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Crisis of the Third Century

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Unbiased History of Rome: The Crisis of the Third Century Opening

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Crisis of the Third Century

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Total War: ROME II - Empire Divided Trailer

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Crisis of the Third Century (235-285): Every Month

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Mr. Incredible Survives the Crisis of the Third Century

The Crisis of the Third Century, also known as Military Anarchy or the Imperial Crisis, was a period in which the Roman Empire nearly collapsed under the combined pressures of invasion, civil war, plague, and economic depression. The crisis began with the assassination of Emperor Severus Alexander by his own troops in 235, initiating a 50-year period during which there were at least 26 claimants to the title of emperor, mostly prominent Roman army generals, who assumed imperial power over all or part of the Empire. The same number of men became accepted by the Roman Senate as emperor during this period and so became legitimate emperors.