Diocletian

Listen for added dramatic effect!  *ooh...aah*

Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus  a.k.a. Diocletian

b. 245 d. 313

Roman emperor (284-305)

Diocletian was born near Salona, Dalmatia (modern day Croatia) to former slaves.  He entered the army and attained the offices of Governor of Mœsia, consul, and commander of the guards of the palace. In the Persian war, under [Carus], he especially distinguished himself. When the son and successor of [Carus], [Numerian], was murdered at [Chalcedon], the choice of the army fell upon Diocletian (284).

Diocletian appointed [Maximian] Caesar and then Augustus in 286 C.E. and made Constantius I and Galerius Caesars in 293 C.E.  This began the rule of the Tetrarchy.  He reserved for his own portion Thrace, Egypt, and Asia; Italy and Africa were Maximian's provinces, while Galerius was stationed on the Danube, and Constantius had charge of Gaul, Spain, and Britain.  The supreme control, however, remained in Diocletian's hands. None of the rulers resided in Rome, and therefore, the way was prepared for the downfall of the city. 

During Diocletian's reign, Britain was restored (296) to the empire, the Persians were subjugated (298), and the [Marcomanni] were expelled from the empire. Diocletian was the first to divide the empire formally and to set up a genuine autocracy with no theoretical checks. The Roman senate became a municipal council and all vestiges of Republican institutions disappeared. His economic reforms included an attempt to restore the gold standard and the Edict Of Diocletian (301), an economic measure to regulate prices and wages. Its effects, however, proved ruinous to agriculture and the markets.

In addition to the formation of the Tetrarchy, Diocletian is known for persecuting Christians.  It was his subordinate Galerius who first induced him to turn persecutor. These two rulers of the East, at a council held at Nicomedia in 302, resolved to suppress Christianity throughout the empire. An edict was issued "to tear down the churches to the foundations and to destroy the Sacred Scriptures by fire; and commanding also that those who were in honourable stations should be degraded if they persevered in their adherence to Christianity" (Euseb., op. cit., VIII, ii). Three further edicts (303-304) marked successive stages in the severity of the persecution: the first ordering that the bishops, presbyters, and deacons should be imprisoned; the second that they should be tortured and compelled by every means to sacrifice; the third including the laity as well as the clergy. The atrocious cruelty with which these edicts were enforced, and the vast numbers of those who suffered for the Faith are attested by Eusebius Of Caesarea and the Acts Of The Martyrs.

The abdication of Diocletian (1 May, 305) and the subsequent partition of the empire brought relief to many provinces. In the East, however, where Galerius and Maximian held sway, the persecution continued to rage. Galerius issued the Edict Of Galerius in 309 C.E., which ended the persecution of Christians in the East. 

Application for today:

There are a couple of things we can learn from Diocletian's reign.  First, is the importance of having strong moral and political leadership.  Many of Diocletian's problems would have been non-existant had he not followed Galerius' advice on how to treat the Christians in the empire.  Second, we can see that it is important to not oppress people based on their beliefs.  Time and time again throughout history, we have seen this happen, and it never works out for the better of anyone. 

Interesting side-note: When Diocletian retired, he returned to his hometown - now Split, Croatia - to farm Cabbage.