Imperator - The History of the Rise, Decay and Transformation of the Roman Empire

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Imperator​

This is not the first AAR I have attempted. I have done others with little success due to lack of eventual interest or writers block. However, this project I hope will be more successful and has the makings to do so.

It is not a classic AAR and not even a CK2 AAR to start out, however in a short time it will get there. The AAR follows the Roman Empire from the Rise of the Imperial Era to the end of it's history. I don't want to spoil anything and therefore cause boredom but my playthrough thus far has already been very interesting both in terms of the characters that arise and the direction the Empire took in it's later years.

Another aspect of this AAR that makes it different is that I will not be simply starting a Byzantine campaign but accounting the brief playthrough I had with EU: Rome as well. This will form a somewhat alternate history approach to the Roman Imperial system that I am sure any readers who know Roman history will appreciate.

Some brief house rules:

1. Implausible developments will be vetoed by me via the console. Now this AAR will be primarily narrative driven but I will not, for example, allow the Slavic King of Poland to inherit and rule France. It would never have happened historically and the game has no way to prevent such an occurrence. I would therefore do my utmost to ensure plausible historical outcomes, all the while further encouraging interesting world developments.

2. The AAR is not about the Byzantine dynasty I start with but the Roman Empire in general. That is not to say if I were to lose the throne I would immediately change characters but after a certain point if my current dynasty gets so low in the Imperial foodchain as to be unable to challenge the Emperor in a timely manner then I would switch. However, if they manage to come back on their own I will not hesitate to switch back. This AAR is a story about the Roman Empire (in all it's forms) and it's Emperors, hence the title Imperator.

3. The Roman Empire I am striving to reunite is NOT the same as the one you recognize. It is similar but there are key aspects that change the two Empires. These changes will be highlighted throughout the story. As well you may notice several aspects of CK2 are modded, edited or otherwise manipulated to suit this AH Roman Empire, this is my doing. Be gentle with me, my modding skills are amateur at best

4. I am placing in you, the reader, the ability to influence the course of events via recommendation. This is a very different kind of AAR and although I have taken the time to plan the story and play through the start of the CK2 portion there is still much to go and your opinions on how to change a key aspect of society or a military reform and your historical knowledge would be very welcome. While I do count myself as a scholar of history, particularly Roman history, I still am open to suggestions and ideas.

I will try and update as much as possible but there will obviously be lapses. The more positive comments I get the more I will be inspired to update . Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the story of the Roman Empire as it transforms over hundreds of years.

 

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Chapter 1: Caesar Imperator​

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Dr. Alexander Richards made his way through the dimly lit hall. He strode with purpose and without hesitation. He was an older man, around fifty, with a face that seemed wise. He sported a thin mustache that blanketed his upper lip. The hall he had entered was large and filled with young individuals trying to find their place in the world. Desks lined the rows and the room, previously echoing with voices went to silence when Richards entered. The Doctor made his way to the front where his own podium stood and placed his bag near the leg of his chair. He proceeded to remove a book and a few papers, reading to himself for a moment, unconcerned that the students were analyzing him and his actions with equal measure. Within a few moments he lifted his head and smiled. As he spoke his words carried in perfect Greco-Roman.

"My name is Dr. Alexander Richards. My background is in Roman studies, particularly the rise of the Imperium and the establishment of the Basilium. You can either call me one of three things through this course: Dr. Richards, Professor or Ptolemaĩos Ioúlios Kaisaras Áygoustos Autokrátoras Kalýteros Si̱mantikós So̱tí̱ras Patéras Ro̱maío̱n." Richards gave a wide smile to his dumbfounded students, "The name that I just confused your young ears with is the old Greco-Roman, or Roman as I'm sure you call the language, for Ptolemy Iulius Caesar Augustus Imperator Optimus Maximus, Saviour and Father of the Romans. That was the title of all of the Roman Emperors from the Emperor Caesarion and onward. However, it was most often shortened to Imperator Augustus Caesar. To understand the history I am about to convey on you you must understand this title. The Emperors of Rome rarely changed this title. The Greek title Basileus was briefly added between Imperator and Optimus during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian but was removed by his successor Emperor Acacius in order to distance Kingship from the Imperial throne. However, I digress, let me start at the beginning: the year was 49 BC and Gaius Iulius Caesar had just crossed the Rubicon..."

Over the next hour Richards accounted the history of the civil war between the Senate and Caesar, paying particular attention to Caesar's affair with Cleopatra and their son together, Caesarion, "...the war finally ended, and Caesar returned home, in 45 BC. Now there were a great deal of issues he tackled in this time, namely making a new constitution for the Republic. However, between his return and the attempt on his life Caesar accomplished much. He re-regulated the grain doles, built temples and administrative buildings aplenty, was voted Dictator for life and, perhaps most significantly, began the process of deification that would be so important to future Emperors. However, it is after what was later called the Junian Affair that Caesar's true reforms began. On the Ides of March Caesar had a meeting of the Senate. We know that he had little to announce during the meeting, simple budget changes for the Republican treasury and discussion for his eventual Parthian Campaign he had been relentlessly planning. Now the story goes that Jupiter, in the form of a poor, homeless plebeian came to Caesar and warned him of his impending assassination and that Caesar, a God himself and aware of Jupiter's presence took heed and that was how he learned of the Junian Affair. The truth is much less dramatic. In fact, one of the plotters, a certain Servilius Casca, broke and contacted Mark Antony about the plot. Antony apparently managed to head Caesar off before he reached the Senate House and gave the two time to prepare. Caesar still entered the Senate alone but Mark Antony, along with an entire cohort of Caesar's legions, encircled the Senate house. When Cassius Longinus is said to have made the announcement that Caesar, a tyrant, must die, Caesar raised his arms in a sign of submission. Upon seeing Brutus among the conspirators Caesar muttered the famous line, "Et tu Brute?"

