Transcript Diocletian & Division of Rome

Introductory video clips
 “DE – Ancient Rome’s Decline” (6:11)
 Review of Roman weaknesses & overview of Diocletian
Diocletian (284-305)
 Born a commoner
 Went into military &
eventually became
commander of
emperor’s bodyguard
 After the emperor’s
death, the army elected
Diocletian emperor
Diocletian’s Reforms
 Economic: tried reissuing new Roman coins b/c old
ones were almost worthless
 Didn’t work so well b/c not enough gold & silver to
support new coins
 Social: made certain jobs (e.g. farmer, soldier, etc.)
hereditary b/c of their importance to Roman Empire
 Political: divided Roman Empire into two halves (East
& West) & reorganized provinces
Religious Persecutions
 Forced Christians to sacrifice to “old gods” or face
imprisonment & execution
 Destroyed Christian churches & holy books
 Banned Christians from worshipping together
Diocletian & The Tetrarchy
Emperor:
 Felt
empireMaximian
was too big for one person to control
Emperor: Diocletian
Deputy:
Constantius
 Divided empire into two halves to be
ruled Galerius
Deputy:
independently
 Emperors & their deputies moved wherever they were
needed instead of being in the capital city
 Each deputy was also the heir of the current emperor
Diocletian’s Later Life & Legacy
 Later life:
 Retired after 21 years of being emperor
 One of the few Roman emperors (after the end of the
Pax Romana) to die peacefully
 Reforms: made with good intentions, but failed
 Tetrarchy:
 Collapsed after Diocletian’s retirement
 Civil war broke out & lasted until Constantine the Great
reunited both halves of the Roman Empire in 324 C.E.