Newsgroup: it.cultura.storia.militare
Titolo: [forse OT] Romani in India...un What If

 Indian ideas and religions have resulted in a different Europe?
Interesting topic.
Here's my hypothesis.
POD 117 d.C. (CE): Marcus Ulpius Traianus, roman emperor, conqueror of
Dacia, Arabia Petraea, ARMENIA and MESOPOTAMIA doesn't die in Cilicia
on the
way back to Rome.
118 CE: after returning to Rome, Traianus, fascinated by the idea of
following Alexander's foosteps [historically true], collects resources
to
renovate the war against the severely weakened Parthian Empire. He has
money
and gold (from Dacia) to afford it and leadership and military
ability.
Moreover the roman army is at its logistic top. In Palestine the Jews
are
revolting, Mesopotamians are revolting as well and the fortress of
Hatra on
the Tigris rivers is still in parthian hands.
119: Traianus organizes two armies. The smallest one is sent to Syria
and
Palestine to crush the jew rebellion. The biggest one is brought by
sea and
land to Armenia (through Trabzon). Parthians triggerhappy soldiers
start
raiding Mesopotamia. Rome supported king Parthmaspates is killed and
king
Vologases III and his brother Osroes I are restored. Rome declares war
to
Ecbatana (new capital of the Parthians)
120(spring-summer): the roman army crosses the Araxes river still at
the
orders of Traianus (who at this  time is 67, but still has good
health) and
quickly overcomes the local parthian garrisons. Media Atropataene
(today
Iranian Azerbaigian) falls to Romans. In Palestine the jew rebellion
is
crushed, only few towns keep fighting. The small army marches toward
Mesopotamia.
(autumn): Traianus starts marching toward Ecbatana (today Hamadan).
Vologases divides parthian army with his brother. Osroes leaves
Ecbatana
with few forces to lead the rebellion in Mesopotamia against the
Romans,
while Vologases decides to face Traianus in a field-battle.
121 (spring-summer): in the battle of lake of Urmia the parthian army
is
destroyed by the romans. The survivors, including Vologases III
retreat to
Ecbatana. Traianus reaches Ecbatana and start sieging it. In
Mesopotamia
Osroes defeats the small roman army near Seleucia, then enters in
Hatra.
There he recieves the news of the siege of Ecbatana.
(autumn) Osroes leaves Hatra with the fortress garrison and the army
made
most of Mesopotamia rebels. The army crosses the Tigris with heavy
losses
due to river flooding.
(winter) after a tiring march, the army of Osroes sets the camp near
Ecbatana. Roman army, following the orders of Traianus suddenly
suspends the
siege and immediately attacks the parthian camp, taking Osroes by
surprise.
Having understood what is happening, Vologases III exits from Ecbatana
with
the cavalry to take part in the battle, just in time to see the
complete
defeat and death on the field of Osroes. Vologases III flees east to
Parthia, opening Ecbatana to the roman sack. In Mesopotamia the small
army
captures the poor-defended Hatra and crushes the rebellion
122: still holding Ecbtana, Traianus sends reinforcements and his
general
Maximus to the small army advancing east. With the new forces Maximus
penetrates in Elam and Fars (Persia), taking Susa and Persepolis and
finally
reaching the main army in Ecbatana. Meanwhile in Parthia Vologases III
rebuilds his army, thanks also to nomad Yueh-Chi allieds, which are
definitely allowed to settle in the land of Bactriana (current
northern
Afganistan).
123 (spring): Vologases III crosses the Caspian Gates and marches
toward
Ecbatana. The full roman army exits the city to face the enemy king
(summer): battle of Rhagae (Rayy), the Parthians and their allieds
Yueh-Chi
are ruinously routed. Vologases III flees east again and takes refuge
at the
Yueh-Chi court. Traianus conquers Hyrcania and Parthia, reaching Merv.
The
satrapy of Carmania surrenders to the Romans.
(winter): Traianus asks the Yueh-Chi to give him Vologases III. The
nomads'
refusal leads to the war.
124: the Romans invade Bactriana and massacre the Yueh-Chi at the
battle of
Bactra. The remainings of the parthian and Yueh-Chi armies flee east
to
Purushapura (Peshawar), capital of the Kushan (Yueh-Chi) empire.
Traianus
pursues the fugitives, reaches Kabul and commands the roman armies at
the
battle of Khyber pass, where the kushan army is definintely destroyed.
The
romans start the siege of Purushapura. Rome enters in direct touch
with
buddhist world.
125: Purushapura falls to the romans. Kushan king Kanishka and
parthian king
Vologases III escape the capture and cross the Indus river, finding
refuge
in the most eastern kushan city of Mathura. Traianus reaches Taxila
and the
Indus river.
126: being 73, Traianus renounces to directly pursue Kanishka and
Vologases
and decides to return back to Rome. At this point he divides his
forces
between his three main generals:
 - Glitius Atilius Agricola is ordered to protect Traianus' safe way
back
through the former Parthian empire. During the journey he is assigned
of the
military command of the whole Iran and Bactriana, waiting for the
establishment of new provinces. The military capital is fixed at
Rhagae.
- Fuscus is ordered to conquer the Indus valley and the vast region of
Gedrosia (current Beluchistan)
- Maximus with most of the army is ordered to cross the Indus river
and
capture the fugitive kings.
128: Traianus dies at 75. He chooses Hadrianus as successor. At this
moment
- Agricola is ruling Iran and Bactriana (south of Oxus river)
- Fuscus, after conquering Gedrosia and the harbour of Barbarikon at
the
mouth of Indus, is building a fleet to conquest the commercial scales
of
Barygza, Muziris and Arikamedu.
- Maximus, after conquering Mathura, has kept pursuing Kanishka and
Vologases in the Ganges river valley and has finished conquering the
kingdoms of Magadha and Shunga. Kanishka and Vologases III are finally
captured and executed. Maximus controls the territories from upper
Indus
valley (eastern side) to Ganges delta (the sundarbans).
What happens then?
bye
k.

 k.
Baccio

 avesse avuto la cavalleria pesante persiana ad Adrianopoli...
Probabilmente non avrebbe avuto il tempo di dispiegarla sul fianco per
fermare la carica dei goti.
Ciao
Antonio