WI: A Third Hittite Empire is established.
- Thread starter Phaeton
- Start date
G.Bone said:
Thank you...it is proving quite challenging to make up...thus the longer interval between installments.
G.Bone said:
Thank you.
G.Bone said:
Probably. We'll see...
I never saw this post from earlier, so let me answer it as well...
Well, I imagine fairly similar to OTL. There is a division in society between the Temple Priests and the Rabbis, which is disaffecting a lot of people in Israel and causing them to look for an alternative.
Each kingdom doubtless has an established system for succession, and there are no doubt successors waiting in the wings when such a thing happens. But of course, if there is no successor for some reason, or if the successor is too young or weak, civil war probably breaks out...as it has many times in this timeline.
A lot. That is one of the more enjoyable aspects of writing a timeline like this. I have probably learned more obscure history doing this timeline and the Egyptian timeline than I have since I left college 20 years ago.
The Hittites. The Armenians are living there, but are subjects of the Hittites.
yes, there is trade going on from Axum and other ports on the Red Sea to India, and has been for a long time.
Not too much. There probably is a small amount of direct seaborne trade between Hatti and China, but the seas around Indonesia are not very safe right now...there are a lot of squabbling city states there right now, all of them engaged to one degree or another in piracy, and there is no strong regional power to keep the pirates down. So probably most Chinese goods reach Hatti (and other western powers) via the Silk Road, or via merchants in Indian ports.
probably not too much different than OTL, so far.
G.Bone said:
Well, I imagine fairly similar to OTL. There is a division in society between the Temple Priests and the Rabbis, which is disaffecting a lot of people in Israel and causing them to look for an alternative.
G.Bone said:
Each kingdom doubtless has an established system for succession, and there are no doubt successors waiting in the wings when such a thing happens. But of course, if there is no successor for some reason, or if the successor is too young or weak, civil war probably breaks out...as it has many times in this timeline.
G.Bone said:
A lot. That is one of the more enjoyable aspects of writing a timeline like this. I have probably learned more obscure history doing this timeline and the Egyptian timeline than I have since I left college 20 years ago.
G.Bone said:
The Hittites. The Armenians are living there, but are subjects of the Hittites.
G.Bone said:
yes, there is trade going on from Axum and other ports on the Red Sea to India, and has been for a long time.
G.Bone said:
Not too much. There probably is a small amount of direct seaborne trade between Hatti and China, but the seas around Indonesia are not very safe right now...there are a lot of squabbling city states there right now, all of them engaged to one degree or another in piracy, and there is no strong regional power to keep the pirates down. So probably most Chinese goods reach Hatti (and other western powers) via the Silk Road, or via merchants in Indian ports.
G.Bone said:
probably not too much different than OTL, so far.
random questions
What is the most wierdest/oddest/obscure thing you found in your research?
Why was there resentment by the Hittite King on his Greek allies?
Is this a trademark only for the nobles or does this extend to the people as well?
Has Hatti experienced a gap in manpower due to these wars?
What is the most wierdest/oddest/obscure thing you found in your research?
Why was there resentment by the Hittite King on his Greek allies?
Is this a trademark only for the nobles or does this extend to the people as well?
Has Hatti experienced a gap in manpower due to these wars?
G.Bone said:
That's hard to say. The wierdest thing I have probably run across was the the article I encountered about producing meat without living animals (the "bioreactors" I mentioned in the Egyptian timeline...apparently there is actually research going on along those lines today). In research for this particular timeline, I haven't really come across anything too wierd. Obscure, yes...tracing the movements of various central Asian tribes, or the early development of kingdoms in southeast Asia, for example. Or looking up lists of the rulers of actual neo-Hittite city states so as to use actual neo-Hittite names for the Great Kings of Hatti which appear in this timeline. Or did you think I made names like "Halpasulupis" up?
G.Bone said:
We can perhaps assume that since the formation of the League of Delos and the de facto unification of most of Greece, the Greek States have been less willing to take orders (or perhaps we should say "friendly suggestions") from Hatti. They remained neutral during the Spartacid War, for example, even though Hatti did not request this.
And, when you look at it from the Hittite standpoint, the Greeks have been somewhat of a drain on the Hittites for a long time. Hatti has been having to constantly pull the Greeks' fat out of the fire since the time of Phillip II of Macedon. And the Hittites have a historic claim to the Greek cities on the Anatolian coast.
So it was perhaps inevitable that eventually a king would come to the throne of Hatti who would decide to end the "special relationship" between the mainland Greeks and Hatti and start bullying the Greeks of the Anatolian coast.
G.Bone said:
I am not understanding that question...is WHAT a trademark of the nobles???G.Bone said:
Not yet...Hatti actually has been at peace most of the time, if you total it all up. There have been a lot of wars in the timeline, but Hatti has not been involved in most of them. So they should have been able to recover in between their wars, for the most part. If anyone could be experiencing a "gap of manpower" by now, it is Rome. Rome has been in a near-constant state of warfare for most of the past century. And it has a smaller manpower base than in OTL to draw on. So it has to be pretty badly beat up by now (one of the reasons why the public supported Antony's reforms so wholeheartedly...they saw them as a way to end the constant cycle of civil war).
Clarification & more ?'s
Clarification of 3rd Question:
Is the resentment of the nobles on the drainage that the Greeks have on the Hittites extended to the main populace, i.e., "Those d*mn Greeks are a drain on my taxes! Stupid Greeks!"?
Also, did Caeser do the "Et tu Brutus?" when he kicked the bucket?
Why did you have to kill Octavius? I miss the po' fella!
And is the trait of Caesers going to be used or just Dictator for Life in Rome?
Clarification of 3rd Question:
Is the resentment of the nobles on the drainage that the Greeks have on the Hittites extended to the main populace, i.e., "Those d*mn Greeks are a drain on my taxes! Stupid Greeks!"?
Also, did Caeser do the "Et tu Brutus?" when he kicked the bucket?
Why did you have to kill Octavius?
I miss the po' fella!And is the trait of Caesers going to be used or just Dictator for Life in Rome?
