Alternate History What if the Persians had discovered Australia

[Sailor.X]

In this scenario the Persians during the time of Cyrus the Great sent some trade ships to the far east to sell goods. A storm at sea sends the ships off coarse and they end up on the coast of Western Australia. After doing a short exploration of the coast. They return with news of their discovery. In short order some more ships are sent to set up shop in Australia. In 10 years time the Persian Empire has established 5 remote colonies in Western Australia. Over the next 8 decades they expand across the continent and found more towns and villages reaching the East Coast in that time. Persia has now firmly placed the Continent under their control.

Later when war with the Greeks happens and starts to go badly. The upper class from Persia flee to Australia to reconsolidate there. Australia now is fully built up with Coastal Cites, Farming and mining. The Empire is still around by time of Alexanders the Great's death. The Greeks have heard about this far away Persian territory. But after many years of war they are tired and are just content with the lands they have already taken from the Persians.

What happens from this point forward. The Persian Empire is growing and advancing on an island continent. How does history unfold from this point forward?

 

[WolfBear]

What happens once the Persians will move on north from Australia into Southeast Asia and eventually interact with the Chinese?

 

[Sailor.X]

What happens once the Persians will move on north from Australia into Southeast Asia and eventually interact with the Chinese?

A lot of trade between the Australian Continent and China will happen. China being more insular will not be wanting to try and conquer a far away land. Persia after the dust up it had with the Greeks will be trying to shore up Australia into being a regional powerhouse and get wealthy from trade. They might try to set up shop in Papua New Guinea and a few Indonesians Islands as well.

 

[ATP]

In this scenario the Persians during the time of Cyrus the Great sent some trade ships to the far east to sell goods. A storm at sea sends the ships off coarse and they end up on the coast of Western Australia. After doing a short exploration of the coast. They return with news of their discovery. In short order some more ships are sent to set up shop in Australia. In 10 years time the Persian Empire has established 5 remote colonies in Western Australia. Over the next 8 decades they expand across the continent and found more towns and villages reaching the East Coast in that time. Persia has now firmly placed the Continent under their control.

Later when war with the Greeks happens and starts to go badly. The upper class from Persia flee to Australia to reconsolidate there. Australia now is fully built up with Coastal Cites, Farming and mining. The Empire is still around by time of Alexanders the Great's death. The Greeks have heard about this far away Persian territory. But after many years of war they are tired and are just content with the lands they have already taken from the Persians.

What happens from this point forward. The Persian Empire is growing and advancing on an island continent. How does history unfold from this point forward?

They are growing till collapse of greek states.When Sassanids take power,they do not come back,but form friendly ties with them.
After arab conqest,even more upper class flee to Australia.
They arleady would have outposts in Indonesia,so they would kill every muslim there.
No muslims there.
They would trade with China and India,but not let muslim sailors live on their turf.

From 16th century they would have contacts with Europe,and remain sea Empire.
England would try to conqer them,and fail,at least till 19th century.

When Japan shut itself,they would take Okinawa,maybe Hokkaido,too.

If they modernize fast enough,they would be local superpower in 19th century.Maybe try to retake Iran?

If not,they would end as british protectorate.No matter what happen,they would be local superpower now with nukes.
And own part of Indonesia,too.

 

[Sailor.X]

There is also a decent chance the Persians might discover New Zealand eventually. Maybe before the Maori. If they do the Moas might not go extinct.

 

[Atarlost]

I'm not sure this follows. There's no trade to be had in Australia. More likely if they find Australia they call that a failed expedition.

 

[WolfBear]

I'm not sure this follows. There's no trade to be had in Australia. More likely if they find Australia they call that a failed expedition.

What did the Persians think about hunting kangaroos for their meat? Or what would they have thought about this, I mean?

 

[Sailor.X]

I'm not sure this follows. There's no trade to be had in Australia. More likely if they find Australia they call that a failed expedition.

Ahem.
Gold | Geoscience Australia (ga.gov.au)

The Continent has a shit ton of Gold.

