211—Caracalla, his son, succeeded. He was a bloody and atrocious tyrant, supported on the throne only by his soldiers, whose aid he secured by large pay. He was 217—murdered by the commander of his guards, Macrinus, who succeeded in acquiring his place, but was soon 218—murdered by the soldiers. They raised Heliogabalus, a young Syrian priest of fourteen years of age, through the assurance of his female relatives that he was the son of Caracalla, to the purple. He is described as the most cruel and infamous of all the Roman emperors.
222—After four years of horrible crime, he was slain in a mutiny of his guard and his body thrown into the Tiber. Alexander Severus succeeded. He was apparently a secret admirer of Christianity and a model 235—prince. He was murdered by Maximin, a Thracian peasant, who had, by his valor, risen to high command in the army, who seized the reins of power. He was successful in war, but his severity provoked mutiny in 238—various parts of the empire, and he was slain by his own soldiers. Gordian succeeded, a heroic youth of a noble family. He was successful in war, but was murdered 244—by his own prime minister, Philip, an Arabian, who became emperor. He favored the Christians, and reigned five years. In his reign, the thousandth year of the foundation of Rome was celebrated by public 249—games. He was slain in a revolt by Decius, the general of his army, who occupied the throne. He raised a most violent storm of persecution against the Christians, who were despoiled of their goods and driven to caves and deserts. From this time is dated the sect of 250—anchorites, or hermits, who imagined they could acquire superior holiness by abandoning society and devoting themselves to meditation and prayer. The idea appears to have been derived from the Persian Magians, who, in this century restored the ancient dynasty and religion of the Persians, or Parsees, in Persia. During the political and social disorganization that soon commenced the anchorites became numerous, and the system was extensively prevalent for a thousand years to the great injury of active and true Christianity.
251—Decius was slain in a battle with the Goths, who had invaded the empire, and Gallus became emperor.
253—He was put to death by Emilianus, who attempted to seize the reins of government, but the army elected Valerian, governor of Gaul. The empire was invaded by the Goths on the north and the Persians under their king, Sapor, on the east. From this time, it had to 259—fight for its life. Valerian was defeated by Sapor and remained nine years in captivity, Gallienus, his son, becoming emperor. He was extremely incompetent and a multitude of rival claimants for the supreme authority arose in all directions. They were called the “Thirty Tyrants.” One of them, Odenatus, king of Palmyra, in the Syrian desert, defeated Sapor, and Gallienus proclaimed him his colleague. On the death of Odenatus, his wife, Zenobia, assumed the title of “Queen of the East,” conquered Egypt and ruled a wide region with success and splendor. Both Goths 262—and Persians invaded Asia Minor. Gallienus was murdered 268—and Claudius succeeded. He defeated the Goths 270—but died in a pestilence. Aurelian succeeded. He was an able general. He subdued the Germans and 272—Goths, and conquered Zenobia, one of the most remarkable 275—women of history. Aurelian was assassinated by some victims of his severity, and Tacitus, a Roman senator succeeded, but died in seven months, and was followed by Probus. He was a vigorous general, and drove back the barbarians on all sides, but attempting to employ his soldiers in labor on public works, they 282—revolted and murdered him. Carus, the captain of the 283—imperial guard, was raised to the throne. Dying the next year, his sons, Carinus and Numerianus, inherited his authority, but Numerianus was assassinated in a 284—few months by his father-in-law, and Diocletian, said to have been formerly a slave, was proclaimed emperor by the army. This was called “The Era of the Martyrs,” from the long and bloody persecutions against the Christians. This was the tenth general attack on them, and proved to be the last. The barbarians pressing in great force on all sides, Diocletian appointed several colleagues, and their united ability drove the invaders back.
305—Diocletian resigned his power to Galerius, who appointed three associates, making a division of the empire. One of these, Constantius, died in Britain, and was succeeded 306—by his son, Constantine. For a time, there were six emperors, but one was killed, Galerius died, and Constantine conquered the others.
312—Constantine changed the whole character of the empire by embracing Christianity and relying largely on that element for the support of his power, while he disbanded the Pretorian, or royal Guard, which had for two hundred years assumed to make and unmake emperors, and whose example, imitated by the other armies, kept the world periodically disturbed by the disputes and battles of rival claimants to the imperial purple. By the 313—edict of Milan, Constantine abolished all laws unfriendly to Christianity; he restored the authority of the senate and magistrates, and removed his capital from Rome to Constantinople.
324—The pagan element was now so worn and decrepit that no general disorders resulted. Whatever was left rallied under Licinus, who was conquered by Constantine. It appears to have been the strength of the Christian element and its essential hostility to the Roman principle of violent subjugation that produced so many and fierce persecutions. Had it not been for the pressure of barbarians on the empire the prevalence of that system would have preserved society and the state for a thousand years more, as it actually did in the Eastern empire; but every thing that man has the management of must be affected by his limitations, his mistakes and his follies. Christianity needed a better ally, a fresher and purer society, built up by the young blood and better instincts of another and newer people.
Constantine paid great respect to the clergy of the church and took a leading part in its general counsels—a great mistake and a great misfortune.
325—His spiritual supremacy was virtually acknowledged at the council of Nice which he convoked.
330—Constantine died leaving his vast dominions to his three sons, who, in the course of ten years, were reduced to one, Constantius. After a troubled reign of twenty 361—years more, he died, and was succeeded by his cousin Julian, called the “Apostate,” from his renouncing Christianity and laboring to restore the pagan religion. In this he signally failed. He undertook to rebuild the Jewish temple at Jerusalem, without success.