The Crisis of the Third Century AD - The Pax Romana Podcast 72

Was the third century AD a period of crisis or transformation? The prevalence of war, economic strain and demographic collapse certainly seems compelling. And yet, this same period could be viewed as a transformation where Rome adapted, with power shifting from traditional elites to military figures, and where cultural, religious, and social structures evolved. Was the constant warfare a sign of an empire's decline, or was it forging a new and more sustainable system?