It is said that almost immediately after Caesar spoke Antony and his troops flooded into the Senate and arrested the conspirators. Caesar ordered them imprisoned for the time being but then, as the story goes, sat calmly down and ordered the Senate session to continue. In all honesty, we don't know what happened to the conspirators as all evidence of their existence after that is gone. We are inclined to believe that they were executed but Caesar's clemency was well known and some, such as Brutus, might have been allowed comfortable exile. However what we do know is what followed.



Caesar began by addressing the incident immediately after the conspirators were removed stating, "Conscript Fathers, as you can well see traitors and vagabonds infest this great city. I can assure you all those who work against the glory that is Rome can expect to suffer the consequences of a traitor. No matter your cause, treason is treason. Have no fear, senators, I will root out these criminals and bring them to justice, one by one." This indirect threat to the Senate drove them to "reward" Caesar for his leadership. The Senate proposed that Caesar, in light of this crisis, take on a special command. The Senate offered Caesar full maius Imperium over the provinces that were most hostile, those being Gaul, Spain and the Eastern Provinces. As well the Senate voted that Caesar be given this Imperium for life in order that, "The Republic be restored and Rome's authority reinvigorated." Caesar's tribune's powers would be tied to this Imperium and he would be allowed to appoint his own officers and governors for regions under his direct control. Caesar was also invested in Censorial powers which would serve him in Rome. Added to this already unprecedented list of powers and honors, Caesar was given the official title Imperator as a name making his full name into Gaius Julius Caesar Imperator.

The new Imperator responded by reluctantly accepting the honors for the, "good of the Republic," and laying his dictatorial powers down in order that he may serve as Imperator effectively. This unprecedented development was the beginning of the Roman Empire. Caesar stayed in Rome until the end of 44 BC and then, accompanied by Mark Antony and the legions, left for Egypt.



In Egypt Caesar continued his affair with Cleopatra and assisted in raising his son, Caesarion. However the true purpose of his visit was to incorporate Egypt into the Empire officially and to prepare for his war with Parthia. He remained in Egypt until the end of 43 BC. During his time in the province, the Senate voted to give Caesar full power to appoint a successor to what was known as the Caesaris Potentia or to contemporaries as the Potentiate. As a result Caesar filled out a secret will giving full command to Mark Antony until his son, Caesarion, come of age. At that point Caesar's will stipulated that Caesarion would be elevated to Imperator and be given full command.

It is important to remember that Caesar is not considered the first Emperor. The Senate gave him an extended commanded and, although it's powers were unprecedented, there had been similar commands before. Caesar, himself, was tasked with three things: the pacification of Hispania, the vengeance against Parthia for the defeat at Carhae and a push against Dacia. The Imperium, upon the accomplishment of these tasks, by Caesar or otherwise, would then be reevaluated.



Caesar left Egypt in 42 BC for Syria where he gathered the remainder of his legions. He began his campaign against Parthia through the invasion of Armenia. The campaign was short as the Parthians made no move to defend the Armenians, their allies. The Parthian King Pacorus had heard much of Caesar and knew that the full Parthian army would be needed to repel him and could not spare any troops for the defence of the Armenians. Caesar took the time after his conquest of Armenia to install a Greek client King before leaving for Parthia.

On the 7th of June 41 BC Gaius Julius Caesar Imperator was pronounced dead. He was discovered on the floor of his tent and was decribed as looking as though he had seen a ghost. His cause of death is uncertain, although many make good arguments that his epilepsy combined with a bout of malaria he was reported to have suffered a few months before had something to do with his death. Regardless, the legions are said to have burned Caesar's body and mourned for a week. The Senate immediately voted to annul the Imperium and end the Potentiate. This infuriated both Antony and Cleopatra, who had become lovers, and caused Antony to seek support from Caesar's legions. The legions, equally as outraged at the blatant disregard the Senate had for Caesar's will, encouraged Antony to set sail for Italy in late July. Antony entered Rome in 40 BC after a few small battles with Senatorial legions, most of whom defected, and declared himself the successor of Caesar and his adopted son. Antony thus became Gaius Julius Caesar Antonian Imperator, also known as the Emperor Antonian. He began a new cycle of proscriptions and killed various enemies of the Potentiate in the Senate and also conscripted rivals of the newly declared Imperator. These rivals included the entire family of the Octavii, whose paterfamilias Gaius Octavius was very close with Caesar himself. It is, in fact possible that, had Caesar not gone to Egypt and been influenced by Cleopatra and come to acknowledge Caesarion as his son, Caesar would have made Octavius his heir. However, the boy and his family were summarily executed by Antonian.



