The Roman empire brought about a technical, education and equipment exchange in Europe.
Without the equipment made by the Romans, the education it gave its "allies", and the big threat that unifies oppositions, I see much of Europe staying disorganized and/or small, and having limited equipment and a small knowledge of how to make it.
Frankish swords were better then what the Vikings made (one of the reasons they went to France), which was a technical knowledge kick started by Rome.
German conquest of Eastern Germany was possible by a couple reasons, and IMHO, because they had an organized structure (from Roman beurocracy, Christian unification, and the holliness of their cause ) and equipment (either Roman/Byzantine, or heavily influenced by those designs, and using their techniques) they were able to do so.
Many of the Slavs of the Balkans are from East Germany (your second wave?) after the great slavic uprising in East Germany was put down (or, should I say, reconquest.. as it took a while)
As for the Goths and Poland, Northern modern Poland was Gothic ~1200 years ago, and those Goths then slowly migrated south and out of central Europe. With less unification in Europe, and no Byzantine empire, I see the asiatic hordes migrating into the plains and mild hills of the Balkans/Eastern Europe (much like they did), but with less opposition. With the amount of conflict there, I think the Goths would have stayed in Poland.
Poland being Gothic ~9th Centuary would not stop western migration of the Slavs, as the Slavs had already migrated West (into Germany) centuries earlier.
although its fun to speculate, there are in reality an infinite number of possibilities
I agree.
My intire blurb was just for fun
"What ifs" are great for science and discovery, I see no reason why it cant be applied to History so long as its understood to be a what if.
Jaded centrist. Wary Cautious liberal. Obligated Engineer(Civil).
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