What If Eastern Rome Never Fell? | Alternate History

POD of this scenario is the battle of Manzikert, which Rome won instead of the Seljuks.

This is the first of a 2 part series on the fictional modern Republic of Rome, descendant of the old Roman Empire, and later Eastern Roman Empire (Also known as Byzantium). This episode focuses on the history of Rome, from the battle of Manzikurt against the Seljuks, until the modern era. Stay tuned for the second episode, which will focus on the Roman Republic today.

[Neatling]

A few corrections (and clarifications): Egypt is still lost, but it isn't the Muslim/Arab Egypt we know today. It's a mix of Coptic Egyptian and Muslim-Arab culture, which I will make a video on in the future. Also, The "Smaller muslim areas" lost at 5:17 aren't Muslim. It's a now independent Christian Assyrian nation, which I will also take a look at in the future. Also at some point in the Video I said Baltic instead of Balkan lol

[kooolainebulger]

ww2 roman republic vs italy: you want to be the new rome? I AM ROME

[romainvicta]

Thank you for still calling it roman empire. Not even eastern, just roman. Even the byzantines themselves would be happy for this. Good work!

[genericviking]

If the Byzantine empire modernised better than Russia, which is safe to assume. wouldnt they be able to easily beat any middle eastern army?

[pierresihite]

This is such a jewel, I've been looking for so long an alternate history video about eastern rome

[jacobhall]

Syria would not have been a Muslim Dominate country in this timeline because back around 1071 they had a sizeable Christian population and if they were recaptured by the Empire shortly after the battle of manzikert like you say in this timeline then the vast majority of Syria and Assyria would be heavily christianized and they'd see no reason to to break away from the empire

[dld]

I wish the empire never fell, it was something else.

[torinjones]

I'm honestly not sure ww2 would play out the same. After all Italy was only expansionist because it sought to reform the roman empire but if the empire never fell they'd have no basis to reclaim the empire etc. Most likely the fascist movement would have been in the Roman Republic and led to them joining the Axis rather than the allies. Just my take on it.

[mattbillings]

The Eastern Roman Empire would be in an arms race with Iran right now.

[guillermorivas]

For me, I liked this alternate history of the E. Roman Empire. I feel that you got a lot of your cues from the actual history that ensued with the Ottoman Empire -- i.e., successes in the 15th century, Armenia wanting independence, Macedonian/Hungarian neighbors vying for a land power grab, possible war with imperial Russia because of Crimea, and 19th century parliamentary reforms to hold the emperor in check. The notion of an emperor would have ended in the 19th-20th century. Japan is the only country with an emperor, even that he/she is a symbolic figurehead.

I don't think the Americas would have been discovered for another 50-100 years, maybe even more, as the Italian/Portuguese merchants would have not had any reason to find new trading routes. Western European advancements CAME forth arguably due to the fall of the E. Roman Empire; it made the West get their act together with finding new trading routes, studying new concepts of art, and exploring old ways of governing, and questioning religion.

[scvboy]

Why did Rome side with the Allies in WW1? They stole their land (which you said was mostly Christian) in the Levant. Seems like joining the Central Powers would be smarter because
1. They were winning until the USA joined
2. They had more to gain from it (like Crimea, Levant, maybe even Egypt or the Balkans if they got very ambitious).
Overall great video, i just had questions about that.

[historydude]

I think the eastern Roman Empire would industrialized sooner and become more powerful. They were also inventor inventing things such as Greek fire so it would make since if they were to industrialise quicker.

[noahtylerpritchett]

So you basically just transferred all of the Ottomans strength into Rome and allocated Rome's strength to other areas from its reclaimed areas but in this timeline on different areas for the alternate history

[j.f.davenport]

I like how you use the term Roman instead Byzantine which is more accurate. And how you made Rome a replublic during Napoleanic wars like it used to be in ancient times.

[angelb.]

Theory that might be stated on facts: When Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire never fell to Mehmet II, the Ottomans control all of the Near-East. Since most of trade routes are blocked by Ottoman provinces, merchants and explorers must found other means of transportation to the Far-East, particularly India; Christopher Colombus was one of the explorers who originally sailed for India following a different route, only to stumble in America instead.

The theory is the following statement: If Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire never fell to the Ottomans, there is a chance that America would be discovered in later years, and not in Colombus life.

[robertstrawser]

Great video. I could see the Empire siding with either the Allies or the Axis depending on whether or not they went back to being a republic. I think it would be very interesting to consider how the rest of European history might have been changed for instance.
1. Would the crusades have still happened only, instead of attacking the Muslims, they would have used the excuse of freeing the “holy land” from the Greek Orthodox heresy? Would we have a Greek Orthodox Church nearly as powerful as the Roman Catholic Church today, with essentially Eastern and Western popes?
2. How would it have affected the Renaissance if the Roman Empire still existed? If there were no crusades would the Renaissance have happened at all? Would it have been earlier or later?
3. Most of the destruction of the Ancient Greek and Roman architecture, monuments and literature took place in the repeated wars and invasions AFTER the Empire began its decline in the 11th century. The Parthenon, for example, was largely intact until 1687.

Just imagine if, today, we could visit libraries in Constantinople that were founded in the reign of Constantine the Great. Just imagine a shelf labeled “Constantine I” with detailed archives of every correspondence, decree, speech, senate and council meeting, expense report, etc… for every day of his reign. For EVERY emperor. Maybe even copies of archives going all the way back to Augustus or the Republic.

[SavvasGr]

I will be honest as Greek I think that we would change the name to Greece at some point but it's cool to be called Roman's.

[BlackDustin]

overall I feel like this video is an exercise in wishful thinking....but its ok to dream (rome lives in our hearts forever!)

[Jhnzie]

So basically, Greece and Turkey's modern holdings + a senatorial democracy.
Neat.

[majorianus]

This is maybe the best What if Eastern Rome never fell I've watched among a dozen choices. Only idfference is his assesment in the modern period. the Roman Republic will probably see a renewed expansion during 1850- early 1900s just like what happened to other European powers like France to restore national presitge. remember, the Roman Republic is probably the 1st or very close 2nd (depending on how strong Russia will be). it's entirely possible that a reconquest of Syeria and the levant and maybe even Egypt occur. They can also be the no. 1 cause for World War 1 not Germany or a strong contender.