Antonian is called the first Emperor in loose terms. He is considered by most historians not to be a true Emperor but more of a place holder, almost a regent. The reason being that his actions were almost identical to many early dictators and that he made no adjustments to the Potentiate system. Whereas the Regimate would innovate and turn the office of Imperator into a true monarchy with Imperial pomp, Antonian more or less removed the Senate from the picture, allowing his secretaries to control the Senate appointments. He..."

Richards glanced at the time, "Ah, I have gone too long. My apologies class, next week we will discuss the rise of Caesarion and the transition from the Potentiate to the Regimate. Have a nice weekend."

 

[Jarren]

You have my interest for sure. I wonder what Octavian is doing during all this...

 

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@Jarren
During Antonys (or Antonian if you wanna go by his Imperial name) proscriptions he was killed along with Atia and Octavia due to Antony's belief that Octavian (called Octavius in the aar) was too close with Caesar to be allowed to live. Antony couldnt allow a possible rival that the Senate could rally around and as I mentioned Octavius had been seriously considered by Caesar to be a successor as occurred in our timeline. The only thing that stopped Caesar was Cleopatras influence combined woth natural affection for Caesarion.

 

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Chapter 2: Caesarion​

Dr. Richards hurried to set up his books as students filed into class once again. He glanced at a newspaper that he had tucked in his pack, the headline read, "Imperial troops move into France, the..." but the rest was covered. Richards continued to set up his podium when he heard a small voice from the back. He narrowed his eyes on the boy, "Whats that? Stand up and state your name if you have a question or comment."

The boy stood and nervously muttered as loud as he seemed able to muster, "Um...my...um...name is....ahem...Nikos Phocatos."

Richards raised an eyebrow, "And your question Mr...I mean Citizen Phocatos?"

"Where was Ptolemy Caesar Augustus during all this?"

Richards could not help but laugh, "Citizen, we may be in a Roman Academy but we are not using the state names for this course, if we had to refer to every Imperator or Autocrat by their full or even semi-full name as the state does we would never be done this course." He paused to let every student understand then continued, "No, we will refer to the Divi Iulius Filius as Caesarion. I know it is, "unroman," but there is alot of that going around these days." Richards practically spit as he spoke, "Now as to your wuestion, well I will tell you:

Caesarion had followed Antonian and his mother to Rome, for two reasons. The first was that Cleopatra truly believed Antonian was going to allow Caesar's will involving Caesarion to stand. The second was that she wished her son to adopt aspects of Roman culture, something Caesar reportedly told her was vital to his ascension as Imperator.

Back to Antonian, however, the man had gained a great deal of enemies during his brief reign in Rome. However within a year the newly declared Maius Imperator was sailing back toward Syria to continue the planned campaign against Parthia. I can say in all honesty that I truly fear the repercussions had Antonian been able to hold onto power. He was a good general but his ruthless nature and his desire for bloodshed caused no end of diplomatic scandals, war threats and client king secession. It wasn't until 38 BC that Antonian had managed to put down these Eastern rebellions, including a massive Greek revolt led by the Macedonian slave known as Alexandra.

By 38 Caesarion was only nine. However the years he spent in Rome, from 38 BC - 33BC were definitive. He learnt much of the Roman way while he was there. He watched Senate debates, despite the relative censoring by Antonian's agents, which gave him an early understanding of politics in Rome. Cleopatra had him taught Latin as well as Greek and Egyptian, he was also seen to practice combat, horse riding and javelin throwing on the field of Mars with other Roman aristocratic boys. However, Caesarion's largest lesson he had to grasp was the lack of a monarchy in Rome. Caesarion had, on arrival, apparently expected a royal welcome. Instead he was greeted by an angry Senate and a guardian who defied his father's will, declared himself Caesarion's brother and then left abruptly. This greatly affected Caesarion as, up till now, he was used to the Monarchical staticism that was Ptolemaic Egypt, not the dynamic political bloodbath that was early Potentiate Rome. Cleopatra was, of course, active during this time, as she was said to have begun a massive bribery campaign that the Senate might officially legalize Caesarion. Often times her version of bribery was not monetary at all but of a more...sensual nature. Nontheless, Cleopatra proved efficient enough at the Roman political game as the angry Senate began to see Caesarion as a counter to the much less controllable Antonian.

The war against Parthia was failing as much as Antonian's support was. He had some initial success, pushing into Mesopotamia he broke two Parthian armies. Feeling very much like a Caesar, Antonian began to march directly toward Babylon where he intended to stage the rest of the conquest of the Parthian Empire. This was his mistake, much as Crassus had made his a Carrhae. As he marched his men toward the city, defeating small armies in pitched battles, skirmishing with horse archers, the army became weaker and weaker. It was much too late to do anything by the time Antonian realized he had been tricked and the real Parthian army lay behind him. Antonian was forced to a pitched battle, despite the army being exhausted from continual missile fire and the scorching heat. During the Battle of Mesene it was said over half of the men who died did so out of exhaustion rather then because of the Parthians themselves. While this is no doubt Imperial propaganda made to make Antonian look bad, the truth might not be so far off. What is true is that half the army was destroyed, the rest broke and scattered. Antonian made his way out alive and back to Syria, the war ended in the same anti-climatic way Crassus' war did.

