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Home / Periods / Imperial Rome / Crisis of the Third Century

Phase

Crisis of the Third Century

235–284 CE

The Crisis of the Third Century began after the death of Severus Alexander in AD 235 and lasted until Diocletian’s rise in AD 284. The empire faced repeated usurpations, civil wars, invasions, economic strain, plague, and breakaway regimes in Gaul and Palmyra. Emperors often came from the army and could fall as quickly as they rose.

This crisis mattered because it nearly broke the Roman Empire apart while also forcing adaptation. The old patterns of imperial rule could not easily manage simultaneous frontier threats and internal competition. The reforms of Diocletian and later emperors were responses to this traumatic half-century.

The Crisis of the Third Century is one of the best late-imperial settings for military and political fiction. Harry Sidebottom’s Warrior of Rome series is directly relevant, with its focus on Ballista, eastern wars, usurpers, and an empire under strain. The phase also suits readers of Douglas Jackson, Anthony Riches, and other imperial military authors because it offers invasions, breakaway regimes, plague, economic fear, and constant uncertainty over who actually rules Rome.

Related people for Crisis of the Third Century

Balbinus178–238 Caracalla188–217 Commodus161–192 Constantine the Great272–337 Diocletianc. 240s–316 Gallienus218–268 Gordian I159–238 Gordian IIc. 190s–238 Gordian III225–244 Julia Mamaea180–235 Maximinus Thrax173–238 Odaenathusc. 220s–267 Postumusc. 3rd century–269 Pupienusc. 2nd century–238 Septimius Severus146–211 Severus Alexander208–235 Shapur Ic. 3rd century–272 Valerian200–c. 260s Zenobiac. 240–after 274

Series

Series about Crisis of the Third Century (1 series)

Warrior of Rome in Order

by Harry Sidebottom 8 books 4.3(9,729)

The Warrior of Rome series follows Marcus Clodius Ballista, an Angle raised within the Roman world who becomes a senior imperial commander during the Crisis of the Third Century. His service carries him from the Persian frontier to Palmyra, the Black Sea, the Eurasian steppe, Rome, Sicily and…

Books

4 Best Novels About the Crisis of the Third Century

Non-Fiction

1 Best Non-Fiction Book About the Crisis of the Third Century

Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.