The Rise of Byzantium: Fighting the Early Wars of Byzantium with the Three Ages of Rome

What is The Rise of Byzantium: Fighting the Early Wars of Byzantium with the Three Ages of Rome

In the fourth century CE the Roman Empire was still the most important state in both the east and the west of Europe. It was coming under increasing pressure from migrating groups. This pressure would break the empire into two halves. The western half did not survive but the eastern half of the empire, based in the city of Constantinople, would renew itself. It would grow to become a famous empire in its own right. For almost a thousand years it would fight against pressures from both inside and outside the empire. It finally succumbed to the power of the Ottoman Turks in the fifteenth century CE.

From the third century CE, the Roman Empire had been fighting against the Sassanid dynasty of Persia. Neither side had managed to achieve a decisive victory. The period covered by The Rise of Byzantium continues this long running conflict. At the end of the period there was a decisive victory but it did not belong to either the Byzantines or the Sassanids. The victor would be a new power, the Arabs, that emerged from the southern Arabia. They were driven by religious fervour and would sweep all before them over the next 200 years.

During the early part of the period covered by this expansion, the armies of Byzantium set out to recover some of the lost territories of the Roman Empire. Sometimes they were successful and re-established control, but in most cases any recovery was only partial. Byzantium alone was not always strong enough to hold off the pressures of the migrating groups. As with the later Roman Empire, there were often times when Byzantium needed its allies to be able to defeat these invaders.

These migrating groups would include traditional enemies such as the Franks, Goths, and Vandals. During the period new migrants would arrive such as the Avars, Bulgars, Lombards and Slavs.

Game details

Players

2–6

Age

+12

Duration

—

Difficulty

—

Type

Expansion

Year

2022

Mechanics

Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game

Categories

Expansion for Base-game · Book · Medieval

Designer

Philip Garton

Publisher

Helion and Company