This is an amazing timeline. My question is one of economics. Where are all the slaves coming from in Rome, since all there wars seem to be either lost by them or civil wars, where do the slaves come from. Also has there been time for them to engage in the huge building projects of our TL, and what are Hatti public projects like? And on that theme, is there slavery in the other major areas, like Hatti or the buffer states? Also have you considered having a major disease strike, that would certainly cause Romes manpower shortage to because a crisis?
thanks,
stephen
thanks,
stephen
stephen_dean said:
Thank you. It's good to see a post from someone other than the "regulars."
stephen_dean said:
Four answers...1) Rome has had a lot of victorious wars, too, not all of which are specifically mentioned in the timeline. There has been near constant fighting with the barbarians to the north (Celts, Germans) and a lot of the slaves come from there; 2) descendants of slaves taken in previous wars; 3) Poor, landless Roman citizens who fall into debt and sell themselves into slavery; 4) Even in a losing war, many slaves will be taken as Roman armies march through enemy country. It should be noted that Caesar and Antony both made efforts to reduce slavery and promote use of free workers so as to reduce the problem of landless workers drifting into the cities, where they end up on the public dole and cause problems (crime, rioting, etc.). I see this as a trend that could continue in the future...
stephen_dean said:
We can assume that many of the projects have been completed, but some haven't. Rome has financial problems in this TL which it did not in OTL. Since Rome's conquests have been less, the intake of booty from the conquests has been less, too. There have been no "bequests" of treasure or kingdoms (such as Pergamum in OTL) to boost the Roman treasury. So Rome's ability to engage in massive building projects would be much less in this TL. I imagine that the more practically useful projects...roads, for example, or aqueducts...would still get done. But a lot of the "show" projects...renovation of the Forum, construction of fancy temples, large amphitheatres, etc....might not.
stephen_dean said:
All Hittite kings have sponsored building projects of some kind, and at different times, Hittite kings have embarked on major building programs in which temples have been renovated or expanded, roads have been built, city defenses upgraded, and other public projects have been completed.
stephen_dean said:
Yes. Slavery was an integral part of the vast majority, if not all, ancient societies. Probably the Spartacist regime in Sicily, being founded by slaves, is the only one in the world where the institution does not exist in some form.
stephen_dean said:
Something like that will probably happen, but it would have to be at a time that a similar occurrence took place in OTL. There have been some plagues in the earlier centuries of the timeline, and I know there will be others which historically aappeared in the first several centuries AD.
G.Bone said:
Very likely, to some extent.
G.Bone said:Also, did Caeser do the "Et tu Brutus?" when he kicked the bucket?
Probably something like that. We can assume the relationship between them is similar to OTL. I have read that there was a strong possibility that Brutus was actually Caesar's illegitimate son, and what Caesar might actually have said was, "And you, my child?"
G.Bone said:Why did you have to kill Octavius?
I wanted to do something different, and save the Republic. I never really liked Octavian anyway. I always felt Antony should have won. Or maybe I just liked Richard Burton better than I liked Roddy McDowell.
G.Bone said:
Well, the name Caesar is not going to become an imperial title in this TL. And there will be no more "Dictators for Life." The Roman Dictator is now constitutionally limited to a six-year-term. Basically he is the "President" of the Roman Republic now...the Consuls are his "Vice Presidents." Of course, there is nothing saying a popular Dictator can't be re-elected...
Phaeton said:
If Jesus is executed, it definitely won't be by crucifixion. Jesus would probably be convicted of a religious offense (blasphemy) by the local Hebrew religious authorities, and if so, would be executed by stoning.
As to whether there would be persecutions under the Hittite regime, maybe or maybe not. The thing which really caused the persecutions of Christians under the OTL Roman Empire was the fact that they refused to make sacrifices to the Emperor, and thus their loyalty to the Roman State was in doubt. The Hittite Empire has no "emperor cult," and thus the biggest reason for persecutions is removed from Christians living inside the Hittite Empire. That is not to say that persecutions could not happen for other reasons, of course.
Will Christians be persecuted in the Roman and Persian Empires (when the Persians arise again) as in OTL? Probably, and for the same reasons of OTL. Although, since the Republic has been saved...or at least it looks that way now...and there is no Emperor, there won't be an "emperor cult" in Rome, either. So possibly no persecutions there, either.
And, just to answer the question before it comes up...I am aiming to have the next installment done sometime this coming week, but I don't know exactly when. By the end of next weekend certainly.
The Third Hittite Empire, 1-100 AD
THE THIRD HITTITE EMPIRE, 1-100 AD
c. 50 BC onward--Expanding trade between the Hittite Empire and India. Sometime in
the middle of the 1st century BC a Greek sailor named Hippalus (working for the Hittites)
discovers that he can take advantage of the monsoon winds and sail from the Red Sea
ports of the Hittite Empire to India in forty to fifty days. By 24 B.C. at least 120 ships are
setting sail annually and by the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. sea trade between the northern
and eastern coasts of Africa and India is brisk and prosperous. Like the the overland Silk
Road, which took its name from the most prestigious commodity traded along it, the sea
route comes to be called the Pepper Route, for it is the tangy spice from Malabar which is
valued above all. However, that not the only item traded, and the great warehouses in the
Indian ports are stocked not only with pepper, but also with pearls and gems, fine fabrics
and perfumes, in exchange for which merchants from Hatti bring wine, metalwork,
ceramics, glass-ware and slaves.
1-100 AD--Era of Relative Peace in the Mediterranean Basin. Continued peaceful
relations between the two great regional powers...Rome and Hatti...lead to a century of
near-peace in the region. That is not to say that there is no warfare in the region at
all...just that the major powers are not involved in warfare against each other. Both
empires use this time profitably to promote trade, conduct major building projects and
expand infrastructure. The Era will be variously known by historians as the Pax Romana
or the Pax Hattica
1-223 AD--During this time period, Rome will gradually move toward the abolition of
slavery, as successive Dictators continue the reforms begun by Julius Caesar and Mark
Antony and bring passage of laws increasing the proportion of free labor required to be
employed by owners of large estates, mine owners, and other large users of slave labor.
By the end of the First Century, seventy-five percent of the workers on large estates and
in mining operations are required to be free laborers. This has the salutary effect of
absorbing the large masses of unemployed who congregate in Roman cities, living on the
public dole and occasionally rioting and causing other public disorder. By the end of the
Second Century, this proportion will have increased to over 90%, and the Roman Senate
will formally abolish slavery in 223 AD.
1 AD onward--Bantu migrations in Africa. The Bantu, iron-working cattle-herders who
originated in the forests of west Africa, begin migrating south and east in about 1 AD. In
a process that will consume the next 1,400 years, they will spread out over most of
sub-saharan Africa, becoming the dominant population in most areas. The first waves of
Bantu immigration will reach Natal (OTL South Africa) by 200 AD, and the east coast of
Africa about the same time.
1 AD--Han Chinese Emperor Ai Ti dies and is succeeded by Ping Ti.
c. 1-98 AD--Gothic tribes migrate out of Scandinavia and into the regions of OTL Poland
and Romania. In the region north of the Danube, they ally themselves with the Dacians
and Sarmatians, and as a result by 50 AD raids across the Oder and the Danube begin
which occupy much of Rome’s military resources for much of the latter half of the
century.
2 AD--The Han Chinese Empire takes a census, revealing it is the most populous nation
in the world at 57,671,400 souls.
3 AD--The term of the current Roman Dictator, Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, is
coming to an end, and he is not standing for re-election. The Senate selects Publius
Cornelius Scipio as his successor. Scipio will continue the reforms of Mark Antony with
regard to the army. Laws passed during his term of office will remove all military roles
from the various magistrates of the Republic (Consul, Praetor, Tribune, etc.). Instead, a
military academy is established, where a professional officer corps will be trained, and it
will be from this professional cadre that army commanders will be selected. No more
will politicians be able to use the army as a springboard to political power, and the quality
of generalship displayed by Roman commanders in the field will also improve greatly.