By the time Antonian returned to Rome much had happened, the Senate, at Cleopatra's behest, and with support from the remaining great men of state declared Antonian an enemy of the state. With what remained of his army Antonian laid siege to Rome, howver his true objective was not to win the battle but to get something much more precious. Cleopatra had given birth to Antonian's children in the five years he had been gone, a boy and a girl, twins. She named the boy Gaius Julius Caesar Antoninus and the girl Antonia Julia. Antonian demanded the twins be given to him or else he would siege the city till the end of time, publicly taking an oath saying as much. Realizing they had to act or else face years of ruin, the Senate forced Cleopatra to give up her children.

Antonian fled back to Egypt where he established himself as ruler and began to raise legions for a final confrontation with the Senate. Or at least that had been his plan, in truth from the year 33 BC to 26 BC Antonian revelled in the comforts of Egypt making constant excuses to prevent any work from getting done, going native as it was called. During that time Caesarion had grown into a young man, being 18. The Senate had officially elected a Dictator in the form of Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus. The Dictator had acknowledged Caesarion's citizenship but refused to grant him the Imperium that he viewed as his by right. In response Caesarion and a small group of Roman friends he had acquired including a pleb named Gaius Macaenus and Marcus Agrippa rode through Gaul and Spain, the regions controlled by the Senate, and rallied surviving veterans of Caesar's legions, often recruiting the veteran's settled sons. The young man then took his legions and essentially established military control over Greece basing himself out of a small port city on the Bosphorus called Byzantion. His Greek move further strengthened his already large army. In 25 BC Caesarion sailed for Italy, landing in early July. He then marched on Rome.

Now one must understand that the strength of will required to accomplish such a feat at the age of 18 is massive. He was nothing but a private citizen, a tool for the Senate. However, even tools have to be kept in shape and they broke their greatest tool. Caesarion, the son of two living Gods, Cleopatra Philopater and Julius Caesar was viewed in many was, especially in the Greek world as a demi-god. This is one of the primary reasons scholars use for the ease with which he recruited men in Greece and the East as to the Greeks he was not hailed as Imperator but was called Basileus Ptolemaios Kaiser, essentially being recognized as King of the Greeks. To most Romans this seemed odd but the the immensely self confidant Caesarion this was business as usual. Caesarion was neither Roman nor Greek but a vision for the future of the Roman world. Although he would be what most of you would consider Roman today he is what the Western world calls Greco-Roman, a mix of both cultures.

Caesarion entered Rome in mid July 25 BC. His reasoning behind his actions were to, "finally liberate the Republic from Dictators and unlawful Imperators of the Republic." Caesarion executed Decimus Brutus, calling him, "The last King of Rome," and had himself declared Maius Imperator. During his brief time in Rome Caesarion had a falling out with his mother who begged the newly declared Imperator to spare Antoninus and Antonia Julia. Caesarion compromised, he would adopt Antoninus and turn him into a force that he could use and then marry Antonia Julia, a practice normal of the Ptolemies and completely legal in Egypt at the time. Caesarion did initially worry about Senatorial backlash but went to lengths to ensure that he was viewed as the saviour of the Republic and that Antonian was viewed as a foreign ruler that was occupying Roman land and had to be eliminated. Caesarion and a total of twenty legions left Italy in 24 BC for Syria.

Syria seemed to be a focal point for much of the early Empire and it continued that way. Antonian, knowing that he couldn't beat Caesarion in a naval battle allowed him to dock near Sinai. At the Battle of Sinai the outnumbered Caesarion smashed Antonian's army, partly because a good portion of his local legions fled at the sight of veteran Roman soldiers, although there is a much more practical reason. Caesarion was the Prince of Egypt. Upon Cleopatra's death he was to be the rightful Pharaoh and many of the native Egyptians were reported to have outright refused to fight their Prince. He was also considered to be a God on Earth and at least one Egyptian cohort is said to have bowed to the sight of his army. Nonetheless, Antonian was defeated, captured and would later be executed during Caesarion's triumph over Egypt.

Caesarion stayed in Egypt but a month after his victory. He crushed some rebels in the South, he built various temples to Julius Optimus Maximus, Isis (who his mother affiliated himself with) and began construction on a strange new temple that would later be devoted to him, the Divi Ptolemaeus. His final act was to construct Cleopatra's great manor, a major tourist attraction today. It had everything she needed to be self providing. It would be her prison and her tomb. Caesarion could not afford his headstrong mother interfering in his affairs. He had to be seen as Roman first and Cleopatra made that difficult. The issue with Antoninus and Antonia Julia made that apparent. Cleopatra was not a young woman and would die four years later a broken, partially mad woman.

