Age of Justinian 555 2.0

Overhaul mod for the Grand Campaign which changes the setting to the late reign of Justinian the Great.

The year is 555AD, the Mediterranean world stands at a crossroads of power and peril. From the heart of Romanía (Ῥωμανία) , Emperor Justinian the Great rules with an iron fist, his ambitions set on restoring the old glory of Rome. His legendary general, Belisarius, has fought valiantly to reclaim lost territories, and their victories have rekindled hope for a new golden age.

But as the eastern empire reaches its zenith, dark clouds gather on the horizon. The reconquest of Italy has left the once prosperous land in ruins, the Gothic War’s devastation echoing through abandoned villages and crumbling cities. In North Africa, the spoils of victory bring only temporary respite, as rebellious whispers begin to stir among the subdued berber tribes.

To the west, the Frankish Kingdom rises as a formidable power, its Merovingian rulers extending their influence across Europe. The Visigoths in Hispania, though weakened, are far from defeated, their eyes ever watchful for a chance to reclaim their lost glory. In the shadows of these emerging threats, the Roman foothold in southern Hispania is but a fragile beacon, vulnerable to the tides of war.

Further east, the Sassanian Empire under its energetic and victorious king Khosrow looms as an ever-present menace. The uneasy truce between Rome and Persia is fraught with tension, as both empires vie for control over the crucial lands of the Caucasus and Mesopotamia. This ancient rivalry threatens to erupt into open conflict, with far-reaching consequences for the entire region.

But it is in the north, across the windswept plains and dark forests of the Balkans, that the gravest threat to the empire emerges. From the steppes beyond the Danube come the Avars, a fierce and relentless people, their war cries echoing like thunder. These formidable warriors, mounted on swift horses and armed with deadly bows, descend upon Roman lands with a ferocity that strikes fear into the hearts of all.

The Avars, led by their formidable Khagan, seek not just plunder, but dominion. They sweep through the Balkans, their raids growing bolder and more frequent, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Villages burn, cities fall, and the Roman Armies, valiant though they are, struggle to hold back the tide of invasion. The once-secure northern borders of the empire now lay exposed to this relentless enemy.

To add to the empire’s woes, the Lombards, a Germanic tribe from the north, begin to stir. Eyeing the weakened state of Italy, the Lombards plot their own invasion. These warriors, known for their fierce independence and martial prowess, see an opportunity to carve out a kingdom amidst the chaos left by the Gothic War. Their ambitions threaten to undo the fragile stability Justinian has fought so hard to establish.

As the Mediterranean’s once thriving trade routes dwindle under the weight of constant warfare, the economic heart of the empire begins to falter. The great city of Constantinople, with its majestic Hagia Sophia, stands as a beacon of hope and resilience, yet even its gleaming walls cannot shield the empire from the gathering storm.

As enemies close in from all sides and internal strife threatens to tear it apart, the fate of the Roman legacy hangs in the balance. Will Justinian’s dream of a restored empire survive the trials of time, or will the forces of history usher in a new era of darkness? The struggle for the World of Late Antiquity has only just begun, and its outcome will shape the world for centuries to come.

Recommended unit size: Large
Ultra unit size is NOT recommended due to a known Attila bug where all starting units are at
vanilla size (until upgraded or replaced).

You need 4 parts to run this mod:
1)Age of Justinian 555AD Part 1
2)Age of Justinian 555AD Part 2
3)Age of Justinian 555AD Part 3

This is a BETA release of the upcoming update to version 2.0 containing a lot of changes. Join the Dark Ages Discord to discuss changes, report bugs and discuss the mod.

Dark Ages: https://discord.gg/awpn4EdzDV
Beginning of the End: https://discord.gg/v5Tyh88q (Credits Soroush for custom textures and 3d assets)
Anno Domini: https://discord.gg/MZuHpxh7 (Credits for hundreds of custom textures and 3d assets)

PLEASE NOTE: As this is a BETA it is subject to semi-regular updates. This would likely make saved campaigns incompatible with the updated version

Compatible with camera, terrain, music, reduced rain/bad weather mods. Not compatible with just about everything else. Ask if you’re not sure

Cavalry Speed submod: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3305528807

CREDITS

Anno Domini 1051 (https://discord.gg/3duUfStMHT a new mod in development set in the 11th Century AD featuring amazingly detailed custom textures and attention to historical accuracy.)
The Beginning of The End Team
Kagarino Kirie, Davicolt and Celticus (Sol Invictus Mod)
Anisvara (WRE garrison buildings for ERE)
Celticus Magnus (The Last Roman HD)
Avetis (Avetis models and textures)
Mgis99 (custom weapons)
Stealth4health (Late Roman Shields HD)
Kraut and Tea
The Germans are Coming
Paleologos
Pagan Slavic shields
KKB5
65 shield textures for modders
Thunderbolt II (Notitia Dignitatum: Attila)
succettitim6 (Roman Deir-El-Medina Helms Modders Resource)
Jotar, (Restitutio lustiniani mod for Rome Total War
faction flags)
Caligula (Longbow Animation Fix)
merwanor (Quivers for Archers)
TheOneWhoKnocks (Unofficial Community Patch)
Swiss Halberdier (Custom Battle Crash Fix)
Stealth4health (Spatha 400 AD Model Resource Pack)
Ahiga and the Fall of the Eagles team
Fall of the Eagles
Magnar (War Weariness)
mementomoria420 (Standalone Supply System)
[ESP] Lucio Boreno (Lucio’s Unit Pack)
The Vandalic War (custom animation and associated files)
Roster inspiration
Much of the British and Celtic roster is heavily inspired by
Arthurian Total War (R1) and IBII Conquestus

The Team
• David startpos builder (0.1 to 0.3) and creative producer
。scoffey2 best researcher, faction description writer and roster designer ever
• War Pig unit skins, scripting, vibes
。wibblywobblywonder database, startpos builder 0.4 – 1.0a, textures, UI elements,
and unit skins
• Polecat campaign testing Polecat’s channel
。 Juanplay unit skins, research, scripting, loading screen unit description cards,
history brainiac
• Anisvara startpos wizard, traits and ancillaries, db wizard, wizard

We thank the following campaign testers for their extremely
valuable work and lovely screenshots:

Eutyches
Nerovar
Sabre
Hexmorr
BEZI
Tigon
Asuryan
Celebi
JackJackson
lost
Machiavelli
Pertinax
rafa66
Scoffron
Special thanks to
Jake Armitage for scripting tutorials and advice
Wlodowiec for sharing his expert historical knowledge