5 AD--In recognition that his kingdom is no longer an expanded city state, but a united
Greek nation, King Archidamus VI of Sparta declares that his kingdom will no longer be
known as Sparta, but will instead be called Hellas...land of the Hellenes. This
announcement is met with much enthusiasm throughout his realm.
6 AD--Death of King Warpalawa III of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Labarnash III. Also in this year, Han Chinese Emperor Ping Ti dies, and is
succeeded by Ju-Tzu. Ju-Tzu is a minor child, and a Confucian Scholar named Wang
Mang is named as Regent.
8-20 AD--Campaigns of King Labarnash III of Hatti against Kush and Axum. Eager to
eliminate competition for the lucrative trade with India, and freed of immediate threats
from Rome, King Labarnash III of Hatti invades the Kingdoms of Kush and Axum in 8
AD. A series of campaigns spanning the next eighteen years will be required, but both
kingdoms will be annexed by Hatti by 20 AD.
9-23 AD--The Han Chinese throne is usurped by Wang Mang, who declares the
foundation of a new dynasty, the Hsin Dynasty. Wang Mang hopes to win support from
common people by reforms, and he issues decrees for the redistribution of land, reduction
of the tax burden on poor peasants, reduced interest rates on loans, formation of a state
granary to stabilize the price of grain, and the creation of a body of officials to regulate
the economy and fix prices. Furthermore, he decrees that critics of his plan will be
drafted into the military. He justifies all these reforms by claiming that they are supported
by ‘The Lost Scriptures of Confucianism,†which Wang Mang claims to have found.
However, gentry-bureaucrats and other owners of good-sized lands fail to cooperate in
implementing Wang's reforms, and without newspapers or television, local people remain
unaware of the reforms.
9 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Publius Cornelius Scipio is ending, and once again,
the current Dictator is not standing for re-election. The Senate selects Lucius Aemilius
Paulus as the new Dictator.
10 AD--Death of King Phillip I of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Cassander. Cassander
abandons the relatively benign trade policies followed by his predecessors and imposes
high tolls on ships passing through Silician waters, especially those of Hellas and Rome.
Also at about this time, Buddhism makes it’s first significant inroads in China.
11 AD--TheYellow River overflows it’s banks, leaving millions homeless and creating a
widespread famine in the Chinese Empire which is made even worse by the five-year
drought which follows. Emperor Wang Mang is unable to cope with the crisis, and
rebellions break out all over China. The most dangerous of these is that of the Red
Eyebrows (so called because it’s members paint their eyebrows red for easy
identification).
12-23 AD--War between Hellas and Sicilia. In 12 AD, King Archidamus VI of Hellas
declares war on Sicilia in retaliation against “Sicilian Piracy†(actually, the imposition of
exhorbitant tolls on Spartan trade ships passing through Sicilian waters). The nature of
the two antagonists being what they are, the war is primarily naval in nature, and for the
most part is inconclusive. Rome secretly supports the Hellene war effort against Sicilia,
however (although it does not declare war itself, not wanting to jeopardize the profitable
relationship it has with Hatti), and the Sicilian fleet is finally defeated in 23 AD. King
Cassander immediately sues for peace, realizing that if a Hellenic army lands on his soil,
his kingdom is probably doomed. Cassander agrees to restore the low pre-war tolls on
ships passing through Sicilian waters, and also agrees to pay Hellas reparations of 10,000
talents of silver over ten years. King Leon II (who succeeded Archidamus VI in 21AD) of
Hellas agrees to these terms, and the war ends.
15 AD--Roman Dictator Lucius Aemilius Paulus wins re-election to a second term.
21 AD--Death of King Archidamus VI of Hellas. He is succeeded by Leon II. Also in
this year, the term of Roman Dictator Lucius Aemilius Paulus comes to an end, and the
Senate selects Tiberius Claudius Nero as his successor.
22 AD--The Red Eyebrows defeat the main Chinese imperial army at Liang.
23 AD--In the aftermath of the defeat by the Red Eyebrows, Wang Mang is executed by
his own troops. Central authority collapses in China, and civil war breaks out.
24 AD--Rebellion in Sicilia overthrows King Cassander. He is succeeded by his nephew,
who reigns as King Dionysius I.
25 AD--General Liu Hsiu, who is distantly related to the royal family of the old Han
Dynasty seizes the imperial throne as the Emperor Kuang Wu Ti, founding the Later (or
Eastern) Han Dynasty. However, the country is still disunified, with warlords holding
sway in various regions, a situation which will prevail for another decade.
26 AD--Death of King Labarnash III of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Hattusili Tesub V. The new king will not be military minded, but will rather
concentrate on massive building projects throughout the empire, as well as on expansion
of the Royal Library at Hattusas.
27 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Tiberius Claudius Nero is coming to an end, and the
Dictator is standing for re-election. However, he has been somewhat unpopular, and is
defeated. Instead, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix is selected.
29 AD--Death of King Dionysius I of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Spartacus III.
c.30 AD--Kajula Kadphises unites all the tribes of the Yueh-Chih and become the first of
the Kushan emperors.
c. 30 AD onward--The Yueh Chih, who had in the preceding century driven the Sakas
southward from their homeland, themselves begin to move southward into the Saka
Empire. They will defeat the Sakas and force them further southeast into India.
Meanwhile, they will found their own empire, which will be named after their ruler, who
is known as The Kushan. By the end of the century, it will include Bactria, Gandhara,
and much of northern India.
30-33 AD--Yeshua called to ministry. 12 Disciples join him. Yeshua performs various
miracles (healing the sick, blind, and lame, walking on water, converting water into wine,
feeding a large multitude with a small number of loaves and fishes, and raising the dead,
among others) and preaches a doctrine of peace, brotherly love, and redemption through
the grace of God. He gains many followers, and comes to be seen as a threat by the
Hebrew authorities in the Hittite province of Israel. Although Yeshua himself does not
claim it directly, his Disciples begin spreading the word that Yeshua is the long-awaited
Messiah.
31 AD--Frictions have been building between Hatti and Hispania over their joint
administration of the former Roman north African provinces. In 31 AD the Hispanian
Senate declares the treaty between Hatti and Hispania to be null and void, and Hispania
declares that it is annexing the north African provinces. King Hattusili Tesub V of Hatti
does not respond to this provocation, and Hittite troops are withdrawn peacefully.
32 AD--A Parthian chieftain named Vologeses who is distantly related to the old Arsacid
royal house seizes power in Parthia, throwing out the puppet regime imposed by the
Hittites and Saka in the last century. Because Hatti is ruled by a non-warlike king and the
Saka have their hands full fending off the Kushans, he is able to get away with it.
Vologeses founds the Neo-Arsacid Dynasty. Vologeses will maintain friendly relations
with Hatti.
