Roman Empire (Vastator Orbis)

Roman Empire
Senatus Populusque Romanus (Latin)
Timeline: Vastator Orbis

Preceded by 27 BC - 260 AD Succeeded by Roman Republic Gallic Empire Eastern Roman Empire Neo-Carthaginian Empire Palmyrene Empire Pentapolitan Empire Western Roman Empire Vexillum of the Roman Empire Imperial Aquila Map of the Roman Empire under its territorial height at the death of Trajan, 117 AD
Capital (and largest city)	Rome (Until 298, 374 - 802 in the West) Mediolanum (298 - 374, West) Alexandria (298-515, in the East)
Language   official	Latin
others	Greek, other regional languages
Religion   main	Imperial-cult driven polytheism
others	Christianity, Judaism, Mithraism
Government	Semi-elective, functionally absolute monarchy
Legislature	Senate
Area	5,000,000 km^2
Population	60 - 70 million
Currency	Sestertius, aureus

The Roman Empire was the autocratic incarnation of ancient Rome following the end of its republican period. Its sphere of influence spanned the Mediterranean Sea, and the empire stretched from Africa in the south to the island of Britain to its north. This phase of the Roman civilization began with the rise of Augustus Caesar, who proclaimed the Empire. In doing so, he solidified the title of Augustus or emperor as the leader of military, political, and religious affairs across the Empire. Because ancient Rome rejected the rule of kings early in its history, the emperors of Rome were careful to preserve the senate, though through the Imperial period of Rome, the importance of the senate waned considerably.

Even after the destruction of Augustus Caesar's dynasty, the office of Augustus was preserved. Because many of the subsequent emperors of the second century did not produce viable heirs, they frequently adopted those who they believed to be the best candidates for the job. Though this was not purposeful, this meant that the Emperors of the second century were far more up to the task than a dynastic heir could be. This changed when Commodus was appointed emperor following his father's death in 180 AD. The subsequent Severan dynasty produced a series of ineffective, self-serving emperors who weakened the Roman Empire to its breaking point. Following the assassination of Alexander Severus, the empire fell into a state of near-anarchy as it faced pressure on all fronts, a series of civil wars, and a seemingly endless period of famine and pestilence.

The crisis of the third century resulted in the permanent fragmentation of Rome. Though the various usurper and successor states to the Roman Empire outlasted the intact polity by centuries, historians tend to mark the Battle of Edessa as the "end" of the Roman Empire. This battle, which marked the capture of emperor Valerian and the utter destruction of his army, resulted in the rise of several usurper states, each of which claimed the title of Augustus for itself. Over the next few decades, the Roman Empire would see its power wane considerably as it permanently lost its territory in Asia and Africa to the Palmyrene and Sassanid Empires. Each time the Roman Empire would regain some semblance of power, it would shatter once more, to be put back together, weaker each time.

The declaration of Christianity as the official religion in Armenia led to a massive shift in religious power in the east. Though many Roman usurper states fought against the spread of Christianity, its adoption in Egypt in 331 AD changed the Mediterranean forever. Though it allowed the rise of an empire in the east, the lasting schisms from the 3rd century prevented the solidification of the Christian faith as seen in OTL. Other Roman states would adopt Mithraism and the cult of Sol Invictus as henotheistic, official cults to counterbalance the rising tide of Christianity. Yet another round of civil wars broke out, this time resulting in two strong empires who were religiously opposed to each other, each claiming to be the legitimate Roman Empire. Though this allowed for something of a Roman resurgence, it ensured that the empire would never re-unite again.

Ruling from a new capital in Alexandria, the Eastern Roman Empire held a tenuous control over the former Palmyrene heartland and Greece. The west, which maintained its German and Danube borders, held a firm grip over Italy and the Balkans while also holding parts of Greece from time-to-time. Its capital was at Mediolanum, which acted as something of a fortress against hostile invasion. Though it held a stronger military and a stronger Augustus, the competing Imperial Cults often made the battle against Christianity even more difficult. Though Mithraism was more popular among the barracks emperors of the fourth century, the Cult of Sol Invictus became ingrained parts of many provincial and ethnic identities, furthering strain on Rome's relations with her subject down the line.

Following renewed tension on the borders, particularly with the Goths, the Eastern Roman Empire became inundated with attacks from both the Goths and the Sassanids. The Gothic realm exploded into religious infighting, much as Rome had. The approaching Huns only deepened Gothic panic and a disorganized migration into Roman provinces began. The two Gothic groups - Ostrogoth and Visigoth - became religiously divided. A series of battles in Greece crippled the Eastern Roman Empire militarily as the mishandled migrations ripple through Greece. The Western Roman Empire took this opportunity to invade the East. For a period of roughly 30 years, the two halves of the Roman Empire fought in an on-again-off-again war called the Gothic War. Though the early period of the war was indeed fought between Roman soldiers, the religiously-divided Goths inherited the war.

Attacks from the Sassanid Empire distracted the Eastern Roman Empire as it made significant gains during the early part of the Gothic War. The Mithraic West fought a long campaign against both the Christian East and their Gothic allies. Renewed migration along the Rhine required an immediate response from the West as the Gothic War still raged.