"What if?" Moments

 

Our PAST affects our PRESENT, but does not define our FUTURE.

We make decisions today that shape our potential destiny, and provides the opportunity for others to draw from our hope and faith. The action of one influences the vision of many, creating a ‘what if?’ moment. Bosnia has had it’s fair share of ‘what if?’ signs at the various crossroads in its history. The difference in us knowing and not knowing of them is because someone chose to walk the less travelled path.

The earliest known settlement in the Sarajevo region of Bosnia was the indigenous Butmir Culture, which developed in what is today’s Ilidža area of the valley. There is evidence, as was prevalent in that period of human history worldwide, the Butmir Culture worshipped fertility gods and sacrificed children. The Butmir Culture, dating from 2400 BC, disappeared with the coming of the Illyrians around 1000 BC. The Illyrians took over all of the Balkans, and were divided by many subgroups. The Illyrians that inhabited the region of Bosnia was the Daesitiate tribe, who enjoyed political freedom for about 300 years, till the Roman legions invaded the region. The Roman process of annexation of the Bosnian region lasted from 229 BC till 9 AD.

And this brings us to our first ‘what if?’ moment in Bosnian history.

In 6 AD, when the Romans were planning the imminent destruction of the Germanic tribes in central Europe, the first emperor, Augustus, ordered the mobilisation of Illyrian auxiliary forces for that purpose, whose leader was Bosnia’s first warlord, Bato the Daesitiate - who said ‘no’. He took his ‘what if?’ opportunity, and changed history.

For four years, Bato the Daesitiate (along with Bato the Breucian and Pinnes of Pannonia) led the Illyrians in their struggle against their Roman occupiers; the supreme commander of all Roman forces was future emperor Tiberius. Nearly half of all Roman legions were required for this war fought in the mountains of Bosnia, and it became known as one of the most harsh and critical wars in the history of the Roman Empire, in which the Romans committed brutal atrocities. In September of 9 AD, Bato the Daesitiate surrendered to the Roman legions. Perhaps the most important consequence from The Great Illyrian Revolt was that Rome never regained the strength or will power to conquer and occupy Germania and northern Europe.

What if?’ moments are dangerous, risky and costly. Like a rope bridge hanging over the valley between the status quo and the dream, between bondage and freedom. In the end, your failed attempt may well be the bridge for another’s success.

But, what if …

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1