Edit and these too
Olympic Dam is the Biggest | INN - Investing News Australia
Tin | Geoscience Australia (ga.gov.au)
Iron | Geoscience Australia (ga.gov.au)
Largest Silver Mine In Australia | BullionByPost

 

[ATP]

There is also a decent chance the Persians might discover New Zealand eventually. Maybe before the Maori. If they do the Moas might not go extinct.

Possible.And those giant eagles,too - persians loved birds of prey.
I once read,that when british settlers come they found fresh bodies of giant wombats in Australia - if they could be domesticated,they would be saved,too.

I think,that they first keep it for small parts with good lands,but after Alexander conqest evacuate there,and discover gold,silver,iron and other things.
I read,that near Australia fisherman fish a lot of some strange creatures liked by chineese,they could do that and sell to China.
Forget name,look like cucumber.Never could undarstandt,how anybody could eat it.

Anyway,later develope friendship with Sassanid Persia,took them when muslim come,and hunt any muslims in Indonezja till our time.So - no muslims there.

Since Sassanids supported nestorian christians,they could get to Australia,too.

Interesting,if they ever try to reclaim Iran?

P.S since cangooros was used for riding in Star Wars,maybe persians would made light calvary with them?

 

[Sailor.X]

So............

Macropus Titan

And

Diprotodoan.

 

[Atarlost]

Ahem.
Gold | Geoscience Australia (ga.gov.au)

The Continent has a shit ton of Gold.

Edit and these too
Olympic Dam is the Biggest | INN - Investing News Australia
Tin | Geoscience Australia (ga.gov.au)
Iron | Geoscience Australia (ga.gov.au)
Largest Silver Mine In Australia | BullionByPost

Unless the aborigines are already mining these the Persians won't know they're there unless they send prospectors exploring the unfamiliar wilderness. The costs of settling a population and transporting the materials is going to cut deeply into the profits. The risks and thus costs of sea travel go up the farther back you go and this is pretty early.

You can judge when the journey becomes economically practical by when people start trading silk and southeast Asian spices by sea instead of by land. This only started in the 3rd century BC and did not supplant the land route for many centuries after. Cyrus reigned in the 6th century BC. There's a maritime trade network in the East Indies long before, but not across the western Indian Ocean.

Getting Persians to Australia requires that they sail from Persia, not settle for trade with India, and not settle for following the routes of the existing trade network in the East Indies to trade with China. Then they have to somehow not raise the hackles of the existing thassalocracies or forcibly supplant them in their own environment on the end of a logistics chain leading past India.

 

[Sailor.X]

Unless the aborigines are already mining these the Persians won't know they're there unless they send prospectors exploring the unfamiliar wilderness. The costs of settling a population and transporting the materials is going to cut deeply into the profits. The risks and thus costs of sea travel go up the farther back you go and this is pretty early.

You can judge when the journey becomes economically practical by when people start trading silk and southeast Asian spices by sea instead of by land. This only started in the 3rd century BC and did not supplant the land route for many centuries after. Cyrus reigned in the 6th century BC. There's a maritime trade network in the East Indies long before, but not across the western Indian Ocean.

Getting Persians to Australia requires that they sail from Persia, not settle for trade with India, and not settle for following the routes of the existing trade network in the East Indies to trade with China. Then they have to somehow not raise the hackles of the existing thassalocracies or forcibly supplant them in their own environment on the end of a logistics chain leading past India.

It is alternate History how they end up discovering Australia. Roll with it man. Storm at sea. Blown off coarse Discover and unknown land and Discover more islands than they thought existed on the way back.

 

[ATP]

It is alternate History how they end up discovering Australia. Roll with it man. Storm at sea. Blown off coarse Discover and unknown land and Discover more islands than they thought existed on the way back.

Indeed.And it was Diprotodon which was supposed to be still alive in 19th century.
For calvary biggest surviving cangooros would be enough - if they could by tamed by persians.
But,since they were tamed for Star Wars movie,persians could do so,too.

P.S i remember some althistory on AH/forget title,as usual/ where aborigens domesticated both cangooros and emu,and used them to fight british.
Result - part of Australia in their hand,they become crown subjects,and their calvary was last time used during WW1/and massacred in trenches/