Caesarion returned to Rome in 20 BC. He had made a small round through the provinces announcing his victory and broadcasting the end of the civil wars. The endless civil wars or threat of civil war caused massive amounts of unrest in the provinces and seeing the famous Imperator Caesarion helped calm the angry provincials. At the same time Caesarion made some administrative changes in the Empire. He formally annexed Cappadocia and Armenia into the Empire, he made an initial push into Moesia that would not be completed until the reign of the Emperor Trajanos. Caesarion also detoured into Northern Spain where he conquered the resilient Lusitanian tribes. His return to Rome was triumphant and unprecedented. He had purposely traversed the entirety of the Empire so that he could display it's many splendors. During his absence Gaius Maecenas had been made sole consul and had managed to keep Rome running but the return of Caesarion was considered the beginning of a new era.

It was in more than one way as well. In a special meeting Caesarion told the Senate that the system of governance that his father, Caesar, had put in place was no longer effective. He offered no suggestion but simply laid down his Imperium and abolished the entire system giving full power back to the Senate. One may believe this is what they wanted but the truth is that the independent Senators of old, the Catos and Ciceros were all dead and gone. Few Senators lived who wanted to see the Republic back to the way it had been during the Great Civil War era, as it is known. Thus they began what is called today the restructuring. In essence the restructuring involved these changes:

1. A new office was formally created. It was called the Imperator Maius de Provinciarum et Legionum. Roughly translated as Supreme Commander of the Provinces and Legions. The position was inherited by the first born son of the Imperator or whomever he appoints as best to do the job. The Imperator could appoint governors in every region of the Empire except Italy, he could raise and disband legions, he had the tribune's powers, the censors powers, he had the power to issue the Ultimate Decree and suspend the Republic (which was in later years done for entire reigns at a time), the Imperator's, "Iudicium," or judgement was required for every piece of legislation that came out of the Senate.

2. The office of Pro-Consul was reduced to a term limit of a year as was Pro-Praetor. Although by the end of Caesarion's reign the Empire had one Pro-Consul that the Senate recommended govern Africa, the rest of the Empire was governed by Prefects.

3. Dictators and Imperium were disbanded as offices or titles. No man could be hailed as Imperator for a great victory, no Imperium could be granted except by the Imperator Maius himself. The office of Dictator was seen as too easy to abuse and, thus, removed.

4. Finally, Caesarion's full name was made the official title for the office of the Imperator as the Senate voted that Caesarion was, "an undying God," and therefore his name would carry on. Various names including "August One" and "Saviour" were given to Caesarion. All Imperators would afterward be named Ptolemaeus Julius Caesar Imperator Maius Augustus Optimus Maximus Pater Salvator Populi Romani.

Caesarion was made no less than a God by the state and his rule was extended throughout the Empire. The system that the Senate voted to put in place (although it must be said Caesarion's agents no doubt controlled every move the Senate made at this point and Caesarion's army was INSIDE the city at the time) was called the Regimate or the Maian System by scholars.

Caesarion ruled well, turning Rome into a marble city through massive works. He created temples, mostly to Isis, Divi Julius or Divi Ptolemaeus Augustus. He also established an interesting system of choosing an heir. Every July 1st the Senate would formally offer the Emperor Caesarion a crown, he would then make a large show of refusing it. However, when Caesarion's adopted son Antoninus came of age he accepted and crowned Antoninus Rex Aegyptus. From that day on the tradition would always be for the Imperator to crown his successor, often of Egypt but there were cases where the Emperor Hadrianos crowned his son King of Briton. When asked by Gaius Maecenus why he didn't turn Rome officially into a monarchy and make himself King Caesarion is supposed to have quipped, "An Emperor is above the petty prerogative of Kings."

Richards glanced at his watch, "Ah, once again we have gone on longer then we should have. I will see you next week, we will be discussing the time between the rise of the Empire to the fall briefly before going into the more modern Empire from 1066 onward. Have a nice weekend class."

OOC: Sorry for no pics it was a very text driven chapter and I couldnt think of pictures that would be fully appropriate. The next update will be the final Roman based part of the aar which will bridge the rise of the Regimate with the 1066 start in CK2.

 

[Jarren]

This reminds me of Lux Invictas storyline a little. Can't wait to see how those pesky Christians foul things up

 

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This reminds me of Lux Invictas storyline a little. Can't wait to see how those pesky Christians foul things up

It will be similar to OTL but there will be a few stark differences. Namely, the issue with how the increasingly Hellenic Emperors can settle for a monotheistic religion when much of their authority is based off the fact they are living Gods. Caesarion was the son of two Gods and every Imperator after him be they usurper or otherwise are formally adopted by him (as an ascended God "Divi Ptolemaeus Augustus" and thus every Emperor is, in effect a demigod. By the time of Constantine this divine right as it were is so ingratiated into society that the idea of an Emperor NOT being divine will greatly affect the authority of the Ptolemaic Caesars. But it will be interesting!!

 

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Next update coming soon for anyone who reads this

After this update the AAR proper will begin with the 1066 start. I did consider the 867 start but came to the conclusion that for a potential EUIV import the start was to hectic and I needed something that would allow France, Germany, Spain etc etc to have a chance. As well, I don't really want pagans to survive into near future as Catholicism vs Orthodoxy (or Triadism as it is also known in this world).

For the next update I won't be going into specifics regarding every Emperor basically what happened in our timeline is what happened here. I will, however, highlight any changes.

