Barracks emperors; civil war; breakdown of the empire; economic decline (jan 1, 235 – jan 1, 284)

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WHAT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS DID ROME FACE IN THE THIRD CENTURY C.E.?
“The prosperity and political stability of the second century gave way to a period of domestic upheaval and foreign invasion. The third century saw a long series of able but ambitious military commanders who used their legions to make themselves emperors. Many tried to establish dynasties, but most failed, and those that were established were short-lived. While they were fighting each other, the generals were not able to defend against raids across Rome’s borders.”

CIVIL WARS AND MILITARY COMMANDERS
“The reign of Marcus Aurelius (r. 161–180 C.E.) was marked by problems. The Tiber River flooded in 162, destroying crops and killing animals, which led to famine. Soldiers returning from wars in the East brought the Antonine plague back to Rome”

“After the death of Marcus Aurelius, misrule by his successors led to a long and intense spasm of fighting… Two of them were also assassinated, and Septimius Severus (r. 193–211 C.E.) emerged as the victor. He restored order, expanded the borders of the Roman Empire in Africa and western Asia, and invaded Scotland. He increased the size of the army significantly and paid the soldiers better. This made him popular with soldiers, though it also increased the taxes on civilians.”

“In 212 Septimius Severus’s son Caracalla (r. 198–217 C.E.) issued an edict making all free male residents of the Roman Empire citizens, which increased his standing with his supporters in the provinces. This edict made them eligible to serve in the legions — which may have been why Caracalla did this — but also made serving in the army less attractive, and so reduced the number of men willing to join.”

“In 235 the emperor Severus Alexander lost the respect of his troops by negotiating with Germanic chieftains raiding across Rome’s northern border. They assassinated him and chose a different commander to be emperor, beginning a fifty-year period in which more than twenty different emperors seized power, which many historians refer to as the “crisis of the third century.” These emperors were generally military commanders from the border provinces, and there were so many that the middle of the third century has become known as the age of the barracks emperors. Almost all were either assassinated or died in civil wars, and their preoccupation with overthrowing the ruling emperor left the borders unguarded.”

TURMOIL IN ECONOMIC LIFE
“If officials could not meet their tax quotas, which were rising to support the costs of civil war, they had to pay the deficits from their own pockets. Because the local officials were themselves so hard-pressed, they squeezed what they needed from rural families. Many farmers, unable to pay, were driven off their land, and those remaining faced ruin. As a result, agricultural productivity declined.
If officials could not meet their tax quotas, which were rising to support the costs of civil war, they had to pay the deficits from their own pockets. Because the local officials were themselves so hard-pressed, they squeezed what they needed from rural families. Many farmers, unable to pay, were driven off their land, and those remaining faced ruin. As a result, agricultural productivity declined.”

“By 284 C.E. the empire had reached a crisis that threatened its downfall. The position of emperor was gained no longer through succession ratified by the Senate but rather by victory in civil war. The empire had failed at the top, and the repercussions of the disaster had dire effects throughout the empire.”

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