COMMODUS/SEVERANS/SOLDIER EMPERORS

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)