33 AD--Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix is elected to a second term. Also in
this year, Yeshua attacks vendors in Temple at Jerusalem during the Passover celebration.
He is accused of Blasphemy by the Sanhedrin, tried, convicted and executed. When His
body disappears from his tomb 3 days later, His Disciples claim to have seen Yeshua,
risen from the dead, and begin making converts.
34-42 AD--War between Rome and Hispania. Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Felix has watched the recent events leading to the breakdown of the alliance between
Hatti and Hispania with interest, and in 34 AD, he declares war on Hispania. Roman
armies march south from Gaul, and in a grueling series of campaigns, they defeat the
Hispanic armies and conquer Hispania. Not wanting Roman power to be re-established
in Africa, King Hattusili Tesub V of Hatti sends troops to occupy the north African
provinces which were just recently annexed by Hispania, and makes it known that any
Roman invasion of these provinces will end the peaceful relationship between Rome and
Hatti which has prevailed since the time of Mark Antony. Dictator Sulla agrees, and no
Roman troops enter Africa. Hatti establishes the north African provinces as an
independent buffer state under the rule of the Punic city of Utica.
34-40 AD--Vologeses of Parthia campaigns in Media and Persis, bringing both of these
kingdoms under Parthian control.
36 AD--Emperor Kuang Wu Ti of China defeats the last of the warlords and reunites the
country.
39 AD--Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix is elected to a third term. Sulla
will, during this term, get some important laws passed, including a law which extends the
franchise to the provinces. No more will voters in Roman elections be required to be
physically present in Rome in order to vote...now citizens in the provinces can vote at
their own provincial capital. This still limits the franchise to those who can be physically
present in the provincial capital on election day, but it is a definite step forward in truly
integrating the provinces into the Roman State.
40 AD--Most of the followers of Yeshua are driven out of Israel by the Hebrew
authorities. Communities are formed in Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Egypt, Athens,
Arabia and Rome over the next few years. Converts in Greek-speaking areas will give
Yeshua a new name...Jesus Christ...and His followers will be known as "Christians."
The new religion begins to spread.
41 AD--Death of King Hattusili Tesub V of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who
reigns as King Kushtashpi III. Kushtashpi will also be remembered primarily as a
builder, but will conduct campaigns against the Sarmatian tribes to the north of his realm
(in reply to Sarmatian raids into Hittite territory).
42-55 AD--Vologeses of Parthia campaigns against the Saka and the Kushans. He is
generally successful, and retakes much of the territory lost to these peoples in previous
times.
43 AD--Chinese armies conquer Annam (northern Vietnam).
45 AD--Death of King Kushtashpi III of Hatti in battle against the Sarmatians. He is
succeeded by his son, who reigns as King Tudhaliyas VII. Tudhaliyas will also
campaign against the Sarmatians, but most of his long reign will be spent at peace. Also
in this year, the third term of Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix comes to an
end, and he does not run for re-election. The Senate selects Paulus Fabius Persicus as his
successor.
48 AD--Chinese armies drive the Hsiung Nu back to their homeland in Mongolia.
49 AD--Death of King Leon II of Hellas. He is succeeded by Nicander II.
50 AD--The Chinese Empire allies itself with the southern Hsiung Nu tribes. Also in this
year, the Xianbei (mounted archers) invade north China.
51 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Paulus Fabius Persicus comes to an end, and the
Senate selects Titus Aurelius Fuluus as his successor.
52 AD--Death of King Spartacus III of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Dionysius II.
55 AD--Death of King Nicander II of Hellas. He is succeeded by Pausanias III. Also in
this year, King Vologeses of Parthia is killed in battle against the Kushans. He is
succeeded by his son, who reigns as King Mithridates III. Like his father, Mithridates
will cultivate friendly relations with Hatti while engaging in warfare against the Saka and
the Kushans.
57 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Titus Aurelius Fuluus ends, and the Senate selects
Gaius Marcus Antonius (grandson of Mark Antony) as the new Dictator. Gaius will
follow in the footsteps of his great ancestor and will get many reforms passed which will
strengthen the stability of the Republic while making it more inclusive. Prime among
these is a law which allows the individual provinces to elect their own Governors, rather
than having one appointed for them by the Dictator and Senate at Rome. He also creates
provincial assemblies...mini-Senates, if you will...which will act as a check on the
Governor’s power and pass legislation on local matters, so long as provincial legislation
does not conflict with legislation passed by the Senate at Rome. The passage of these
laws will encourage citizens of the provinces to begin to enthusiastically identify with the
Roman State.
58 AD--Death of the Han Chinese Emperor Kuang Wu Ti. He is succeeded by Ming Ti.
59 AD--Death of King Dionysius II of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Phillip II.
c. 68 AD--Wima Taktu, Kushan Emperor, conquers northern India.
60-100 AD--Christian Gospels composed and set down in writing.
63 AD--Gaius Marcus Antonius is re-elected to a second term as Roman Dictator.
65 AD--Decebalus unites the Dacian tribes into a single kingdom. The Dacians begin
raiding across the Danube, causing severe problems for Rome.
69 AD--Death of King Mithridates III of Parthia. He is succeeded by Arsaces II. Arsaces
will, like his father and grand-father before him, continue to cultivate friendly relations
with the Hittites while warring with the Saka and Kushans to the east. Trade between
Hatti (terminus of the Pepper Route) and Parthia (terminus of the Silk Road) reaches
unprecedented levels and greatly enriches both realms.
70 AD--Death of King Tudhaliyas VII of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns
as King Huzziya IV. Huzziya’s reign will be most taken up with campaigns against the
Sarmatians to the north of his realm. Also in this year, Gaius Marcus Antonius is elected
to a third term as Roman Dictator.
70-100 AD--Roman expansion on it’s northern frontiers. In response to raiding by
Dacian, Gothic and Sarmatian tribesmen, Roman armies move across the Oder and the
Danube in a series of campaigns that will last for 30 years and will see the expansion of
Roman control to the Vistula and the Carpathians. Rome thus gains a comparatively short
and more easily defended line of defense, which it proceeds to heavily fortify. It also
absorbs the warlike Gothic, Dacian, and Sarmatian tribes which have been troubling it for
so long. These peoples will be gradually Romanized, and will make fine recruiting stock
for the Roman armies.
74-94 AD--The Kushans and other peoples of OTL Turkestan submit to Chinese
hegemony, helping caravan trade on the Silk Road.
76 AD--Death of the Han Chinese Emperor Ming Ti. He is succeeded by Chang Ti. Also
in this year, Gaius Marcus Antonius steps down after his third term as Roman Dictator.
Gaius Rutilius Gallicus is selected as the new Dictator.
79 AD--Death of King Huzziya IV of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Suppiluliuma VI. King Suppiluliuma will be a strong ruler, and under his reign the
armies of the Hittite Empire will be reorganized, with the infantry component of the army
being reduced in favor of an expanded force of heavy cavalry armed with lance and bow
(cataphracts). The new army is proportioned as follows...30% Roman-style heavy infantry
(short sword and pilum), 10% armored foot archers, 40% Cataphract cavalry, 20% light
horse archers. Death of King Pausanias III of Hellas, who is succeeded by Eudamidas V.
