- Bostinius: Well, I suppose that we are not in Britain after all.Amiracus: Yes, but if we're not in Britain, were are we?
An Historical Fiction/Alternate History comic by Boristus, Set in the Roman Empire around 90 AD. Initially focused around Legion XI and their Primus Pilus, Bostinius, who become lost at sea during a storm while sailing to Britain, eventually landing on unknown shores. As they begin to send out patrols, it becomes obvious that they are not in Britain, nor anywhere else known to the Empire. Unknown to them, they have landed in the Americas, only a few miles north of what would become Boston Harbor.
Originally drawn for the 24 Hour Comic challenge, a better done version is in the works. As bad as it is, the original version is available to be read here
. (Warning: original version contains many, many stylistic and military errors. Most of these are being corrected of the redone version)
This setting provides examples of:
- Alternate History: Despite what the story description indicates, the actual point of divergence from our history is the Third Punic War, in which Roman sympathizers within Carthage take control of the city and surrender to the Roman Army. Competition between the Carthaginians and the Greeks result in better naval technologies. Beyond that, there are few major changes, besides Argicola's successor pushing deeper into Scotland. In fact, the entire reason that Legion XI was sailing for Britain was to aid the military expansion into Scotland.
- Also, Romans in America.
- Armor Is Useless: Averted, much to the dismay of the Native Americans.
- Author Avatar: Amiracus looks suspiciously like the author, front-spur ahoge and all. However, this is mostly due to laziness on the part of the artist.
- Contrived Coincidence: All eight officers who outrank Bostinius just happen to be on the ship that sinks, and just happen to have Super Drowning Skills.
- Cool Sword: Gladiī
- Curbstomp Battle: The first few engagements between the Native Americans an the Romans.
- Government in Exile : Carthage, technically. In this universe, Hasdrubal managed to get a third of Carthage's population out of the city while the rebels and the Romans entered the city. Their descendants continue to plot revenge from their provisional capital on the Geba river.
- Istanbul (Not Constantinople): Humorously subverted. Many of the Romans who begin to colonize the coasts of the Americas come from Roman Britain and Gaul. As such, we end up with towns such as Nova Eboracum on long island, Bostinium (named after the protagonist) in Massachusetts, and, later and farther south, in Louisiana the legionary fortress of Nova Aurelianum.
- Lost Roman Legion
- Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: As in real life, the Roman Legionaries are equipped with Scuta, large square-shields that cover much of the body.
- You Are in Command Now: In the first storm the fleet carrying Legion XI encounters, the ship with the Legate, the Tribunes, the Camp Prefect and the Aquilifer sinks, guess who survives?
