Corey said:
Given this list of changes to history, what do you think the effects would be on the Mediterranean world and more importantly the British islands, assume the current date is 600 AD:
* The Romans fought to a stalemate with Carthage during the Second Punic War. Currently, the Carthaginian Empire controls much of North Africa and Iberia. For the sake of security and trade in the eastern Mediterranean the two powers cease open fighting, the Iberus River in Iberia is the dividing line.
* Rome never conquered Greece. (197 BC-Philip V defeats Titus Quinctius Flaminius at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in Thessaly.)
* The Babylonians eliminated Judah. (597 BC Nebuchadnezzar executes Jehoiachin and a large number of Judah’s population following a revolt. Later, Zedekiah, placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar, also revolts. 586 BC Soloman’s Temple razed and large numbers of Jews executed. Some may have been taken east, but they are lost to history.) There was no Jesus. (Possibly replace with Appollonius of Tyana?)
* Magic exists. It is uncommon and, with the exception of hedge-wizards selling love potions and amulets to protect against the evil eye, viewed with suspicion. Its ancient traditions have their deepest roots in Persian and Egyptian culture. Today, Greece dominates arcane wisdom.
* Approximately a century ago explorers from the west visited Ireland, Briton, and Iberia. A plague that spread in their wake killed half of Europe’s population. This culture claims descent from an earlier civilization whose homeland was in the south and sank into the ocean. They have established some trading posts in Europe.
Your ideas are appreciated,
Corey
OK, let's look at your points in a timeline:
* The Babylonians eliminated Judah. (597 BC Nebuchadnezzar executes Jehoiachin and a large number of Judah’s population following a revolt. Later, Zedekiah, placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar, also revolts. 586 BC Soloman’s Temple razed and large numbers of Jews executed. Some may have been taken east, but they are lost to history.) There was no Jesus. (Possibly replace with Appollonius of Tyana?)
Say goodbye to two of the religions of the book. No Judaism (as the entire people are eradicated), and therefore no Christianity. Islam may still have a chance to arise, though it will likely take a different form (as Islam traces its roots to Abraham through his son Ishmael). Note that no Christianity means no unifying religion in Rome later on, which would effect a lot of things.
* The Romans fought to a stalemate with Carthage during the Second Punic War. Currently, the Carthaginian Empire controls much of North Africa and Iberia. For the sake of security and trade in the eastern Mediterranean the two powers cease open fighting, the Iberus River in Iberia is the dividing line.
* Rome never conquered Greece. (197 BC-Philip V defeats Titus Quinctius Flaminius at the Battle of Cynoscephalae in Thessaly.)
We're going to take these together as they do similar things to Rome. With Carthage still the strongest sea-power in the Mediterranean (and, indeed on the Atlantic coasts), Rome cannot expand directly westward, only northwestward into Gaul. Because so many of the successful generals during Rome's expansion came from Iberia (even a few emporers!), it is not improbable that Rome would have failed against the Gauls in that endeavor (mainly because they could no longer match the numbers of the armies the Franks and Gauls could muster).
Likewise, with Greece unsubdued, they cannot reach eastward along the coast, only northeastward into the plains of the Slavic peoples. It is probable that Greece would have moved to stop their annexation of Dacia, however, and Rome would not have been able to raise legios from that area.
Therefore, its possible that Rome would not have been able to expand too much farther than present day Italy. Likely, it would have remained a Republic with a small but extremely strong and fierce army of landholders. It's possible that by 600, it would still survive if it did not fall to a stronger power.
Now comes the fun part...
Mediterranean Europe is divided into several sovereign Empires in an uneasy peace. This makes it possible, in about 400 CE (no Jesus, remember?), for Alaric and his Huns to sweep across Europe, conquering as he goes.
[Historically, Alaric was stopped by a Roman general of the Western Empire named Aetius, who managed to play Alaric off of Theoderic and the Goths and eventually stop the Huns with the threat of a final showdown with the combined forces of Rome and its western allies. This force would not exist in the timeline you are supposing. By the way, Alaric almost won anyway, and went as far as minting his own currency at one time.]
Now, Alaric would most likely be assasinated at the height of his power (likely by a relative), but not before he subdued the Goths in middle-europe. Its possible the Huns reached the coast of France before they disintigrated into warring tribes again, though it is doubtful that the Huns (who's strength was in cavalry) would be able to cross the English channel and make inroads into England.
If you'd like, I can continue with some suppositions about Britain, the Anglo-Saxon invasion, Celts, etc - but for now this is getting too long. Hope it helps!
- that an advanced civilization was based in pre-iced Antarctica. 