 

[guillec87]

niiiiice, I like it!

 

[LOka]

You got a really nice setup here! Will follow!

 

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Chapter 3: The Coming Darkness​

Richards made his way into the classroom once more, he knew the class was probably shook up over the Weekend's events, he himself was. But he had a lot to cover that day and couldn't risk making an opinion regarding the situation known the students lest. Who knows who they, by all means patriotic and “free” Romans, would deem to tell. Richards was British, he was an outsider. In the city of the Caesars being an outsider, even one here to teach, was a dangerous position to be in.

“Lets get right into it class, now last week we discussed the brief reign on the semi-Emperor Antonian, the rise of Caesarion, his removal of Antonian and the rise of the Regimate or the Maian System. We also witnessed the transformation of Caesarion from an Egyptian Prince to private citizen to how we known him today: Imperator Augustus Optimus Maximus.

His reign was considered one of the Empire's most fruitful, albeit there were hiccups. In 9 AD a large portion of the Roman Army was wiped out under the Emperor's son and presumed heir Ptolemy Germanicus. The half mad Augustus Optimus Maximus was said to have pulled out chunks of his hair and gone around his palace in Byzantium screaming, “Ptolemaeus! Give me back my legions!” However, these problems were few and far between. In truth under Augustus Maximus (as we will refer to Caesarion from now on) the Empire went into a period known as the Pax Caesarum, or Peace of the Caesars.

One large issue that began with Augustus Maximus that would plague the Empire for most of it's life is the issue of monarchy, authority and legitimacy. When the Emperor made the announcement that he planned to marry his half sister, Antonia Julia, there was much disapproval amongst the Senate. While they didn't make their disapproval public knowledge they did take any chance they could to scorn the newly wedded couple. This culminated in the Senate, without the Emperor's knowledge, amending the laws regarding incest to make it clear that NO related siblings could marry in Rome. Upon learning of this the Emperor moved the wedding from Rome to an area where there was no such law: Greece.

After the wedding Augustus Maximus decided that he would stay in the East, as it was much more suitable to his style of rule. He set his head quarters up in the coastal city of Byzantium. From that point on there was a noticeable divide between the Emperor and the Senate. The Imperial court, which included many Senators who wished to gain Imperial favor, moved to Byzantium, while Senate, despite it's rump state and the need for Imperial approval to do so much as appoint a Quaestor, continued to meet in Rome. However, Byzantium became just one in a long line of Imperial capitals including Tunis, Carthago Nova, Athens and, at one point, Paris. The court of the Emperors followed the Emperor wherever he went.

Throughout the Empire's history many usurpers would rise to power by stating they wished to do away with the Hellenization of the decadent Emperors in Byzantium. Indeed, two forms of Emperor emerged following the fall of the Julio-Antonian dynasty. These two forms are the Latin Imperator and the Greek Autocrat. The Imperators were traditionally usurpers, men from the army who were obligated, as the first of their line, to show a traditional stand point so that they may garner support from the Senate. They did not enforce the Eastern “Sermo Dei Est” (also known as the Language of the Gods which will be discussed later) and their names are more often Latinized rather then recorded in Greek. They also were known to remain in or around Rome, forgoing the example of Augustus Maximus. The Autocrat, however, was the opposite. They rarely remained in Rome, appearing there only when business warranted an appearance. They were known to wear red paint on their face at all times when in the public eye, constantly broadcasting their divine status. These Emperors recorded their name in Greek and, required all those who spoke to them to also speak Greek. This, known as the “Sermo Dei Est” promoted the fact that Augustus Maximus, whose first language was Greek and who rarely spoke Latin except on occasion, was the God that all future Emperors were essentially becoming upon gaining the throne. Thus, Greek, also spoken by his mother and Caesar was the only language the Autocratic Emperors spoke and were spoken to in. There are known cases in the later Empire of Emperors not even knowing how to speak Latin at all. In the end, the example set by Augustus Maximus was one almost every Emperor aspired to and even the Latin Emperors, would teach their son the ways of the Greek Autocrat, establishing their dynasty and then taking on the prerogatives of divinity.

Augustus Maximus was a mix of the two, however, forced to embrace and adopt the Roman facade of Republican government, accepting that in the West the Emperor was officially no more then a Supreme Commander of the armed forces, albeit one that the Senate was forced to respect and listen too. In the East, however, Augustus Maximus became the Autocrat, the direct translation of Imperator to Greek. Maximus promoted the use of the term Autocrat, refusing to acknowledge when referred to by Eastern subjects as Basileus or Hegemon. When one Parthian dignitary referred to the Emperor as a Basileus of the Romans Augustus Maximus is supposed to have raged, “There have been many human Kings, be they Parthian, Greek, Egyptian or barbarian. In Rome there is only an Emperor, and he is above the humanity of Kings for in Rome and the world, the Emperor is God.” In his later reign, as he became more established and the Senate began to forget of the way things were in the past, he became even more blatant about his position in society, refusing to be seen in person as his divinity was too powerful for mortal eyes. By his death he took to wearing a terracotta mask and being shrouded in purple silk when dignitaries visited. His successors toned the extravagance down but followed a similar example, eventually resulting in the deposition of the Emperor Alexandros by his highest ranking generals.

