Description

From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Slightly rubbed, overall very good and clean. / Leicht berieben, insgesamt sehr gut und sauber. - From the time of Marcus Aurelius onwards, wars in the East and on the Danube caused a vast increase in imperial expenditure which was raised to a critical level by Septimius Severus� resumption of an expansionist policy in Asia. On the pretext of punishing the Parthians for giving aid to the pretender Pescennius Niger, Severus carved out two new provinces, Osroene and Mesopotamia, from Parthian territory and, in so doing, finally destroyed the tacit policy of co-existence between the two empires which, though never firmly established nor of long duration, had benefited both. Though there is some evidence that once the crisis was over Rome made efforts to create a firm and just rule in Asia, throughout the remainder of the third century the growing power of the Sasanian dynasty in Persia made it harder to maintain an equitable rule in one of the wealthiest areas of the Roman empire. The imperial government seems to have found itself in a dilemma. On the one hand it had to find specie in increasing quantities to offset military expenditure, and on the other hand the amount which could be raised at any one time by direct means from the cities of Asia Minor was limited. The most obvious solution was a sudden debasement of the main imperial silver coin, the antoninianus, in much the same way as Septimius Severus had debased the denarius and it is apparent that such an expedient can be extremely profitable to any government as a short-term measure. In Asia Minor, however, the imperial administration had its hands partially tied. ISBN 9783515019156