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What If Rome & Persia United?

#alternatehistory #mapping #romanhistory #persianhistory #history #romanempire Rome and Persia. Two of the most impactful civilizations of the ancient world. Two civilizations who, for nearly seven hundred years, fought an endless series of wars over pretty much the exact same territory. For centuries, the borders barely changed – and neither did the seeming inevitability that Rome and Persia…would fight another war. Eventually, this endless fighting would prove to be the undoing of both civilizations – as the last conflict between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Persian Sassanid Empire was so long, so brutal, and so costly that the newly united Arab tribes under the banner of the Caliphate were able to overwhelm and conquer vast swathes of the Roman Empire and the entirety of the Sassanid Empire. But, what if this didn’t happen – what if instead of continuing to kill each other nonstop for no gain, as they had done for the past seven hundred years, the Romans and Persians united? (sidenote the term Persia was invented by Greeks since they often referred to places by their capital city, in this case being Fars, or Pars, leading to the term Persia. The people of that region, even in ancient times, called their civilization “Iran” and not Persia, so we’ll use that more accurate term from now on) Rome & Iran uniting is not as far-fetched a possibility as it sounds – so let me explain the history and how it could have happened. In 590 CE, the Shah Hormizd of the Iranian Empire, which historians now call the Sassanid Empire due to its rule by the House of Sasan, was overthrown by Bahram Chobin, a Persian general who was member of the House of Mihran, which claimed descent from the Arsacid dynasty, which had ruled Iran before the House of Sasan, a time in which Iran was commonly known by historians as the “Parthian” Empire. The deposed Shah Hormizd’s son, named Khosrow, fled to the Roman Empire after briefly fighting and losing to Bahram Chobin, who proclaimed the restoration of the Arsacid dynasty. Khosrow lobbied Roman Emperor Maurice for military support to reclaim the throne of Iran and restore the House of Sasan. To win the Roman Emperor’s support, Khosrow offered a formal alliance between the Roman Empire and the Iranian Empire, sealed by his marriage to Maurice's daughter Maria, along with significant territorial concessions in disputed regions such as Armenia and northern Mesopotamia. He also pledged to align Iranian military forces with Roman campaigns against common enemies, creating a mutual defense pact that would strengthen both empires. In addition, Khosrow promised to respect Christian communities within his domains and grant them greater autonomy, appealing to Maurice’s role as a protector of Christianity. Finally, Khosrow agreed to lift the regular payments of tribute the Romans had been paying to the Sassanid Empire. In return for all this, Maurice provided Khosrow with a well-trained and experienced Roman army, commanded by the veteran Roman general Narses. This Roman army joined up with Iranians who remained loyal to the House of Sasan, who rallied forces to Khosrow’s cause. This joint Roman-Iranian army then invaded the Persian Empire, and defeated Bahram Chobin, restoring Khosrow and the House of Sasan to the Iranian throne. Khosrow honored his agreements with Maurice, and reportedly developed an intense affection for the Roman Emperor, whom he referred to as his "father" in letters and official proclamations, highlighting the bond between the two men. Khosrow even named one of his sons after Maurice and commemorated the alliance by adopting elements of Roman court culture into his own, further intertwining the destinies of the two empires. This period of unprecedented cooperation brought temporary stability to the region and foreshadowed a world where Rome and Iran could benefit if they chose collaboration over conflict. However, this alliance would ultimately unravel with the assassination of Maurice, after the Roman Emperor implemented strict cost-saving measures, including cuts to military pay and orders for his soldiers to endure harsh winter conditions beyond the Danube River. These unpopular policies triggered a mutiny within the army, culminating in a revolt led by the officer Phocas, who overthrew and executed Maurice.