Aurelian’s Reign: The End of The Crisis of The Third Century
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The Crisis of the Third Century (235-285 CE) was the combination of administrative incompetence, foreign invasions, and the fracturing of the Roman Empire into three self-governing states which nearly collapsed the Roman Empire. However, the empire was able to recover and survive for nearly another 1,200 years, in large part due to Emperor Lucius Domitius Aurelianus. By the end of Aurelian’s five-year reign (270-275), he almost completely stabilized the empire. Aurelian addressed the Crisis of the Third Century in three main ways: through his pragmatic and revolutionary administrative policies, his military prowess in handling attacks from Germanic tribes, and his reconquering of the Palmyrene and Gallic Empires. These aspects of Aurelian’s rule were vital to restoring the Roman Empire and nearly ending the Crisis of the Third Century.
Derek Days