The Third Century: Crisis or Transition? Slide 2 I.Interrelated
Crises Slide 3 The Third Century: Crisis or Transition?
I.Interrelated Crises A. Imperial Turnover: From military monarchy
to military anarchy Slide 4 Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE)
Stereotypical good emperor Slide 5 Where things begin to go wrong:
His incompetent son, Commodus (180-192), (featured in the recent
film Gladiator) Slide 6 Another of the bad emperors: Carcalla
(211-217 CE) Slide 7 Damnatio Memoriae: Carcalla "erases" his
brother Geta Slide 8 Maximinus Thrax (235-238) First of the
"Soldier Emperors" (235-284) Slide 9 The Third Century: Crisis or
Transition I.Interrelated Crises A.Imperial Turnover: From military
monarchy to military anarchy B. Constant Warfare Slide 10 The Third
Century: Crisis or Transition I.Interrelated Crises A. Imperial
Turnover: From military monarchy to military anarchy B. Constant
Warfare 1. Persians in the East 2. Germans in the north & west
Slide 11 Slide 12 The Persian King Shapur captures the Roman
Emperor Valerian, without even unsheathing his sword (260 AD):
Slide 13 Emperor Valerian (253-260), captured and bowing before the
Persian king, Shapur I Slide 14 The Third Century: Crisis or
Transition? I.Interrelated Crises A. Imperial Turnover: From
military monarchy to military anarchy B. Constant Warfare 1.
Persians in the East 2. Germans in the north & west Slide 15
Decius, 249-251 Slide 16 Slide 17 The Third Century: Crisis or
Transition? I.Interrelated Crises A. Imperial Turnover: From
military monarchy to military anarchy B. Constant Warfare 1.
Persians in the East 2. Germans in the north & west C. Growth
of the Army Slide 18 The Third Century: Crisis or Transition?
I.Interrelated Crises A. Imperial Turnover: From military monarchy
to military anarchy B. Constant Warfare 1. Persians in the East 2.
Germans in the north & west C. Growth of the Army D. Economic
Plight: Debasement of the Coinage Slide 19 Silver Denarii: TRAJANUS
DECIUS 249251 AD Reverse: Dacia standing left holding staff with
head of ass Slide 20 The Third Century: Crisis or Transition?
I.Interrelated Crises A. Imperial Turnover: From military monarchy
to military anarchy B. Constant Warfare 1. Persians in the East 2.
Germans in the north & west C. Growth of the Army D. Economic
Plight: Debasement of the Coinage II.Crisis or Transition? Slide 21
Roman Assimilation: Syrian Romans Slide 22 Egyptian Romans Slide 23
Jewish Romans Slide 24 The Third Century: Crisis or Transition?
I.Interrelated Crises A. Imperial Turnover: From military monarchy
to military anarchy B. Constant Warfare 1. Persians in the East 2.
Germans in the north & west C. Growth of the Army D. Economic
Plight: Debasement of the Coinage II.Crisis or Transition?
