Quote Originally Posted by Gnerphk View Post
Mmmm... Well, China has outlasted the Empire, though it was conquered a few times.

The difference is, China began to thrive under 'barbarian' rule, and Rome split up, fought itself, was reconquered, subsided into local obscurity, and eventually went Greek. Not that that's a bad thing, mind; it's just not Rome.

Hence the hypothetical situation being debated...

Rome would have won. The barbarian hoards would have been swept aside by the Roman armies (and barbarian turn-coats).

Experience fighting Persian Horse Archers would have provided insurmountable information to the Romans, so that, when the faced the Chinese horse-archers, they would have had no problem against them (reasonably speaking).

~John