What if the Byzantine/ Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian had not attacked the Ostrogothic Kingdom?

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[Maiorianus_Sebastian]

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[scorpionfiresome]

A Romano-Gothic culture? Nah, the Goths were the warrior minority, the Goths would share the same fate as the Lombards, they’ll mingle and assimilate into Latin culture due to being a minority, also due to Latin’s much stronger prestige and as a way to legitimize ruling over the Romans of Italy.

[heinzlilio]

Justinian fans try not to ignore the devastation he caused to Italy in the name of "Roman Restoration" impossible

[jbussa]

Rome Total War Age of Justinian Mod... Got the Persians out of the way, still invaded North Africa and took out the Vandals. Then I made friendly with the other inland North African tribes and invaded Hispania while making friendly with the Ostrogoths. while I was doing that, the Franks attacked Ostrogothic Italy. Then I was able to be the hero and this time actually march into Italy as a savior. Rome was recaptured without struggle and immediately rebuilt :)

[lerneanlion]

Personally, I preferred the idea of the Roman Empire did not abandon Britain more because when it is indeed fractured, the domain of Soissons will included the Roman territory on the British Isles as well. So even if the Franks and the Visigoths managed to conquer this de facto independent remnant of the Roman Province of Gaul, escaping across the English Channel will still be an option. And when they did, a chance to revive the Western Roman Empire still be there. Of course, the consolidation of power will be the first priority. And such a task might taken a generation at least. But when it ended, the entirety of what we known as England and Wales will be part of the Roman Province of Britannia, which is a de facto independent Roman province at this point. But as the navy for the campaign to reclaim Gaul is being constructed, the new wave of migration of the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes to Britain from the Jutland peninsula occurred. So instead of using this navy for the reconquest of Gaul as intended, the situation forced this navy to be used as a defensive barrier against the invasion forces from the Jutland peninsula instead. And of course, some of these newcomers did not arrive as invaders but simply as immigrants who seek for opportunities to find new homes and make money to feed themselves. So there will be some who will definitely be welcomed to Britannia. But in exchange, they have to pledge the allegiance to the Consul of the Western Roman in Londinium as long as they remained on the island. Some of these immigrants may even entered the services within the military while others simply settled down as farmers or craftsmen. At the same time, the Romano-Britannian government may also have to deal with the Picts from the north, thus forcing the Hadrian Walls to be repaired and garrisons to be established at the northern frontier. When the situation becomes stable once again, the reconquest of Gaul is launched at the near end of the 6th century. Most likely when King Childebert II died, resulting in a civil war between his sons. So by taking advantage of this civil war, it will become easier for the Romano-Britannian forces to reclaim Gaul and officially revived the Western Roman Empire. And even if the entirety of Gaul is not reconquered if the two sons of the previous Frankish King decided to joined forces together to confront the invaders, the significant portion of Gaul would have already be taken. And to ensure it will remained that way, a treaty will be drafted between the Western Roman Consul and the Frankish King. In the aftermath of this treaty, the current Consul of the Western Roman Empire is officially proclaimed an Emperor and a regalia is dispatched to Constantinople to confirm the existence of the Western Roman Empire.

[Boiling_Seas]

If you're stopping the invasion by going back to 534 or 535, you may as well warn Justinian of the coming famine and plague. With even a little preparation time, the Eastern Empire would be able to ride out the natural disasters with fewer casualties and an enhanced reputation. A reputation that can be leveraged into an even more motivated army, ready to launch invasions of Persia and perhaps the Ostrogoths in their moment of weakness in the 540s. An Eastern Empire with both Egypt and Mesopotamia as breadbaskets would be very wealthy and capable of defending against the Muslim invasions. The Zagros mountains as an eastern border would be easy to hold against the forces beyond, while holding a port on the Arabian Gulf could allow easier trade with India.

[John_Pace]

One critical difference not mentioned here if the gothic wars had not happened is the Papacy. As we know in our timeline, as a result of the collapse in the secular order in Italy, the Papacy gained political power, prestige, and land around Rome. (For example, who is Pontus Maximus today, and the fake Donations of Constantine?) One reason why Italy was not united until 1870 was that the Papacy did everything possible to prevent it.


