Roman Empire in Westeros

[Scream92]

What do you think would happen if Trajan somehow entered Westeros in 109 AD with his legions at his side? During the War of Five Kings, of course.

[Quintus Claudius Scaevola]

It depends on where he arrived at - the White Walkers would make minced-meat of his Legions if he showed up on the other side of the wall without dragon glass or Valyrian steel. How would the other Kings react to a new army of unknown alignment and composition so close to their own? Also, what do we know of Trajan as a person? Would he make a play for power on his own? Would Cersei be able to beguile Trajan over to the Lannister side?

[Scream92]

I personally think that Trajan, not just as an Emperor, but as a Roman, would be under the assumption that everyone knows of who Romans are. May it be from distant tales or previous conquests. However, let's say for scenario sake, the events north of the wall are nil, or perhaps Trajan simply entered Westeros somewhere south of the wall.

The discipline and standardization of the Legions would perhaps be foreign to the Kings, as it seems that the Westerosi armies generally fight in swarms as seen throughout medieval Europe.

[Gunthamund Hasding]

well if he enters north of the wall would be hard but not impossible, depends on what army he has with him, suppose the one who conquest Dacia,

I think that at the end the Roman discipline would have won, and in about 3 years he would have conquered everything, maybe even Cersei, and he would have been defeated the Walkers too, we can ask mister Martin

[Graham Sumner]

I have not read the books only seen the series so based on that the first thing any Roman would do is build some decent roads! Apart from that there appears to be no other large communities other than the major centres and even some of them appear quite small like Winterfell. So it seems amazing that they can raise armies of the sizes given in the programme. Presumably there is more infrastructure given in the books?

Many of these points probably derive from a lack of production budget, equally there never seems to be any system of supply and logistics. However camp discipline often seems poor as well with little or no protection in particular amongst the Lannister's while Stannis Baratheon's attack on Kings Landing was poorly executed and he is regarded as being one of the better generals!

As mentioned the Romans never simply arrived anywhere there would always have been contact beforehand but based on current evidence apart from the supernatural factors The Romans would easily defeat any of the forces shown.

It brings to mind the early scene in the original 'Planet of the Apes' when Taylor looks around at the primitive men and say's "well if this is the best they have we will be running this place within six months!" Then the apes arrive!

Graham.

[john m roberts]

Any Roman commander would have first looked around for allies. Romans rarely went to war without allies to supply logistic support, provide auxiliaries and safe bases from which to conduct campaigns. The logical Roman approach would be to ally with the weakest faction, which would welcome any support they could get. With this alliance, attack the second-weakest. Having turned these people into taxpayers, The Romans would merge them into the auxilia under cooperative native commanders and go for the middle power. This would have to be a quick campaign because the remaining powers would be growing alarmed and forming alliances of their own. Rome would save King's Landing for the last big campaign since it is a heavily fortified port city. Those are notoriously difficult to besiege. Throughout, the Romans would be establishing intelligence agents in King's Landing and other power points, while bribing and otherwise suborning traitors within them. Peripherals such as the White Walkers, Bravos, the Dothraki, the Iron Islands and so forth could wait until Roman power on the mainland is consolidated. Scattered feudal strongholds could be besieged by auxilia in the mopping-up.

Admittedly, the dragons could present a problem.

[Scream92]

With my limited Game of Thrones knowledge, the question is, how easy is it to kill the Targaryen dragons? Scorpios and ballistae even, could these perhaps penetrate the armored skin of the dragons?

The Romans would easily win over the Westerosi Armies, even the more disciplined Lannister bunch. The mistake of the Westerosi generals would be to fight the Romans in open combat, which unfortunately, I doubt they would learn, or correct it in time. For the sake of it, let's assume the Romans also arrive with their naval superiority. Would the Roman Classis easily destroy the fleets of the Iron Islands?

It may also be just me, but I think King's Landing would fall easily. The Romans approaching by the land side, mainly. I do not believe the Westerosi have seen onagers, ballistae, scorpions, testudos, and other miscellaneous Roman mechanisms of war. Thus, they would have no counter to such.

[Dan Howard]

The Romans would pick one of the weaker opponents to the Lannisters and give them military and financial backing. When the Lannisters are overthrown, the Romans will put their puppet ruler on the throne.

[Scream92]

I also wonder what a battle between the Unsullied and a single Legion would look like.

[john m roberts]

I also wonder what a battle between the Unsullied and a single Legion would look like.

Well, there would be certain trophies the Romans wouldn't be able to take. Heads and hands would be all.

[MarcusNorwood]

I think a battle between Trajan's army and any army in the Game of Thrones world as depicted in the T.V. series would end up being a one way slaughter in favor of the Romans. Am I biased? Yes. But, as in most other movies involving an army with swords it is always shown as a giant disorganized melee with no order or discipline. A disciplined well commanded Roman formation with all the layers of missile weapons in play would mow down a Game of Thrones army or any other Hollywood army for that matter.

[Scream92]

Good point.

[Luka Borščak]

GoT series aside, the Westeros world is based on the War of the Roses. And second half of 15th century Britain isn't that feeble... It would be a bloody war...