How would the Roman Empire be effected by the zombie apocalypse?

[CornBogFitz]

I think a good graphic novel would be the zombie apocalypse during the height of the Roman Empire. Zombie warfare is essentially just crowd control. Their organized militaristic tactics are ideal for this. One thing is for curtain. Zombies would soon simply be just another beast to be slaughtered in the coliseum. Speculate with me on things such as:
how would their armor and weapons change?
How would traditions change?
How would philosophers and artists interpret this?
Would the dead historical figures be protected in a zoo or destroyed?
What unlikely friends and enemies would form due to cultural differences in interpretation of the afterlife?

 

[The Mass Shooter Ron Soye]

The Roman Empire would be greatly effected [insert ChatGPT answer here]

Here's an idea: use the zombies as a bioweapon to weaken other countries.

 

[CornBogFitz]

I’ve already tried chatting this with chat bot. It usually goes like “yes that is interesting it would be effected in many ways.” But says this in 3 paragraphs.

How about marathon runners would be repurposed as strategic distractions? That’s a cool thought.

Should I ask a mod to move this thread to general. It isn’t exactly deep thinking but I think fictional creatures in alternate history is a fun thought exercise

 

[wtfNeedSignUp]

The threat in zombie films is due to high human density, decaying urban sprawl, inability to be self sustaining, and lack of social trust. Far less of of an issue during Roman times.

 

[Sexy Senior Citizen]

Some history sperg can correct me, but I believe Roman military tactics were developed for use against large, unorganized hordes- zombies, basically. The zombies don't even use weapons and armor, so it's even easier for the Romans to corral and annihilate them. And yes, they'd probably capture a bunch and haul them to the colosseum.

 

[CornBogFitz]

Some history sperg can correct me, but I believe Roman military tactics were developed for use against large, unorganized hordes- zombies, basically. The zombies don't even use weapons and armor, so it's even easier for the Romans to corral and annihilate them. And yes, they'd probably capture a bunch and haul them to the colosseum.

Yes that’s the point. Their armor (with the exceptions of centurions) would be more leather based. And would cover their arms. Their weapons would become longer.

 

[Lifeguard Hermit]

The romans probably wouldnt have fallen if they had to deal with zombies and zombies would have just became part of roman life. If anything the zombies would have trimmed some of the fat.

 

[Moja Zemlja]

Even facing an existential threat they would've still found a reason to kill the emperor and break up into a civil war for the next twenty years.

 

[CornBogFitz]

Even facing an existential threat they would've still found a reason to kill the emperor and break up into a civil war for the next twenty years.

You must be fun at parties.

The romans probably wouldnt have fallen if they had to deal with zombies and zombies would have just became part of roman life. If anything the zombies would have trimmed some of the fat.

What do you think the impact would be (psychological or otherwise) if certain ancestral figures were confirmed to be found as zombies. Such as Alexander the Great or Romulus?

 

[rel=alternate]

Shields + spears and trained in formation, I would say they would do pretty well.

I always thought that it made no sense in all these zombie movies they would not use spears. Just build barricades, leave enough space for you spear to go through and go to town. Easy game.

 

[Lifeguard Hermit]

What do you think the impact would be (psychological or otherwise) if certain ancestral figures were confirmed to be found as zombies. Such as Alexander the Great or Romulus?

So if Alexander the great were a zombro you wouldnt have much of a problem other than minor social discourse and concern for what will become of a man that serves the army, but with Romulus you could hit a snag since he was so heavily involved with their religious practices.
You cant fuck with religion, people have historically gotten testy over that one while ignoring their entire society collapsing around them.

 

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks (which was followed by World War Z which was then raped by Hollywood into a movie nothing like it) has a Recorded Incidents section that describes Hadrian’s Wall having been built to contain a zombie outbreak.

 

[A-Stump]

Lot of variables. Are they campaigning especially hard with a lot of their forces away? The virus being brought to Rome would likely mimic how the antonine plague spread where it came from returning forces abroad. That in mind a lot of the military would be exposed first leaving militias to fight against a bunch of buff zombos. I could see it working in that context especially seeing as Roman war camps were relatively densely packed and panic could set in during a night attack. In the darkness of guttering fires you'd be looking for barbarians, not dudes wearing the same armor as you.

 

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

Shields + spears and trained in formation, I would say they would do pretty well.

I always thought that it made no sense in all these zombie movies they would not use spears. Just build barricades, leave enough space for you spear to go through and go to town. Easy game.

All classic zombie fiction relies on people being unfamiliar with zombies.

Zombie Survival Guide acts as a manual on how you’d deal with an outbreak, and it pretty much says any organized human group would just systematically exterminate them. World War Z, novel based on the same rules, depicts humans returning to formation warfare tactics (except with bayoneted marksman rifles). A battle between the army and zombies resembles a cattle roundup with shooting more than it does a “battle,” and when the reforms are made the army’s casualty rate plummets to zero. The only dangerous jobs are urban warfare (due to chances of a crawler or ambush) and underground in tunnels (extremely hazardous).

If it’s a bite —> illness —> die —> come back cycle, keep in mind how quickly modern illnesses spread due to how much people travel around. A people that don’t know to destroy the plane and the slightest contact of fluid on fluid infects you. You can get bitten, go to the hospital with severe illness, reanimate and then bite several more people in the ward. Nobody in your setting can explain what’s going on.

Through the power of exponential growth, you’ve got simultaneous outbreaks going on in dozens of places before anyone notices. Traffic jams form as panic begins and turn into snakes of infection spreading. Collapse of logistics, civil disorder. To an individual, being overrun/trapped is the danger. A rural town is unlikely to be swallowed whole by its own infection, but a city would, like by its own gravity, get sucked under.

Realistically you wouldn’t get an apocalypse (they don’t in World War Z). But you absolutely could have mass death and chaos for years. If your setting throws in non-bite vectors of contagion (like it spreading in the water/air, by rodents or insects, supernaturally), even worse. Make the zombies fast and have basic tool use/problem solving (like working a knob) and it’s extremely dangerous.

 

[Imperial Citizen]

The threat in zombie films is due to high human density, decaying urban sprawl, inability to be self sustaining, and lack of social trust. Far less of of an issue during Roman times.

Set it during a barbarian sack of Rome. The city is on fire. The military flees, German barbarians are destroying everything, and then the dead come back to life. Add in a group of Christian zealots who think that the zombies are humans cleansed of sin and are trying to lead the undead to infect the remaining humans.

I’d see that film in a second.

 

[ZazietheBeast]

Another thing to take into consideration which state of the Roman Empire are we talking here. Founder Romulus or Caesar? Because the leadership will determine how they'll react to the contagion.

 

[CornBogFitz]

Another thing to take into consideration which state of the Roman Empire are we talking here. Founder Romulus or Caesar? Because the leadership will determine how they'll react to the contagion.

Let’s say Trajan?

 

[doodoocaca]

Y'all play too many fantasy games and don't read enough history. Romans would make fortifications. They'd dig trenches and set up walls. And it would be spectacular.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alesia FFS, Caesar sieged Alesia and even set up another bit of fortifications to repel a relief force to stop him his own siege.

 

[ZazietheBeast]

Let’s say Trajan?

Guy who actually cares about his people and troops? He'd try to minimize the casualties as much as possible. Maybe even try to study the disease and find ways to deal with it. As the guy is active, he'd definitely personally lead the effort against the plague.

 

[DeeDee Megadoodoo]

There's a fun short story in World War Z about that. IIRC, there's a zombie outbreak in Roman occupied Gaul, and the Romans deal with it professionally and efficiently.