Aurelian and the Third Century
Sep 19, 2011
Those who know Roman history might assume that the word ‘crisis’ has been accidentally left off the title of this book, for it is hard to think of the third century AD without considering how great a mess the Roman empire was in at that time. In fact this issue is the very first which Alaric Watson deals with in a book which achieves the rare feat of being both academic and very readable. He points out that what we call ‘the third century crisis’ was in fact at least three crises, overlapping but not exactly contemporaneous. He also points out that there was more to the third century than these crises, for a number of cultural and religious issues came to the fore in this period, and understanding these is the key to understanding the culture of fourth-century Rome…
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Great review of a great book. Watson’s text is accessible and rigorous and I’ve made considerable use of it. He indeed mounts a sturdy “defence” of Aurelian, fully supports his interpretation and makes incisive, evidence-based conclusions. “Aurelian and the Third Century” has provided me with numerous story ideas and I would gladly read other relevant texts by the author. Can I add that Mr. Matyszak’s colourful and engaging volumes also add to our understanding of Roman life.