Episode 86: The Fate of Rome Part III-The Crisis of the Third Century

Reflecting History

Much has been made of the great Roman crisis of the 200's AD. Civil war, political strife, economic dysfunction, and the collapse of the frontier system were just a few of the major problems that threatened to collapse the empire. In the midst of the crisis, as the climate was changing and becoming less favorable, the Plague of Cyprian hit the empire in devastating fashion. Disease, famine, and death predictably followed. But how did Rome respond? From the rise of Christianity to the adaptive nature of Roman ingenuity and institutions, the Roman spirit managed to survive and show resilience in surprising ways.

This is part three in a four part series on how climate and disease contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire. It focuses on the crisis of the third century, the climate impacts of the Roman Transitional Period, the Plague of Cyprian, and how Rome changed as a result of all of this. This series is based in large part on Kyle Harper's recent book "The Fate of Roman: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire."

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