Diocletian Roman emperor
Diocletian who was known more formally by his full name Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus was the reigning Roman emperor from November 20th, 284 AD until May 1st, 305 AD.
Diocletian who was born sometime in the year 245 AD (the exact date of his birth has not been confirmed to the present day) was primarily responsible for a reign that would bring about the end of a very significant period in Roman history.
This event was of course the one known to many historians as the "Crisis of the Third Century", a period of crisis which in fact began in the year 235 AD and lasted until 284 AD. His institution of an autocratic form of government was an unprecedented political move that led to the establishment of the initial groundwork that would later pave the way for the second stage of the Roman Empire.
This period in time was known by many different names such as the "Dominate" (a name given to differentiate it from the Principate, instituted by Augustus), the "Tetrarchy", or to many others simply as the "Later Roman Empire".
Widespread reforms instituted by Diocletian had the effect of effectively changing the Roman political sphere, particularly the structure of the imperial government. This had the far reaching effect of rendering the entire Roman Empire more politically and financially stable, a fact that many historians believe allowed the Roman Empire to remain a viable world force for the next hundred years or more.
Diocletian was born as an Illyrian of somewhat modest means in Dioclea, which was near Salona. Through the virtue of his own hard work and perseverance, he managed to avoid the trappings of his own lowly roots and rise quickly through the ranks of the army. Known by many people as Dux Moesiae, he had sole responsibility for the defence of the lower Danube.
The year 282 AD brought with it the proclamation of a Praetorian prefect who was named Carus, as emperor of the legions at the upper Danube. Diocletian quickly took steps to secure the trust of the newly proclaimed emperor and to show him his loyalty. By all accounts he seemed largely successful at this as proven by his appointment to the position of consul in the year 283 AD with the corresponding rank of Comes domesticorum granted to him, a title that means commander of the cavalry arm of the imperial bodyguard.
As was mentioned earlier in this article, Diocletian instituted numerous reforms which were in the long term quite beneficial to the Roman Empire as a whole. This was only made possible by the measure of security and stability that he brought to the empire after more than fifty years of political and military instability.
In fact the Roman Empire had previously threatened to collapse several times under the weight of all the trials, both external and internal, which faced it on a regular basis. Diocletian believed and quite rightly so, that the continuing survival of the Roman Empire depended on wide spread reforms.
Original Authors: Doods Pangburn
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 13/05/2008
