Fuck, imagine if Carthage was the father of western civilization. North Africa would have been much more tied to Europe, and I doubt Islam could have penetrated the African continent.
We also would most likely never have modernized this quickly, and we would be far more trade based. Mare Nostrum could never have become a reality, meaning we would have had norther Europe as an Islamic area, due to Carthage's hesitance to penetrate the frontiers as Rome did.
Not just Islam, I'd doubt that any major western religion would be the same. Christianity likely wouldn't exist, and Judaism would be confined. Also, it might have been European slavery instead of African slavery! The entirety of western history depended on that one moment.
Christianity wouldn't have existed? I kind of doubt that, but its always possible. Carthage almost certainly would have taken the Levant after securing the Medditeranean, and just like in Rome, the roads of the empire would have facilitated its spread.
Carthage would have been just like the Roman Empire, just shifted Southwards. Possibly Suez could have been new Constantinople, and there would definitely be expansion down the Red sea into Ethiopia, allowing for access to Indian Ocean trade. I still doubt they would have reached across the Saharan to the Niger though.
With no Christianity to serve as a guiding force to expand into the Levant (The HRE and the crusades), areas like the Middle East would have become the center of attention for the world. Mount Saini and Mecca would have been the equivalent Jeruselam and Constantinople, considering how the Sunni/Shia split would penetrate Africa and Europe in opposite manners.
Rome became the dominant Christian nation, spreading it as a state-sponsored religion across Europe, and with no Rome to spread Christiandom, Islam would naturally fill the void. However Islam would most likely never move east, meaning Buddhism and eventually Shinto would guide the East
Carthage's emphasis on trade would encourage them to move from the Suez to the Black Sea, naturally making them an Islamic nation as well. Eventually Carthage's side of the Jihads for the holy city would mean total Sunni/Shia dominance of Africa and Europe, which would result in either a fragmented state of Rome, or Carthage to be declared the Caliphate.
Carthage could have converted to Christianity too, possibly even faster due to even more trade facilitating its spread. I don't think its the fact that Rome converted which caused Christianity to grow, but the rapid growth of Christianity which converted Rome.
As such, the Afro-European religious alliance would seek to convert the Asia that has either become dominantly ruled by the Qing Dynasty, or half of Asia is ruled by Japan when the two religions clash.
In the end, I do believe that due to the scientific advances of China and Korea, and their likely annexation under one flag, the Asian countries would remain under their religion, until the war economy of the caliphate makes it Balkanize.
Rome was nye forced to adopt Christiandom, because of it's European offensives. With the Levant and Eastern Africa being uncontested, Islam would spread to Carthage.
I would argue that Rome was destined to turn to Christianity. It was spreading like wildfire during the second and third centuries and it was only a matter of time until and emperor converted and granted them tolerance. From there it was all downhill for the Christians.
Comments on Profile Post by FlamingPinecone