It is often asked how the Emperors, technically no more then commanders of the army, could display such arrogance, pomp and extravagance and still maintain the careful Republican facade that contributed to their power. There are two main reasons:

The first is the actual lack public appearances the Emperor made. The average Roman had no idea where the Emperor was at any given time. While he may, in fact, be lounging in his palace in Byzantium the Roman Recordium (a pseudo-news service established by Augustus Maximus) would announce his victories over the Parthians, Germans and the Scythians all at once, making the Emperor appear to the average Roman as a kind of guardian of the Empire. Thus, citizens adored the most early Emperors and by the time the realization of how far Imperial decadence had languished it no one alive could think of any better way to govern the increasingly strained Empire.

The second is the gradual decimation of the Roman Senate. The Senate was increasingly filled wit men who had little stately interest and were instead driven by one thing: money. The Emperor Antoninus, the legal son (and half brother) of Augustus Maximus, removed the business restrictions on Senators, allowing them to engage in business ventures. However, since all authority outside of Italy fell to the Imperator Maius, Senators were forced to indebt themselves to the Imperator in order to gain contracts, rights to land and tax rights. Traditional publicani were ousted and as time went on being a Senator was more akin to a modern CEO then a leader of state. While there were exceptions to this rule, namely when Latin Emperors usurped Greek Autocrats, for every power the Senate was given by the Latins, two would be revoked by the Autocrats. It was a gradual system that slowly whittled the Senate down to the equivalent of a modern country club for aristocratic families to do business deals and discuss politics. In fact, the Emperor Helios actually had refreshments adorn the Senate house so that many Senators spent more time eating then concerning themselves with Imperial machinations.

With the Senate and the people pacified the Imperial officials and the Emperor himself were the complete rulers of the Roman world and until the fall of the Julio-Antonians (also known as the Ptolemaic Dynasty of Rome) the Emperors ruled with relative ease.

However, the Emperor Alexandros, particularly notorious for executing his wives, being the first Emperor to actually accept the crown the Senate offered every July, thus breaking the tradition by Augustus Maximus of giving the heir the crown, and his open mocking of Latin traditions as barbarous and the Hellenic values as the most civilized, set a dangerous precedent when we was finally murdered by his own Praetorian Guard. Following his murder three Emperors arose who stood to usurp the throne from the dead Emperor's son, pompously named Alexanderos Ptolemaios Autocratos Anotatos (or Alexander Ptolemy Supreme Ruler). The resulting civil war ended with the crowning of the Emperor Vespasian, who then proceeded to name his son Philopatrus (after the surname of Ptolemy Kings, Philopater) and thus begin the cycle once again. This cycle of disgruntled Latin Romans usurping the Hellenized Emperors would become not only common but often expected, causing even more separation of the Emperor from the actual Empire as each Emperor sought to protect himself in ever more unique ways. The great philosopher-Emperor Marcus Aurelianus actually expressed surprise on his natural deathbed, quipping, “Surely the Gods play tricks on me, that I die without a blade in my throat.” The Empire was, essentially, having an identitity crisis of the highest proportion, the Romans growing tired of the Hellenic Imperials, while the Emperors themselves sought to reconcile their own status as Roman Imperator and their ancestral heritage from Augustus Maximus as Kings and Gods.

Despite the lack of internal stabilization, the Empire remained powerful. Under the Emperor Trajanos Dacia was pacified, as was Mesopotamia, finally avenging the many losses against the Parthians. There were attempts to conquer Britannia but after one botched attempt by the Emperor Markos, the Romans effectively abandoned the venture, seeing it as not worth the effort. The Romans did, however install client rulers in various British tribes and continued to have their influence felt in modern England for centuries. Over time the Empire's borders began to become harder to maintain as the domestic troubles of the Imperial system began to give way to ever more ambitious armies of barbarians.

By the reign of Diocletianos it was obvious that things had the change. The Anarchy of the Third Century had already brought the Empire to it's knees and Imperial authority had come out severely scathed. The crisis being when the Empire fractured into four warring states, the Greek Hegemony based out of Byzantium, the Egyptian Kingdom, led by Cleopatra Augusta, the Gallic Empire and the Roman Empire proper. Thus, Diocletianos made a decision to end the Imperial identity crisis for good. He formally introduced the “Sermo De Est” doctrine making it illegal for the Emperor's name to be written in Latin, his orders to be reproduced into Latin (albeit this law was almost never followed), the Emperor could not be spoken to in any language besides Greek and, for however brief a time, the Emperor adopted a new title, Basileus ton Romaion, or King of the Romans. His successor removed the title due to outrage but the by that time the word was out: the Imperators were monarchs, nothing less. Diolectianos also formally adopted the title of Autokratoras making the Greek term for Imperator law. The actual office of Imperator Maius de Provinciarum et Legionum was disbanded, being replaced with the far more royal “Rectoris Res Publicae atque Imperatori Romanorum” which is translated to “Emperor of the Romans and Ruler of the Republic.” In Greek is was, “Autokrátoras kai kyverní̱ti̱s to̱n Ro̱maío̱n kai Di̱mokratía”.

