3 – Rise of the Barbarians
By the middle of the third century, Rome’s vast Empire had become increasingly difficult to control. It extended as far north as Britain and the Rhine, as far south as the northern coast of Africa, and as far east as modern-day Iraq and Syria. Controlling such a vast territory was a bureaucratic and logistical nightmare. Rome increasingly relied on the provinces to supply manpower and supplies, but during the crisis, the allegiance of the soldiers lay away from Rome. Every province that provided an army to Rome had its own rituals, customs, and beliefs and with Rome in such a mess, these areas saw an opportunity to break free.
Due to the inability of anyone to seize an iron grip on the throne, provinces advanced with the Franks penetrating the Rhine, the Goths threatening the Danube, and the Saxons invading Britain. In the east, the Sassanids became more aggressive, and suddenly Rome was in a very precarious position. It should be noted that for most of these tribes, the main goal was to find land to farm in; they didn’t seek the destruction of the Empire. As a result, the frontiers of Rome experienced almost incessant raids from the aforementioned tribes among others.
Ardashir took control of the Sassanid Empire in 226 AD and was determined to restore his nation to the heady days of the ancient Persian Empire. His son Shapur followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued an aggressive expansionist policy. The Sassanids regularly fought the Romans in the third century, and Shapur defeated the armies of three different Roman emperors as he took full advantage of the chaos of the enemy. He defeated Valerian at the Battle of Edessa in 260 AD and captured the emperor, who died in captivity.
Although Gallienus was supposed to be the new emperor, usurpers appeared everywhere, and in less than a decade the empire was split into three parts. After Valerian’s death, the provinces of Gaul, Hispania, and Britain formed the Gallic Empire (which lasted until 274 AD). After the death of the Palmyrene leader Odaenathus in 267 AD, the Palmyrene Empire broke away from the Empire; it consisted of the provinces of Syria, Aegyptus, and Palestine. The Italian-centered Roman Empire stood against these foes and needed a capable leader to survive the crisis.
As luck would have it, one arrived on the scene when the Empire needed it most. Aurelian became Emperor in 270 AD and steered the Empire through the very worst of the crisis. Within a few years, he defeated the Vandals, Palmyrenes, Persians, Visigoths, and the rest of the Gallic Empire. Rome was returned to a single entity by 274 AD, but the old problem of the military dictating the Empire’s leader arose and Aurelian was murdered by high-ranking members of the Praetorian Guard. As well as military interference, an increase in enemies and a depressed economy, there was one other reason for the Third Century crisis.