Roma Eterna

Roma Eterna is a 2003 novel by Robert Silverberg that could be classified as alternate history; in this case, the failure of the Israelite Exodus from Egypt. Over the course of its history, the Roman Empire conquers the world. The novel itself is presented as a series of vignettes taken over more than 2,000 years, coming up to our calendar date of AD 1969 (which is the novel is presented as A.U.C. (from the founding of [Rome]) 2723. A group of Hebrew citizens in Alexandria prepare to depart Earth in a rocket, which explodes shortly after takeoff. But they will try again, still believing God chose them to inherit the Promised Land, just not on Rome-ruled Earth.