Summarizing the Third Century Crisis

[Carlton Bach]

Gallienus and the Palmyrene leaders preferred to put more soldiers on horseback

I'm a little sceptical about that one, too. Can you demonstrate it?

I hesitate as well. I learned this during my first year, and never encountered it again. That's why I'm posting it... :wink:

That one is based on a brief note in IIRC Zonaras, who states (erroneously) that Gallienus first raised cavalry units. Unfortunately, the term paper I wrote on that is on a 3.5" disc and the disc seems to be dead. Anyway, there is a good chance Gallienus raised cavalry - everybody seems to have - but I would be very careful with the assumption that he instituted any set policy or was any kind of first.

Generally, do we even know that the third-century crisis was directly related to military expenditures? I haven't looked into the matter in years, but I distinctly recall back then that scholars could barely agree on the central points, let alone clear causation and mechanisms.