ABSTRACT
After the murder of Severus Alexander in 235, chaos threatened to engulf the Roman Empire. Having led the mutiny against Severus Alexander in 235, Maximinus Thrax became emperor. He was very successful against the Germanic tribes across the Danube. Gordian III now became the reigning emperor with the powerful support of his father-in-law, the praetorian prefect C. Furius Timistheus. Then Gordian himself died, apparently after falling from his horse in battle. The army acclaimed Philip, often called Philip the Arab, as the new emperor. Then the period encompassed by the reigns of Valerian and Gallienus is often called the Age of Gallienus. Gallienus had been shamefully assassinated by the Illyrian officers whose careers he had previously promoted. Carus was another Illyrian. Later in 282, leaving Carinus to defend Italy and Gaul, Carus set out for the East with Numerian. Early in 283, he defeated the Quadi and the Sarmatians, who had come over the Danube.
