Equestrian Order In Roman Empire

The history of equites would trace back to regal era,and the formation of Equestrian Order was occurred during the Punic War after equites did not engage in the military.In early principate era,Equestrian Order gradually integrated into the bureaucratic system and took possession of the administrative and military posts,which made them approached the power center of the empire.This thesis focuses on the third century,a period between 193 A.D.and 284 A.D.that the Roman Empire was deep in crisis,and is divided into three parts to separately discuss the relationship between Equestrian Order and the emperors,the increase of the posts as secretaries and governors and generals took over by equites,and the broadening power in both military and non-military areas of Praetorian Prefects as one of the great prefectures.In third century,the emperors’ authority was more associated with military power and it was getting more frequently for emperors to lead troops away from Rome,which made emperors was no longer in close contact with the Senate and turned into making decisions with the high-ranking military officers around him.Mostly,the high-ranking military officers were equites,so that the power used to held by senators and freedmen and intellectuals gradually transferred into equites who grew rapidly and occupied most of the local and central authority.Furthermore,the emperors themselves were no longer only came from senators but dozens of equites emperors appeared in this period,such as most of Illyrian emperors.