Also in this year, the Five Classics of Confucianism are assembled in China.
c.80 AD--Wima Kadphises, the son of Wima Taktu, ascends the throne of the Kushan
Empire.
82 AD--Gaius Rutilius Gallicus is re-elected to a second term as Roman Dictator.
83 AD--Death of King Phillip II of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Cassander II.
84AD--An envoy from the Kushans asking for marriage to a Han Chinese princess is
refused. This leads to hostility between the Han Chinese and the Kushans, and by c.90
AD, Kushan emperors begin to encroach on the Han sphere of influence in the Western
Regions.
88 AD--Gaius Rutilius Gallicus is defeated in his bid for a third term as Roman Dictator.
The Senate selects instead L. Asinius Pollio Uerrucosus as his successor.
89 AD--Eighty-one Hsiung Nu tribes, totalling around 200 000, submit to Chinese
suzerainty after a Chinese army kills 13,000. Also in this year the Han Chinese Emperor
Chang Ti dies, and is succeeded by Ho Ti.
90 AD--Chinese campaign smashes the northern Hsiung Nu (Hun) tribes and start the
tribes' migration to Europe.
92 AD--Death of King Arsaces II of Parthia. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
Orodes II. Orodes II will abandon the pro-Hittite policies of his predecessors and war
against Hatti.
93-97 AD--War between Hatti and Parthia. King Orodes II of Parthia invades
Mesopotamia in 93 AD. However, his army is defeated outside Babylon by Hittite forces
lead by Crown Prince Urhi Tesub, and Orodes barely escapes with his life. Orodes
invades again the following year, and this time defeats a Hittite army near the city of
Nippur, after which he seizes control of most of Mesopotamia. But the Parthian victory
will be short-lived, and in 96 AD, another Hittite army, again lead by Crown Prince Urhi
Tesub, invades Mesopotamia. The Hittites meet the Parthians in battle near the town of
Opis, and the Parthians are defeated. Mesopotamia once again falls into Hittite control.
Urhi Tesub follows up with an invasion of Parthia the next year, and the Parthians are
once again defeated, this time near Pasargadae. King Orodes II falls in battle, and his
successor, King Artabanus III, sues for peace, due in large part to the need to concentrate
his forces against invading armies from Han China. A treaty is signed later that year,
establishing the border between the two empires.
94 AD--L. Asinius Pollio Uerrucosus does not run for a second term as Roman Dictator,
and the Senate selects Gavius Silvanus as his successor.
95-98 AD--War between Parthia and the Han Chinese Empire. The armies of the Han
Emperor Ho Ti are moving west along the Silk Road, and they finally reach the borders of
the Parthian Empire. Fighting breaks out as the Parthians oppose the Chinese advance,
but the Chinese are victorious, and by 97 AD have reached the shores of the Caspian Sea
(although they do not stay). The new Parthian King, Artabanus II, sues for peace, and in
98 AD a treaty is signed, establishing the border between the two empires. King
Artabanus also agrees to give special preferences to Chinese traders and to assist in
keeping down banditry along the Silk Road.
97 AD--Death of King Suppiluliuma VI of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns
as King Urhi Tesub III. Urhi Tesub is a strong king, with military experience from the
recent war with Parthia, and Hatti will prosper under his reign. Also in this year, King
Orodes II is killed in battle with the Hittites. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Artabanus II.
100 AD--Buddhist texts are translated into Chinese. Also in this year, Gavius Silvanus is
re-elected to a second term as Roman Dictator.
THE THIRD HITTITE EMPIRE, 1-100 AD
c. 50 BC onward--Expanding trade between the Hittite Empire and India. Sometime in
the middle of the 1st century BC a Greek sailor named Hippalus (working for the Hittites)
discovers that he can take advantage of the monsoon winds and sail from the Red Sea
ports of the Hittite Empire to India in forty to fifty days. By 24 B.C. at least 120 ships are
setting sail annually and by the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. sea trade between the northern
and eastern coasts of Africa and India is brisk and prosperous. Like the the overland Silk
Road, which took its name from the most prestigious commodity traded along it, the sea
route comes to be called the Pepper Route, for it is the tangy spice from Malabar which is
valued above all. However, that not the only item traded, and the great warehouses in the
Indian ports are stocked not only with pepper, but also with pearls and gems, fine fabrics
and perfumes, in exchange for which merchants from Hatti bring wine, metalwork,
ceramics, glass-ware and slaves.
1-100 AD--Era of Relative Peace in the Mediterranean Basin. Continued peaceful
relations between the two great regional powers...Rome and Hatti...lead to a century of
near-peace in the region. That is not to say that there is no warfare in the region at
all...just that the major powers are not involved in warfare against each other. Both
empires use this time profitably to promote trade, conduct major building projects and
expand infrastructure. The Era will be variously known by historians as the Pax Romana
or the Pax Hattica
1-223 AD--During this time period, Rome will gradually move toward the abolition of
slavery, as successive Dictators continue the reforms begun by Julius Caesar and Mark
Antony and bring passage of laws increasing the proportion of free labor required to be
employed by owners of large estates, mine owners, and other large users of slave labor.
By the end of the First Century, seventy-five percent of the workers on large estates and
in mining operations are required to be free laborers. This has the salutary effect of
absorbing the large masses of unemployed who congregate in Roman cities, living on the
public dole and occasionally rioting and causing other public disorder. By the end of the
Second Century, this proportion will have increased to over 90%, and the Roman Senate
will formally abolish slavery in 223 AD.
1 AD onward--Bantu migrations in Africa. The Bantu, iron-working cattle-herders who
originated in the forests of west Africa, begin migrating south and east in about 1 AD. In
a process that will consume the next 1,400 years, they will spread out over most of
sub-saharan Africa, becoming the dominant population in most areas. The first waves of
Bantu immigration will reach Natal (OTL South Africa) by 200 AD, and the east coast of
Africa about the same time.
1 AD--Han Chinese Emperor Ai Ti dies and is succeeded by Ping Ti.
c. 1-98 AD--Gothic tribes migrate out of Scandinavia and into the regions of OTL Poland
and Romania. In the region north of the Danube, they ally themselves with the Dacians
and Sarmatians, and as a result by 50 AD raids across the Oder and the Danube begin
which occupy much of Rome’s military resources for much of the latter half of the
century.
2 AD--The Han Chinese Empire takes a census, revealing it is the most populous nation
in the world at 57,671,400 souls.
