GENERALIZATION:
The
hundred years following the death of Marcus Aurelius was an age of nearly
constant crisis.This was not entirely
because the emperors of this period were not good.Some
of them were immensely capable.But
the problems facing the empire during this period were far too great for
any man to solve, particularly the problems created by the fickle Roman
army.Comment.
ID'S:
COMMODUS,
SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, PARTHIANS, CARACALLA, JULIA MAMEA, PHILIP THE ARAB,
DECIUS, VALERIAN, SASSANIDS, GOTHS
I.Commodus--a
second Nero (180-192)
II.Second
"year of four emperors"
--Pertinax,
Didius Julianus, Niger, Septimius Severus, Albinus
III.Severan
Emperors
A.Septimius
Severus (192-211)
(problems,
but a relatively good time--soldiers under control, philosophy flourishes
(Neo-Platonism), law (Ulpian), medicine (Galen)
B.Caracalla
(211-217)
(cruel,
but effective)
C.Macrinus
coup
D.Elagabalus
(218-222)
(effeminate
boy priest--real power: grandma Julia Maesa
E.Alexander
Severus (222-235)
(much
better--but real power in hands of Julia Maesa and of his mother Julia
Mamea, mother of Augustus, the senate, and the fatherland)
IV.Soldier
emperors (235-284)
A.Basic
problems
1.
German invasions (Franks, Allemani, Goths, Borani)
2.
Revived Persian empire (Sassanids)
3.
Palmyra (Odenath/Zenobia)
4.
Mutinous armies/usurping emperors
B.Philip
the Arab (244-249)
(Pacatian
revolt, Goth invasion)
C.Decius
(249-251)
(plague,
Goths, seige of Philippopolis)
D.Gallus
(251-253)
(Plague,
Shapur takes Armenia, Goths attack)
E.Aemilianus
(253)
E.Valerian
(253-260)
(Parthians,
Boranni, Franks and Allemani, Postumus)
F.Gallienus
(253-268)