Imperial Rome AD 193 to 284: The Critical Century

by Clifford Ando

Overview

The Roman empire during the period framed by the accession of Septimus Severus in 193 and the rise of Diocletian in 284 has conventionally been regarded as one of 'crisis'. Between 235 and 284, at least eighteen men held the throne of the empire, for an average of less than three years, a reckoning which does not take into account all the relatives and lieutenants with whom those men shared power. Compared to the century between the accession of Nerva and the death of Commodus, this appears to be a period of near unintelligibility. The middle of the century also witnessed catastrophic, if temporary, ruptures in the territorial integrity of the empire. At slightly different times, large portions of the eastern and western halves of the empire passed under the control of powers and principalities who assumed the mantle of Roman government and exercised meaningful and legitimate juridical, political and military power over millions. The success and longevity of those political formations reflected local responses to the collapse of Roman governmental power in the face of extraordinary pressure on its borders. Even those regions that remained Roman were subjected to depredation and pillage by invading armies. The Roman peace, which had become in the last instance the justification for empire, had been shattered. In this pioneering history Clifford Ando describes and integrates the contrasting histories of different parts of the empire and assesses the impacts of administrative, political and religious change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780748655342
Publisher:	Edinburgh University Press
Publication date:	06/20/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Clifford Ando is Professor of Classics, History and Law at the University of Chicago.

Table of Contents

Figures vi

Series editor's preface viii

Acknowledgements ix

Abbreviations xi

Maps

1 The Roman empire in the age of Septimius Severus xii

2 The eastern Mediterranean in the third century AD xiii

3 Military advances from Septimius Severus to Gordian III xiv

4 Military advances from Papienus to Diocletian xiv

1 A critical century 1

2 The principal author of the decline and fall 18

3 The legacies of Septimius Severus 48

4 Law, citizenship and the Antonine revolution 76

5 The empire and its neighbors: Maximinus to Phillip 100

6 Religion 122

7 Failure and fragmentation: From the accession of Decius to the death of Gallienus 146

8 Government and governmentality 176

9 Reconquest and recidivism, 268-84 201

10 Conclusion 224

Emperors and usurpers 230

Chronology 233

Guide to further reading 239

Works cited 242

Index 253

What People are Saying About This

Professor of Classics, New York University - Michael Peachin

Ando brings to life this era of real crisis which was brought on largely by the inadequately articulated mechanisms for succession to the imperial position. Yet the Empire survived precisely because of the efforts and ambitions of the central government. This nuanced and vividly argued book is accessible to students, and thought-provoking for scholars.

Editorial Reviews

Ando brings to life this era of real crisis which was brought on largely by the inadequately articulated mechanisms for succession to the imperial position. Yet the Empire survived precisely because of the efforts and ambitions of the central government. This nuanced and vividly argued book is accessible to students, and thought-provoking for scholars.

Professor of Classics, New York University - Michael Peachin

Ando should be commended for taking such a muddled topic as the third-century crisis and providing such an approachable narrative of events. The paperback edition should make the book more accessible to students, and it could prove valuable as an undergraduate text. This book will be an important addition to reference shelves and university libraries.

H-War - Nikolaus Overtoom

Ando has provided a great service: an intelligent, balanced and readable general account of the third- century, admirably designed for its intended audience.

Bryn Mawr Classical Review - Reviewed by Graeme Clarke

The third century is a period which suffers from a dismal lack of good literary source material. A general history such as that which Clifford Ando has provided is, in this regard, all the more essential for students wanting to study the third century. Ando does a skilful job of setting out a readable narrative from the patchy and inconsistent source material [and] his reconstruction of the string of emperors that followed Alexander Severus in quick succession makes complex and confusing topics accessible and engaging to the general reader.

Ancient West and East - Christopher J. Dart

...highly recommended for English-speaking students, but the volume has enough substance to be of interest to more advanced scholars as well...it provides an excellent gateway to one of the most confusing and intriguing periods in Roman imperial history.

Sehepunkte