

I was really intending for the Arab States to form a buffer between the Sassanids and the Romans, hopefully allowing both to continue.

I have always been fascinated with the Sassanid Empire.