3 AD--The term of the current Roman Dictator, Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, is
coming to an end, and he is not standing for re-election. The Senate selects Publius
Cornelius Scipio as his successor. Scipio will continue the reforms of Mark Antony with
regard to the army. Laws passed during his term of office will remove all military roles
from the various magistrates of the Republic (Consul, Praetor, Tribune, etc.). Instead, a
military academy is established, where a professional officer corps will be trained, and it
will be from this professional cadre that army commanders will be selected. No more
will politicians be able to use the army as a springboard to political power, and the quality
of generalship displayed by Roman commanders in the field will also improve greatly.
5 AD--In recognition that his kingdom is no longer an expanded city state, but a united
Greek nation, King Archidamus VI of Sparta declares that his kingdom will no longer be
known as Sparta, but will instead be called Hellas...land of the Hellenes. This
announcement is met with much enthusiasm throughout his realm.
6 AD--Death of King Warpalawa III of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Labarnash III. Also in this year, Han Chinese Emperor Ping Ti dies, and is
succeeded by Ju-Tzu. Ju-Tzu is a minor child, and a Confucian Scholar named Wang
Mang is named as Regent.
8-20 AD--Campaigns of King Labarnash III of Hatti against Kush and Axum. Eager to
eliminate competition for the lucrative trade with India, and freed of immediate threats
from Rome, King Labarnash III of Hatti invades the Kingdoms of Kush and Axum in 8
AD. A series of campaigns spanning the next eighteen years will be required, but both
kingdoms will be annexed by Hatti by 20 AD.
9-23 AD--The Han Chinese throne is usurped by Wang Mang, who declares the
foundation of a new dynasty, the Hsin Dynasty. Wang Mang hopes to win support from
common people by reforms, and he issues decrees for the redistribution of land, reduction
of the tax burden on poor peasants, reduced interest rates on loans, formation of a state
granary to stabilize the price of grain, and the creation of a body of officials to regulate
the economy and fix prices. Furthermore, he decrees that critics of his plan will be
drafted into the military. He justifies all these reforms by claiming that they are supported
by ‘The Lost Scriptures of Confucianism,†which Wang Mang claims to have found.
However, gentry-bureaucrats and other owners of good-sized lands fail to cooperate in
implementing Wang's reforms, and without newspapers or television, local people remain
unaware of the reforms.
9 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Publius Cornelius Scipio is ending, and once again,
the current Dictator is not standing for re-election. The Senate selects Lucius Aemilius
Paulus as the new Dictator.
10 AD--Death of King Phillip I of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Cassander. Cassander
abandons the relatively benign trade policies followed by his predecessors and imposes
high tolls on ships passing through Silician waters, especially those of Hellas and Rome.
Also at about this time, Buddhism makes it’s first significant inroads in China.
11 AD--TheYellow River overflows it’s banks, leaving millions homeless and creating a
widespread famine in the Chinese Empire which is made even worse by the five-year
drought which follows. Emperor Wang Mang is unable to cope with the crisis, and
rebellions break out all over China. The most dangerous of these is that of the Red
Eyebrows (so called because it’s members paint their eyebrows red for easy
identification).
12-23 AD--War between Hellas and Sicilia. In 12 AD, King Archidamus VI of Hellas
declares war on Sicilia in retaliation against “Sicilian Piracy†(actually, the imposition of
exhorbitant tolls on Spartan trade ships passing through Sicilian waters). The nature of
the two antagonists being what they are, the war is primarily naval in nature, and for the
most part is inconclusive. Rome secretly supports the Hellene war effort against Sicilia,
however (although it does not declare war itself, not wanting to jeopardize the profitable
relationship it has with Hatti), and the Sicilian fleet is finally defeated in 23 AD. King
Cassander immediately sues for peace, realizing that if a Hellenic army lands on his soil,
his kingdom is probably doomed. Cassander agrees to restore the low pre-war tolls on
ships passing through Sicilian waters, and also agrees to pay Hellas reparations of 10,000
talents of silver over ten years. King Leon II (who succeeded Archidamus VI in 21AD) of
Hellas agrees to these terms, and the war ends.
15 AD--Roman Dictator Lucius Aemilius Paulus wins re-election to a second term.
21 AD--Death of King Archidamus VI of Hellas. He is succeeded by Leon II. Also in
this year, the term of Roman Dictator Lucius Aemilius Paulus comes to an end, and the
Senate selects Tiberius Claudius Nero as his successor.
22 AD--The Red Eyebrows defeat the main Chinese imperial army at Liang.
23 AD--In the aftermath of the defeat by the Red Eyebrows, Wang Mang is executed by
his own troops. Central authority collapses in China, and civil war breaks out.
24 AD--Rebellion in Sicilia overthrows King Cassander. He is succeeded by his nephew,
who reigns as King Dionysius I.
25 AD--General Liu Hsiu, who is distantly related to the royal family of the old Han
Dynasty seizes the imperial throne as the Emperor Kuang Wu Ti, founding the Later (or
Eastern) Han Dynasty. However, the country is still disunified, with warlords holding
sway in various regions, a situation which will prevail for another decade.
26 AD--Death of King Labarnash III of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Hattusili Tesub V. The new king will not be military minded, but will rather
concentrate on massive building projects throughout the empire, as well as on expansion
of the Royal Library at Hattusas.
27 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Tiberius Claudius Nero is coming to an end, and the
Dictator is standing for re-election. However, he has been somewhat unpopular, and is
defeated. Instead, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix is selected.
29 AD--Death of King Dionysius I of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Spartacus III.
c.30 AD--Kajula Kadphises unites all the tribes of the Yueh-Chih and become the first of
the Kushan emperors.
c. 30 AD onward--The Yueh Chih, who had in the preceding century driven the Sakas
southward from their homeland, themselves begin to move southward into the Saka
Empire. They will defeat the Sakas and force them further southeast into India.
Meanwhile, they will found their own empire, which will be named after their ruler, who
is known as The Kushan. By the end of the century, it will include Bactria, Gandhara,
and much of northern India.
30-33 AD--Yeshua called to ministry. 12 Disciples join him. Yeshua performs various
miracles (healing the sick, blind, and lame, walking on water, converting water into wine,
feeding a large multitude with a small number of loaves and fishes, and raising the dead,
among others) and preaches a doctrine of peace, brotherly love, and redemption through
the grace of God. He gains many followers, and comes to be seen as a threat by the
Hebrew authorities in the Hittite province of Israel. Although Yeshua himself does not
claim it directly, his Disciples begin spreading the word that Yeshua is the long-awaited
Messiah.
31 AD--Frictions have been building between Hatti and Hispania over their joint
administration of the former Roman north African provinces. In 31 AD the Hispanian
Senate declares the treaty between Hatti and Hispania to be null and void, and Hispania
declares that it is annexing the north African provinces. King Hattusili Tesub V of Hatti
does not respond to this provocation, and Hittite troops are withdrawn peacefully.
32 AD--A Parthian chieftain named Vologeses who is distantly related to the old Arsacid
royal house seizes power in Parthia, throwing out the puppet regime imposed by the
Hittites and Saka in the last century. Because Hatti is ruled by a non-warlike king and the
Saka have their hands full fending off the Kushans, he is able to get away with it.
