The Crisis of the Third Century and the fall of the Western Roman Empire

The third century CE was marked by a profound political, military, and economic crisis known as the Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE), characterized by a rapid succession of emperors, frequent military usurpations, pressure from outside peoples on the frontiers, and serious economic problems, including sharp currency devaluation. Emperor Diocletian managed to partially stabilize the situation at the end of the century through sweeping administrative reforms, including dividing the government of the Empire into the Tetrarchy.