When Roman Empire Began to Decline

 

Alexander Severus was a good Emperor- perhaps one of the last of the era.

In perhaps the darkest moment in Roman history, the Praetorian Guard assassinated a wise and capable Emperor named Pertinax because he refused to donate the entire treasury to the Praetorian Guard.

In his place the Praetorian Guard auctioned off the throne to the highest bidder, literally selling the Empire. A Roman General named Septimius Severus heard about this, laughed, and marched on Rome- making himself Emperor.

Septimius was a good Emperor and his son Caracalla was a bad Emperor. Then we get to Elegabulus who is insane. Finally, after all that, we get Alexander Severus.

Alexander was young when he took the throne and young Emperors tended to be bad Emperors. Alexander bucked this trend though, proving to be capable and wise for his age. His overbearing but capable mother ensured that her son took his job seriously and more importantly actually did his job.

Alexander was a wise judge, a careful diplomat, and a dedicated Emperor. He cared deeply about his job and he tried very hard to do well. Rome did fairly well until his rule. The Empire was at peace, the political situation was stable, and the economy prospered.

Then it all went wrong- really wrong.

Alexander faced an invasion in Syria and needed to respond. So he gathered together some legions from the Danube and marched that way. These Danube legions lived around the area, they had homes and families, and they were not cool with being dragged to Syria.

Once they all got the Syria Alexander tried to negotiate multiple times, further infuriating everyone. This seemed like many to cowardice. Eventually, Alexander was forced to invade, and guess what happened? Alexander refused to lead his Army into the war and let 2 other armies do it in his place. A Roman Army was destroyed and it was obvious that cowardice of Alexander was the cause.

Then word came down that the local barbarians have taken advantage of the diminished Roman presence around the Danube and invaded. These Legions had been pulled from their homes and families to negotiate and then lost a war only for their homes to be attacked in the absence.

Alexander marched quickly to the Danube and once there he again tried to negotiate with the invading barbarians instead of attacking. This was one step too far for everyone.

A popular soldier named Thrax went over to Alexander’s tent, murdered Alexander and his mother, and became Emperor.

And so the decline began.

Thrax was a bad Emperor. He overplayed the legions and bankrupted the Empire in the process. His reign started the turmoil that would become the Crisis of the Third Century.

It never got better for Rome. Emperors would rise and then get assassinated and Rome would decline at a rapid clip by every measure.

Eventually, the military ability of Aurelian and the reforms of Diocletian saved Rome but it would never be as powerful or secure as it once was.

Can we really say the Empire began to decline with Maximinus Thrax? Maybe. But in the end, it’s not so easy to figure out. I could argue the decline began with Commodus.