Vologeses founds the Neo-Arsacid Dynasty. Vologeses will maintain friendly relations
with Hatti.
33 AD--Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix is elected to a second term. Also in
this year, Yeshua attacks vendors in Temple at Jerusalem during the Passover celebration.
He is accused of Blasphemy by the Sanhedrin, tried, convicted and executed. When His
body disappears from his tomb 3 days later, His Disciples claim to have seen Yeshua,
risen from the dead, and begin making converts.
34-42 AD--War between Rome and Hispania. Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Felix has watched the recent events leading to the breakdown of the alliance between
Hatti and Hispania with interest, and in 34 AD, he declares war on Hispania. Roman
armies march south from Gaul, and in a grueling series of campaigns, they defeat the
Hispanic armies and conquer Hispania. Not wanting Roman power to be re-established
in Africa, King Hattusili Tesub V of Hatti sends troops to occupy the north African
provinces which were just recently annexed by Hispania, and makes it known that any
Roman invasion of these provinces will end the peaceful relationship between Rome and
Hatti which has prevailed since the time of Mark Antony. Dictator Sulla agrees, and no
Roman troops enter Africa. Hatti establishes the north African provinces as an
independent buffer state under the rule of the Punic city of Utica.
34-40 AD--Vologeses of Parthia campaigns in Media and Persis, bringing both of these
kingdoms under Parthian control.
36 AD--Emperor Kuang Wu Ti of China defeats the last of the warlords and reunites the
country.
39 AD--Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix is elected to a third term. Sulla
will, during this term, get some important laws passed, including a law which extends the
franchise to the provinces. No more will voters in Roman elections be required to be
physically present in Rome in order to vote...now citizens in the provinces can vote at
their own provincial capital. This still limits the franchise to those who can be physically
present in the provincial capital on election day, but it is a definite step forward in truly
integrating the provinces into the Roman State.
40 AD--Most of the followers of Yeshua are driven out of Israel by the Hebrew
authorities. Communities are formed in Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Egypt, Athens,
Arabia and Rome over the next few years. Converts in Greek-speaking areas will give
Yeshua a new name...Jesus Christ...and His followers will be known as "Christians."
The new religion begins to spread.
41 AD--Death of King Hattusili Tesub V of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who
reigns as King Kushtashpi III. Kushtashpi will also be remembered primarily as a
builder, but will conduct campaigns against the Sarmatian tribes to the north of his realm
(in reply to Sarmatian raids into Hittite territory).
42-55 AD--Vologeses of Parthia campaigns against the Saka and the Kushans. He is
generally successful, and retakes much of the territory lost to these peoples in previous
times.
43 AD--Chinese armies conquer Annam (northern Vietnam).
45 AD--Death of King Kushtashpi III of Hatti in battle against the Sarmatians. He is
succeeded by his son, who reigns as King Tudhaliyas VII. Tudhaliyas will also
campaign against the Sarmatians, but most of his long reign will be spent at peace. Also
in this year, the third term of Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix comes to an
end, and he does not run for re-election. The Senate selects Paulus Fabius Persicus as his
successor.
48 AD--Chinese armies drive the Hsiung Nu back to their homeland in Mongolia.
49 AD--Death of King Leon II of Hellas. He is succeeded by Nicander II.
50 AD--The Chinese Empire allies itself with the southern Hsiung Nu tribes. Also in this
year, the Xianbei (mounted archers) invade north China.
51 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Paulus Fabius Persicus comes to an end, and the
Senate selects Titus Aurelius Fuluus as his successor.
52 AD--Death of King Spartacus III of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Dionysius II.
55 AD--Death of King Nicander II of Hellas. He is succeeded by Pausanias III. Also in
this year, King Vologeses of Parthia is killed in battle against the Kushans. He is
succeeded by his son, who reigns as King Mithridates III. Like his father, Mithridates
will cultivate friendly relations with Hatti while engaging in warfare against the Saka and
the Kushans.
57 AD--The term of Roman Dictator Titus Aurelius Fuluus ends, and the Senate selects
Gaius Marcus Antonius (grandson of Mark Antony) as the new Dictator. Gaius will
follow in the footsteps of his great ancestor and will get many reforms passed which will
strengthen the stability of the Republic while making it more inclusive. Prime among
these is a law which allows the individual provinces to elect their own Governors, rather
than having one appointed for them by the Dictator and Senate at Rome. He also creates
provincial assemblies...mini-Senates, if you will...which will act as a check on the
Governor’s power and pass legislation on local matters, so long as provincial legislation
does not conflict with legislation passed by the Senate at Rome. The passage of these
laws will encourage citizens of the provinces to begin to enthusiastically identify with the
Roman State.
58 AD--Death of the Han Chinese Emperor Kuang Wu Ti. He is succeeded by Ming Ti.
59 AD--Death of King Dionysius II of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Phillip II.
c. 68 AD--Wima Taktu, Kushan Emperor, conquers northern India.
60-100 AD--Christian Gospels composed and set down in writing.
63 AD--Gaius Marcus Antonius is re-elected to a second term as Roman Dictator.
65 AD--Decebalus unites the Dacian tribes into a single kingdom. The Dacians begin
raiding across the Danube, causing severe problems for Rome.
69 AD--Death of King Mithridates III of Parthia. He is succeeded by Arsaces II. Arsaces
will, like his father and grand-father before him, continue to cultivate friendly relations
with the Hittites while warring with the Saka and Kushans to the east. Trade between
Hatti (terminus of the Pepper Route) and Parthia (terminus of the Silk Road) reaches
unprecedented levels and greatly enriches both realms.
70 AD--Death of King Tudhaliyas VII of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns
as King Huzziya IV. Huzziya’s reign will be most taken up with campaigns against the
Sarmatians to the north of his realm. Also in this year, Gaius Marcus Antonius is elected
to a third term as Roman Dictator.
70-100 AD--Roman expansion on it’s northern frontiers. In response to raiding by
Dacian, Gothic and Sarmatian tribesmen, Roman armies move across the Oder and the
Danube in a series of campaigns that will last for 30 years and will see the expansion of
Roman control to the Vistula and the Carpathians. Rome thus gains a comparatively short
and more easily defended line of defense, which it proceeds to heavily fortify. It also
absorbs the warlike Gothic, Dacian, and Sarmatian tribes which have been troubling it for
so long. These peoples will be gradually Romanized, and will make fine recruiting stock
for the Roman armies.
74-94 AD--The Kushans and other peoples of OTL Turkestan submit to Chinese
hegemony, helping caravan trade on the Silk Road.
76 AD--Death of the Han Chinese Emperor Ming Ti. He is succeeded by Chang Ti. Also
in this year, Gaius Marcus Antonius steps down after his third term as Roman Dictator.
Gaius Rutilius Gallicus is selected as the new Dictator.
