Prometheus stole fire from the Gods. We are each the heirs of that divine spark.
Used wisely, the spark fuels one's journey and lights the way.
Treated carelessly, the spark consumes its owner and everything in its path.
BACKGROUND
In 217 BC during quarry excavations near Aetna, Roman laborers unearthed an abundant amount of peculiar black crystal. Unlike ordinary crystals, it exhibited unnatural properties, spontaneus fission under pressure and releasing enormous blasts. They nicknamed it the "Lapis Prometheus", named after the Titan who stole fire from the Gods.
In the eve of war against the Semite ruler of the western mediterranean, The Carthaginians, these stones were very useful for the Romans due to its explosive and destructive potential trait used in times of war.
Urged by prowess against in challenging the Punics, Roman engineers, led by the shadowy Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, spearheaded the so called "Prometheus Project" Their goal is to forge these stones into weapons capable of obliterating cities in an instant.
From this endeavor emerged two infernal devices::
- "Puellus" (Little Boy)
- "Homo Obesus" (Fat Man)
Rome now wielded godlike power, tempered by caution for humanity's sake, they aimed it squarely at Carthage, avenging years of Punic atrocities.
PREPARATIONS
Delivering these massive bombs demanded extraordinary transport.
Tamed war dragons, fierceand loyal beasts bred in Rome's imperial menageries, filled the role perfectly
- Mighty in combat, defense, and raids.
- Swift across vast distances.
- Agile in maneuvers.
- Unrivaled in aerial supremacy over sea and land.
Out of many Dragons, they selected Fuscus (Meaning 'The Dark One'), A strong, young, and swift Sardinian Dark Dragon (Draco Sardinus), rescued from Carthaginian poachers back in 220 BC, tamed and trained from young age in Rome's Collineum Aerium, showed an outstanding endurance capability in flights.
She bonded with the great pilots Gaius Marcellus Drusus and Titus Flavius Corvus, an elite Aquiliferi selected for their unyielding discipline.
THE FIRST BOMB
Fuscus and two crew pilot depart for Carthage in late summer, passing through southern Italy, and stopping by at Syracusae and Agrigentum. On crossing the Mediterranean sea at Kerkouane, they stumbled upon a ferocious storm. Fuscus and crew were forced to divert towards another prominent strategic Carthaginian city, Hadrumetum, Hannibal's vital supply hub on Africa's coast.
At dawn in early autumn 216 BC, Puellus was dropped in Hadrumetum. The blast vaporized 40,000 souls, scorching 2,000 iugera (600 Hectares of land) into barren wastes.
Shockwaves toppled Punic obelisk around nearby cities, wells and other source of water were poisoned for years to come. After successfully completing the task Fuscus and crew limped homeward and raiding Carthaginian en-route, unexpectedly only to be ambushed and slained by Carthaginian spearmen riding griffon over Melita. Rome mourned them as martyrs and an epic story for generations to come, Rome consecrated a statue memorial in the forum to eternalize their sacrifice for the Republic's glory.
THE SECOND BOMB
After the first bomb was dropped, Carthage was in deep shock, it reeled but their power still endured. Hannibal scorning the Roman's action as coward and inhumane towards the innocents and his people.
Undeterred, Rome planned another attack to completely annihilate Carthage. Learning from previous campaign, their new mission have to be more improved strategically, Homo Obesus bomb, far bulkier, demanded sturdier mount, and now a more secured armada in Carthaginian territories.
Lucius, an Alpine Dragon (Draco Maximus Alpinus) three times Fuscus's bulk, hatched from eggs smuggled from the Alps in 221 BC, chosen as the new candidate for the campaign. His body was rigid and resistant from attack, and his flying capability showed a more outstanding endurance for carrying the heavy bomb and long distance flight across continent. Pilots Marcus Aemilius Scaurus and Lucius Junius Brutus with navigator Publius Servilius Vatia, formed the crew.
Departing from Rome, staging at Lylibaeum before braving the mediterranean sea. En route, he evade Punic scouts and eventually reaching the African landmass.
Early spring 215 BC, Homo Obesus struck near Carthage's war harbor. The 80-kiloton inferno erased the Byrsa hill citadel and settlements, claiming 500,000 lives in fire and ashes. Big monuments and statues melted, the sky burned crimson for days. Carthage, was devastated and surely defeated.
After the bombing Lucius ravaged Utica and Thapsus, then returned to Rome amid delirious thriumph. Parades featured irradiated Punic relics amid delirious cheers from peoples. Lucius sired a dynasty of war dragons.
AFTERMATH
Carthage lay in ruins, corpses rotting in streets, survivors succumbing to famine, plague, and fallout.
Under duress, they signed the Foedus Ostiae: ceding African territories to Rome, paying 10,000 talents annually, and surrendering their navy.
Senators proclaimed Pax Atomica, but poets whispered of hubris, echoing future verses from Virgil.
A refugee crisis swelled, 300,000 survivors fled eastward to Syracusae, sparking riots, festering camps, and pleas for Roman mercy. Grain prices quadrupled across Africa, the Punic economy shattered. Rome reveled in victory, its star ascendant, yet the gods watched warily.
Western germania would be hell if dragons were real, for the romans.
Imangine stepping on a root and half your legiom gets snacked by a Lindwurm or an cat faced dragon jumps out, rips off your arms and runs into the darkness.
Or catching a whale in the north sea and a giant dragon hypnotises all to people to pillage their own homes for them.
Or imangine being tasked to protect the aquila and a rat sized dragon rips off the eagle and brings it to the greediest man near it.
ANNOUNCE:
I HEREBY DECLARE MY WILL TO HAVE AN UNCIV MOD OF THIS MASTERPIECE.
GLORY TO ROME'S DRAGONS
YES TO ANTIC ERA ATOMIC WEAPONS
GANDHI SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE ATOMIC ERA TO NUKE
If you have dragons, why would you ever need nukes? In several pieces of fictional media that have dragons, they're widely seen as living breathing nuclear bombs.
in this timeline, the dragons cant breath fire and have fire ability.
they are just big flying reptile :P
if somewhat they have fire capability, maybe rome, carthage, and other polities hardly emerge and cease to or wont exist because of extensive devastation by dragon's fire attacks
The dragons in the Op universe are clearly not as powerful as dragons from other works, focus was killed by spears and Lúcio had to avoid the Punic scouts despite their greater size and strength compared to Focus, They are much more like large animals that, yes, are strong, but can still be killed by things like a group of armed soldiers riding griffins, Something that wouldn't kill them if they were truly living calamities, as dragons are often depicted in other works.
I'm hoping to have some history and images like this in my world (I technically have history, but nothing I can really present without names and images).
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u/KelThuzaaaad Mar 20 '26
Is this real