The reforms did much to improve the sacrosanctity of the Emperor. Diocletianos futher reformed when he changed the official capital of the Empire to Byzantium, renaming the city Kaisarinoupolis or Kaisarinople, “City of the Caesars.” He built the city around the old Imperial palace, which was at this time more of a stronghold, which was known as the “Seat of Gods,” and built in almost a temple form. Diocletianos almost entirely removed the old Greco-Roman pantheon instead instituting the Imperial pantheon based around the Divine Ptolemaeus Augustus, the Divine Julius and the Divine Isis Cleopatria. The Emperor was seen as being the vessel for the three Gods to mantle and thus the Emperor was an amalgamation of all worship in the Empire. This new system was named by contemporary historians the Basiliate.

On the topic of religion, we must finally tackle Christianity. Now you all know the stories of the death of Jesus etc, etc. However, the impact this had on the Empire was astounding and the conversion of the Empire caused even more troubled identity for the only recently reconciled Emperors. You see when the Emperor Konstantinos was inspired to convert to Christianity after the battle of the Milvian Bridge he ushered in a huge range of problems for the Empire. For one, when he converted he officially denied his divinity, as he now acknowledged only the existence of one God. Another issue was that as Emperor his entire position, as reinforced by the Basiliate, was as a mantle for the Gods, in many ways the Emperor, although himself a God, was the God's way to guide the Empire to greatness. Without acceptance of this mantle the Empire was no longer protected by a God and thus, was sure to fall.

However, Konstantinos solved this issue with tact. He immediately claimed that the Divines, as the Roman pantheon had become known, were dead, hence the disasters the Empire was facing at the hands of foreign foes. He claimed the this God, the true God, would deliver the Empire victory. He further reinforced the Imperial line by claiming the triad of Divines was dead but not gone as there was a new triad, which we now know as the Holy Triad. The Father, God, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Vicar, the Emperor. Thus, the Emperor was seen as the Vicar of Christ, God's representative on Earth and the protector of the Empire. Konstantinos broadcasted this view so widely and did so so effectively by his death much of the Empire had converted.

However, even the Christian revitalization of the Empire could not stave off the inevitable fall of the West. During the reign of Domitianos there was a serious discussion about the splitting of the Empire into East and West but the idea was vetoed as there could not be two mantles of three Gods. However, the issue came up again during the reign of Konstantinos. Ever since the rise of the Basiliate there was an increasing gap growing between the Latin West and the Greek East. Despite the almost complete hellenization of the Imperial aristocracy and the movement of the capital to Kaisarinople the West resiliently remained Latin in culture and traditionally Roman in values. Konstantinos realized this divide and knew he had to compensate for it in some way. Thus, on July 1st, during the ceremonial crowning, he accepted the crown and granted it to a governor named Proculus Libo. Libo was a Frankish freedman who had risen up the ranks of the Roman army to that of Prefect. He also governed the province of Gaul, holding back his Frankish brothers and proving himself time and time again. Known as King Proculus the Frank, he was the precedent the later Popes used to justify the translation of the Imperial crown onto Charlemagne. Prox was, technically, not even a Caesar as he was given no Imperial titles. He was crowned as King of Italy and Protector of the Western Provinces. This was the final blow to the facade of the Senatus Populusque Romanus.

Even this did not stem the tide. The barbarian invasions happened, as you all know. What happened is not of interest, however. What we will look at is the Imperial response. In Kaisarinople the response to the fall of the West, the sacking of Rome, the execution of King Proculus III and the drowning of his son, Prince Romulus, was a grim disinterest. The West had long been considered lost as the Italian King had refused to pay homage to the Emperor during the reign of Proculus II. Thus, when the King begged the Emperor for help, the Emperor Zeno replied, “The wrath of God washes over those who defy his representative. With my help perhaps you and yours would survive. However, it is Gods will that you be punished. My advice, o King, is to embrace the coming darkness, there is little else you can do.” It is tempting to look back on those comments as arrogant but for the Autocrats of the Romans such views were commonplace.”

Richards looked grimly at the class. His hidden meaning was perfectly clear to all there. Even now the Emperors of Rome cared only about their own power, the world could burn for all they care. Richards almost laughed, God knows the world already was burning, “Anyways, thats all for this week class. Next week we skip ahead to the rise of the Macedonian House of Ptolemy and the second rise of the Roman Empire.”

 

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@LOka
Thanks for the comment. Its a different kind of AAR but definately the most I've invested in a project in a long time so I hope you enjoy it.

@Guillec
Thanks!

Also a reminder: if anything seems skimmed over, ignored or otherwise not mentioned then it is the same as our real history, referred to as Our Time Line or OTL. For instance I won't touch on the rise of the barbarian Kingdoms or the Arab invasions much since very little changed in this timeline as opposed to OTL. The biggest change is the Imperial attitude to the new religion which is different now that the rise of Islam and it's direct threat to Christianity also directly affects the Emperor's divine sacrosanctity.

 

[General_Hoth]

suscribed. It's interesting!

 

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@General_Hoth
Thanks!

New update either tonight or tomorrow.