WI: Alannic Britain

[Cuāuhtemōc]

A group of Alans, commanded by their leader Goar, had participated in the multi-tribal crossing of the Rhine in 406 and invaded the Roman Empire, eventually settling in Gaul while a larger group of Alans continued on to Spain where they would pledge allegiance to the Vandal king. Instead of them supporting Jovinus with the Burgundians, say that they decide over to the island of Britain. The reason doesn't matter: they could be persuaded to go on their own or Honorius decides to use them to stop Constantine III before he lands his army in Gaul. The Alans defeat the Roman usurper and the island is gifted to the Alans to rule on behalf of Honorius.

Roman Britain is autonomous but remains a de jure area of the Empire, with Goar as Honorius' proxy on the island. The Roman civic administration remains behind to run things while the Alans do defense. The island's inhabitants are much safer from the Saxon threat than OTL and Roman culture has a chance of not disappearing from the island. Is this a reasonable conclusion?

 

[Deleted member 67076]

Sounds like it. Although the Alans will probably be only one of many tribes being bribed to settle in Brittania.

 

[Kalontas]

Eventually, the remains of Roman Empire will fall apart and Alan Britain will be left to its own devices. Which, in the long run, means Alans running things in their own way. The end result won't be much more Roman in nature than, say, Spain.

 

[Cuāuhtemōc]

Eventually, the remains of Roman Empire will fall apart and Alan Britain will be left to its own devices. Which, in the long run, means Alans running things in their own way. The end result won't be much more Roman in nature than, say, Spain.

Oh no doubt, the Roman Empire won't last forever but by the time that the Empire falls in the west, the Alans (if they're still around) would've followed the trajectory of the other Germanic invaders: shifting to Latin and assimilating to a very Roman culture.

 

[The Professor]

Oh no doubt, the Roman Empire won't last forever but by the time that the Empire falls in the west, the Alans (if they're still around) would've followed the trajectory of the other Germanic invaders: shifting to Latin and assimilating to a very Roman culture.

Except that Britain wasn't a very Roman culture in the first place, hence why all those legions were needed to stop the regular uprisings and why a Romance language never replaced/merged with the Brythonic ones.

However if the Alans maintain a single military authority on the island (unlike the RomanoBritons OTL) then raids and settlements can be reduced and most of the province preserved as a Roman successor.
I expect the Alans will mostly merge with the Britons and adopt perhaps a more Latinised Brythonic language.
A lot will depend on if there is a repeat of plague as in OTL it was a combination of reduced population and lack of single military authority that allowed extensive Saxon and Angle settlement.