A good example of what would happen in this alternative timeline, is in Constantinople (where the secular authority existed until 1452, and even then it was replaced by the Moslem Ottomans) the Orthodox Patriarch never had the same political power as the Pope in Rome.

[WrahofAchilles]

I've always wondered; what would've happened had Theodosius, (the son of Ataulf and Galla Placidia), had survived. You would've had a male ruler who Gothic king with the blood of the Theodosian House in them. Or just Ataulf not dying by assassination and he and Galla having more kids.

Would have made for a very interesting what if. A "Western Rome" ruled by a Gothic King but potentially stylizing himself as a Roman Emperor, (either independent or junior Augustus to the East). Most of the Roman Administrative apparatus working while the state is defended by a Gothic host loyal not to a chieftain in the employ of Rome but loyal to her sovereign.

[jensphiliphohmann]

02:35
490 AD was still the times of Odoaker who was killed by Theoderich in person in 493.

[Fatherofheroesandheroines]

I actually wrote an alternate timeline like this when I was a kid. Interesting.

[FieldHoodGaming]

Belisarius needed to stop in Africa and intergrade the Goths as the Western Roman empire. Then together, retake the rest of the empire. Thank you for this vid. Its a topic I often contemplated in my head

[Maurice]

What if emperor Maurice was not deposed by phocas?

[FlaviusJuliusItalicus-vbgx]

There are splendid in-depth series about the Justinianaean reconquest, the Goths and Latin-Germanic culture that I strongly recommend. Hope to see a coop as well

[DarthVader-igci]

"Justinian, give me back my money."

Anastasius I from his grave... probably

[claytonbarnett]

This was part of the story of "Lest Darkness Fall, " wherein a modern archeologist slips through time to this period. The Byzantines still attack, but the story's main character offers his services to the Goths and beats the Easterners. In the epilogue, it is mentioned that the Burgundians and Visigoths are in negotiations for a unified Romano-Gothic state.

[keizervanenerc]

I feel like the crowning of a Romano-Gothic Emperor would only have happened if a schism between east & west still occured. Or by an opportunistic Gothic king in a time of crisis in Byzantium. For example: crowning an emperor in the west while Constantinople was under siege by the Sassanids, Bulgarians, Arabs, etc. And then sending an envoy to the Eastern Emperor demanding recognision as "brother-Emperor in the west" in return for military aid.

[henrykkeszenowicz]

I find one alternate history of the Ostrogoths even more amazing.

Theodoric the Great was an Ostrogoth but he was raised in Constantinople and very much Romanized. He didn't officially proclaim himself a Western Roman Emperor, but he appointed Roman officials(Praefects I think), and ruled pretty much like a Roman emperor.

What if he did proclaim himself a Western Roman Emperor and restored the empire to it's former glory and his dynasty stayed in charge? Sure, these emperors would be Germanic, but they preserved the architecture and institutions of the Romans very well, and in this Gothic Empire, the senate and people of Rome would live on unlike with the Eastern Roman Empire.

[Vormav]

The entire reconquista of the old imperial lands was a giant mistake, vast amounts of men, money and time were lost that could have been used to strenghten the empire but instead it only weakened it, now they had bigger borders that now included devastated depopulated land, had a much smaller and exausted by constant warfare millitary + the plague hit. If I remember corectly (probably not) this was the cause of the begining of the end for the eastern empire. EDIT: ok you said that in the video, I commented before watching to the end :P

[Arkantos]

In short, the Goths would become the new noble families of the Western Half: military generals, governors and senators. The local populace would also participate.

The main issue of both Goths is religious since they were Arians, but I could see them becoming Nicean considering that is what the Franks and Visigoths did anyways. The other issue would be: are the Goths a viceroy of the Eastern Empire, an Equal as the Western Emperor / Rex Romanorum, or an independent entity claiming the title of Roman Emperor?

Depending on the choice, west and east will have some territorial disputes such as North Africa, which was always part of the western half.

Depopulation of Italy would happen anyways, there's no way to stop the plagues and famines of that time, but would be on a lesser quantity considering there would be no war.

[lesliea]

Great content as always. Interesting and thought provoking. How I wish that much more of the glorious city of Rome was with us today!