Rome (Plato Succeeds)

The Roman Republic, later the Roman Kallipolis was an important enemy then member of the Kallipolic Confederation.

Republic
Before the coming of the Platonics, Rome was governed by a Senate and Popular Assembly. This was due to the overthrow of King Tarquinius Superbus in 509 BC. Unlike the Confederation, Rome was highly patriarchal, with it being rumoured that women were even forbidden to drink wine or vote, given no official political status and not being allowed to join the army, use a sling or ride. The city was also aggressive towards other Italian nations such as the Samnites, Oscans an importantly the Greeks of Magna Graecia. Regarded as the second greatest western threat (the first was Carthage), plans had been in place to take it ever since the times of the Diadochi. In 275 BC, the Epiran philarchon Pyhrra conquered Rome. Although the legions of Rome, with their flexible tactics and troop types proved effective, they did not stand up to the female cavalry archers led by the philarchon herself (despite being on hilly territory) combined with classic phalanxes and the psychologically dangerous elephants. Rome was condemned for its misogyny and Roman women are encouraged to break all the exclusive social taboos put on them. A new Kallipolis was set up, under the control of Epirus until it was felt that Rome was safely assimilated.

Puppet state
As a puppet of Epirus, Rome was forced to take part in all its wars and accept whoever the Epirans installed as leaders. One of the great Epiran-Roman expeditions was the conquest of Carthage. For over 100 years, the Carthaginians had been a cause of hassle and conflict, the most obvious example being the incursion of Hannibal from 264-241 BC. By 146 BC, the Romans were able to invade Africa itself long enough to lay siege to Carthage. They got Epiran support when they explained that Carthage had attacked Numidia, which was a Roman ally. so the city was besieged, taken and then something terrible happened. The Roman leader, Scipio Aemlianus orders his troops on a massacre, with Carthage to be destroyed, most of the population killed and survivors have their tongues ripped out so the Punic language dies. The Confederation had wanted the city to be absorbed like Rome, as it wouldn't require repopulating the province. It was also judged that Scipio had allowed spirit and desire to take over reason, wishing Carthage destroyed because Cato the Elder had brought it up in every speech, so was unsuitable for the post of philarchon. He was deposed and sent into retirement. This was relieved a decade later when he was permitted to campaign against Celtiberians. The Epirans appointed Tiberius and Gauis Gracchus as joint philarchons, as both were as good as each other. Their first act was to start a poor relief campaign using money from the rich (any objections will be met with the gladius). Another factor in Scipio's demise was his purchase of a massive amount of salt to plough into the ruins of Carthage to symbolise permanent destruction, which was a waste of salt and pushed up the price dramatically.

Independence
The Third Punic War had demonstrated that the Romans were capable of military conquest, and eventually were able to break off from Epirus. Their appointment of the Gracchi was the last official act of Epirus as puppet master. From now on, Rome was an independent Kallipolis (within the Confederation), and when the Chinese war began, Rome was able to spare enough legionnaires to be a visible contributor to the Platonic cause. It also led a campaign against Celtiberians in 133 BC to incorporate the Iberian peninsula into the Confederation (and expand its own territory).

In 14 BC the son of controversial politician Gauis Julius Ceaser, who led a civil war in the 50's BC became the philarchon of Rome, His power doesn't really increase, unlike in the OTL where he becomes the first Emperor. However his father was highly dictatorial in this timeline and was too close to the Egyptian leader Cleopatra VIII, resulting in his assassination. This means little but he and many others were shocked when the Parthian philarchon Vovones was deposed in an illegal coup. Octavian took him in while the Macedonians and Palmyrans worked with loyal Parthians to correct this injustice. He also recommended a demanding census of the troubled state of Judea just to prove the Confederation could do what it liked to them.

Julia the Elder and her husband Tiberius were in charge until 44. In 33, they and many others were surprised by news from Judea. It was reported that an immigrant Galilean Jewish reform preacher named Jesus had attacked the Temple of Jerusalem, driving out the money changers and swindlers who contaminated the house of the Jewish God. Many philarchons welcomed Jesus, believing he would be a great help in assimilating the troublesome Judeans.