Aurelian and the Third Century

Alaric Watson0415072484, 9780415072489

In his brief reign, Aurelian contributed more to the recovery of the Roman empire than any other individual of his time. He decisively repelled the German invaders threatening the Danube and crushed the enemies, Zenobia and Tetricus. Among his other achievements, he also introduced major monetary reforms and constructed the defensive walls around Rome that still bear his name to this day.
Aurelian and the Third Century provides a re-evaluation in the light of recent scholarship of the difficulties facing the Roman empire in the AD 260s and 270s, concentrating upon the reign of the emperor Aurelian and his part in surmounting them. It includes an introduction that examines the socio-cultural context of the mid-third century, and follows with a chronological examination of the military and political events of the period from 268 to 276 and an analysis of the importance of the achievements and events of Aurelian’s reign.

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Table of contents :
Book Cover……Page 1
Title……Page 4
Contents……Page 5
List of illustrations……Page 10
Preface……Page 12
List of abbreviations……Page 14
List of dates……Page 15
Introduction: the third-century ‘crisis’……Page 22
‘Restorer of the World’……Page 42
A divided empire……Page 44
Aurelian ascendant……Page 60
Zenobia and the east……Page 78
The Palmyrene Wars……Page 91
War in the west: the reunification of the empire……Page 110
The end of Aurelian……Page 122
Internal Policies……Page 144
Economic reforms……Page 146
Public works and administration……Page 164
The emperor, the senate and the armies……Page 180
The emperor and the divine……Page 204
Conclusion……Page 224
excursion on sources……Page 230
problems of chronology……Page 236
Notes……Page 247
Bibliography……Page 302
Index……Page 308