79 AD--Death of King Huzziya IV of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Suppiluliuma VI. King Suppiluliuma will be a strong ruler, and under his reign the
armies of the Hittite Empire will be reorganized, with the infantry component of the army
being reduced in favor of an expanded force of heavy cavalry armed with lance and bow
(cataphracts). The new army is proportioned as follows...30% Roman-style heavy infantry
(short sword and pilum), 10% armored foot archers, 40% Cataphract cavalry, 20% light
horse archers. Death of King Pausanias III of Hellas, who is succeeded by Eudamidas V.
Also in this year, the Five Classics of Confucianism are assembled in China.
c.80 AD--Wima Kadphises, the son of Wima Taktu, ascends the throne of the Kushan
Empire.
82 AD--Gaius Rutilius Gallicus is re-elected to a second term as Roman Dictator.
83 AD--Death of King Phillip II of Sicilia. He is succeeded by Cassander II.
84AD--An envoy from the Kushans asking for marriage to a Han Chinese princess is
refused. This leads to hostility between the Han Chinese and the Kushans, and by c.90
AD, Kushan emperors begin to encroach on the Han sphere of influence in the Western
Regions.
88 AD--Gaius Rutilius Gallicus is defeated in his bid for a third term as Roman Dictator.
The Senate selects instead L. Asinius Pollio Uerrucosus as his successor.
89 AD--Eighty-one Hsiung Nu tribes, totalling around 200 000, submit to Chinese
suzerainty after a Chinese army kills 13,000. Also in this year the Han Chinese Emperor
Chang Ti dies, and is succeeded by Ho Ti.
90 AD--Chinese campaign smashes the northern Hsiung Nu (Hun) tribes and start the
tribes' migration to Europe.
92 AD--Death of King Arsaces II of Parthia. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
Orodes II. Orodes II will abandon the pro-Hittite policies of his predecessors and war
against Hatti.
93-97 AD--War between Hatti and Parthia. King Orodes II of Parthia invades
Mesopotamia in 93 AD. However, his army is defeated outside Babylon by Hittite forces
lead by Crown Prince Urhi Tesub, and Orodes barely escapes with his life. Orodes
invades again the following year, and this time defeats a Hittite army near the city of
Nippur, after which he seizes control of most of Mesopotamia. But the Parthian victory
will be short-lived, and in 96 AD, another Hittite army, again lead by Crown Prince Urhi
Tesub, invades Mesopotamia. The Hittites meet the Parthians in battle near the town of
Opis, and the Parthians are defeated. Mesopotamia once again falls into Hittite control.
Urhi Tesub follows up with an invasion of Parthia the next year, and the Parthians are
once again defeated, this time near Pasargadae. King Orodes II falls in battle, and his
successor, King Artabanus III, sues for peace, due in large part to the need to concentrate
his forces against invading armies from Han China. A treaty is signed later that year,
establishing the border between the two empires.
94 AD--L. Asinius Pollio Uerrucosus does not run for a second term as Roman Dictator,
and the Senate selects Gavius Silvanus as his successor.
95-98 AD--War between Parthia and the Han Chinese Empire. The armies of the Han
Emperor Ho Ti are moving west along the Silk Road, and they finally reach the borders of
the Parthian Empire. Fighting breaks out as the Parthians oppose the Chinese advance,
but the Chinese are victorious, and by 97 AD have reached the shores of the Caspian Sea
(although they do not stay). The new Parthian King, Artabanus II, sues for peace, and in
98 AD a treaty is signed, establishing the border between the two empires. King
Artabanus also agrees to give special preferences to Chinese traders and to assist in
keeping down banditry along the Silk Road.
97 AD--Death of King Suppiluliuma VI of Hatti. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns
as King Urhi Tesub III. Urhi Tesub is a strong king, with military experience from the
recent war with Parthia, and Hatti will prosper under his reign. Also in this year, King
Orodes II is killed in battle with the Hittites. He is succeeded by his son, who reigns as
King Artabanus II.
100 AD--Buddhist texts are translated into Chinese. Also in this year, Gavius Silvanus is
re-elected to a second term as Roman Dictator.
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I haven't read the beginning of the TL, but I have read towards the end.
Good job.
Good job.
Golden Age a little too bright
I am finding this segment a bit too idyllic esp. the Roman Reformation. Perhaps insteaf pf setting quotas on proportion of slave labor, the Romans institute a tax on slaves--with most of the idea's supporters thinking about revenue more than abolition. In time though the tax would undermine slavery.
Don't see the name of Saul/Paul. I think Christianity is going to be even more different that you are contemplating and likely to be less pervasive. The tension between Rome and the Hebrews is missing. There is no Jewish Revolt.
There is a good likelihood that the Judaic reform faction of the relgion remain much more domnant. There is no reason for Rome to become central. The leaders of the Christians (is there a James the Just BTW?) are likely to want to remain in Jerusalem. If somehow the Sanhedrin prevents this, they will pick a major nearby Hatti center.
Tom
I am finding this segment a bit too idyllic esp. the Roman Reformation. Perhaps insteaf pf setting quotas on proportion of slave labor, the Romans institute a tax on slaves--with most of the idea's supporters thinking about revenue more than abolition. In time though the tax would undermine slavery.
Don't see the name of Saul/Paul. I think Christianity is going to be even more different that you are contemplating and likely to be less pervasive. The tension between Rome and the Hebrews is missing. There is no Jewish Revolt.
There is a good likelihood that the Judaic reform faction of the relgion remain much more domnant. There is no reason for Rome to become central. The leaders of the Christians (is there a James the Just BTW?) are likely to want to remain in Jerusalem. If somehow the Sanhedrin prevents this, they will pick a major nearby Hatti center.
Tom
I agree with Tom that there likely won't be a centralizatin of Christianity around Rome. I'd expect the major Christian cities (both Hittite and Roman) to eventually form a council of Patriarchs or something along those lines.
Looking at the map, I can't help but notice that we're leaving Arabia untouched. I'd expect the Hittites to have some motivation for moving into the area. At the very least, I'd expect the peoples of Arabia Felix to be bothersome pirates, prompting a response.
Oh, and a little sticking point.
Just being anal though, don't mind me.
Oh, and wouldn't it be interesting if the Greeks expanded into the Ukraine a bit? Perhaps Sparta decides to incorporate their Crimean brethren, and then start marching outward...
Looking at the map, I can't help but notice that we're leaving Arabia untouched. I'd expect the Hittites to have some motivation for moving into the area. At the very least, I'd expect the peoples of Arabia Felix to be bothersome pirates, prompting a response.
Oh, and a little sticking point.
Persicus is a title awarded to someone who's defeated the Persians in battle. Like Scipio Africanus got his name from beating the Carthaginians. Anyway, its unlikely that any Roman would have such a name, since they've never fought the Persians, have they?
Just being anal though, don't mind me.
Oh, and wouldn't it be interesting if the Greeks expanded into the Ukraine a bit? Perhaps Sparta decides to incorporate their Crimean brethren, and then start marching outward...