Background Info:

5.96 Million years ago The Gibraltar strait closed, turning the Mediterranean into a lake. Without the water flowing in from The Atlantic sea levels began to drop in The Mediterranean as water evaporated faster than it was replaced. This left behind salt flats and what water was left was too salty to drink. This dry period was ended by The Zanclean Flood 5.33 Million years ago when the natural Dam that connected Europe and Africa broke. But what if the flood never happened?

Alternate History (What if the Zanclean flood never happened?):

Let’s start in The Bronze Age. Due to The Mediterranean Sea supplying a lot of rainfall to Southern Europe, water would be one of the things going along trade routes to sustain their large populations. Due to lower Sea Levels, Cyprus would probably be conquered due to the Bronze Mines. But The Late Bronze Age collapse would be even more different. First of all, the Sea People would be land raiders. Also, people would have to migrate up North to survive, meaning that the Miceneans would be the last we see of The Greeks.

Fast forward to The Romans. The population of Rome would probably be smaller due to a dryer climate of Southern Europe. But Carthage would probably not be as rich because they would have to go around the Mediterranean rather than using boats. The Punic Wars would basically be Carthage and Rome sending generals through Iberia and Gaul to attack each other.

But Rome would have much different borders. Rome would have gone Northward to much less dryer areas. This is because Rome needed that land for agriculture. Basically Rome becomes a Central European civilization. During the 3rd Century Crisis, Rome would probably be destroyed due to a two front war. But this means the Barbarian Kingdoms would be in Central Europe.

The Modern world has Northern Europe being industrialized from the start and Southern Europe couldn’t do so because they wouldn’t have enough rainfall to support the agriculture required to have the population for an industrial society. But after the establishment of globalization they can start to industrialize due to being able to trade for food.