| A disastrous scenario emerged after the death ofAlexander Severus: the Roman state was plagued by civil wars, externalinvasions, political chaos, pandemics andeconomic depression.[121][122]The old Roman values had fallen, and Mithraism and Christianity had begun to spread through the populace. Emperors were no longer men linked with nobility; they usually were born in lower-classes of distant parts of the Empire. These men rose to prominence through military ranks, and became emperors through civil wars. There were 26 emperors in a 49-year period, a signal of political instability. Maximinus Thrax was the first ruler of that time, governing for just three years. Others ruled just for a few months, like Gordian I, Gordian II, Balbinus and Hostilian. The population and the frontiers were abandoned, since the emperors were mostly concerned with defeating rivals and establishing their power. The economy also suffered during that epoch. The massive military expenditures from the Severi caused a devaluation of Roman coins.Hyperinflation came at this time as well. The Plague of Cyprian broke out in 250 and killed a huge portion of the population.[123] In 260 AD, the provinces of Syria Palaestina, Asia Minor and Egyptseparated from the rest of the Roman state to form the Palmyrene Empire, ruled by Queen Zenobia and centered on Palmyra. In that same year the Gallic Empire was created by Postumus, retaining Britain andGaul.[124] These countries separated from Rome after the capture of emperor Valerian, who was the first Roman ruler to be captured by enemies; Valerian was captured and executed by the Sassanids of Persia– a humiliating fact for the Romans.[123] The crisis began to recede during the reigns of Claudius Gothicus(268–270), who defeated the Goths invaders, and Aurelian (271–275), who reconquered both Gallic and Palmyrene Empire[125][126] During the reign of Diocletian, a more competent ruler, the crisis was overcome. |
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