Page 175 - Western Civilization A Brief History, Volume I To 1715 9th - Jackson J. Spielvogel

Transformation of the Roman World: Crises in the Third Century
Q FOCUS QUESTION: What political, military, economic, and social problems did the Roman Empire face during the third century?
At the end of the second century, a number of natural catastrophes struck Rome. Floods of the Tiber, famine, and plague brought back from the East by the army led to a considerable loss of population and a shortage of military manpower. To many Romans, these natural disasters seemed to portend an ominous future for Rome, and indeed, in the course of the third century, the Roman Empire came near to collapse.
Political and Military Woes
After a series of civil wars, Septimius Severus (sep- TIM-ee-uss se-VEER-uss) (193–211), who was born in North Africa and spoke Latin with an accent, used his
legions to seize power. On his deathbed, Septimius Severus advised his sons, “Live in harmony, make the soldiers rich, and don’t give a damn for anything else.” His advice set the tone for the new dynasty he estab- lished. The Severan rulers (193–235) began to create a military monarchy. The army was expanded, soldiers’ pay was increased, and military officers were appointed to important government positions. A new stability seemed at hand, but the increased power of the mili- tary led new military leaders to aspire to become em- peror, and the military monarchy of the Severan rulers degenerated into military anarchy.
For the next fifty years (235–284), the empire was mired in the chaos of continual civil war. Contenders for the imperial throne found that bribing soldiers was an effective way to become emperor. In these five de- cades, there were twenty-two emperors, only two of whom did not meet a violent end. At the same time, the empire was beset by a series of invasions, no doubt encouraged by the internal turmoil. In the East, the Sassanid Persians made inroads into Roman territory. A fitting symbol of Rome’s crisis was the capture of the Roman emperor, Valerian (253–260), by the Persians
Septimius Severus and His Family.
This portrait, which was painted on wood about 200 C.E. and found in Egypt, is the only existing painted likeness of a Roman emperor. The emperor is portrayed with gray hair and beard in memory of Marcus Aurelius. To legitimize his authority, Septimius Severus had himself adopted into the Antonine dynasty, calling himself the son of Marcus Aurelius. The emperor stands next to his wife with their two sons in front of them. The face of his son Geta has been blotted out, no doubt by order of the other son standing next to him, Caracalla. On succeeding to the throne, Caracalla had his brother killed. (bpk, Berlin /Antikensammlung, SMB/Johannes Laurentius/Art Resource, NY)
Transformation of the Roman World: Crises in the Third Century 137
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