Crisis of the Third Century

Topic

The Crisis of the Third Century, also known as the Military Anarchy or the Imperial Crisis, was a period in Roman history from 235 to 284 AD during which the Roman Empire nearly collapsed. It was characterized by the combined pressures of barbarian invasions, civil wars, plague, and economic disintegration, which temporarily split the empire into three competing states. The crisis began with the assassination of Emperor Severus Alexander and ended with the ascension and reforms of Diocletian.