The Organizational Genius Who Saved Roman Empire
It is believed that Diocletian saved the Roman Empire from extinction; today, he remains a powerful and controversial figure in history, part tyrant and part organizational genius.
Diocletian was a powerful emperor who brought the Roman world out of turmoil. He gained respect where others failed miserably and was described as a great reformer with a harsh personality.
Diocletian was born in the Balkans in 244, and he grew up in a chaotic environment with little government or stability. He had begun life in obscurity – his father was said to be a freed slave – but driving energy, the force of personality, and a genius for administration propelled him through a career in the army.
Just before he was born, the Roman Severan dynasty had given the army undue power. As a result, almost anyone popular among the troops could proclaim himself emperor. When Alexander Severus, the last Severan emperor, was assassinated in 235, the legions raised and promptly murdered one man after another.
Rome experienced a prolonged period of anarchy in the third century AD, which nearly destroyed the Empire. There were at least 60 claimants to the throne over 50 years, and many emperors ruled for only a few months. Rome was still dealing with internal rebellions, barbarian incursions, and multiple claimants to the throne when Diocletian was proclaimed emperor. The Roman Empire had devolved into a shaky shell of what it had once been.
The rise to power of Diocletian was very typical for this time. He was a strong military commander who was popular among his troops, and his legions proclaimed him Emperor in Nicomedia (modern Turkey) in 284. Diocletian understood how dangerous it was to be proclaimed emperor as the vast majority of emperors were assassinated shortly after their coronation. He knew that he needed to act quickly and build his power base.
Because of the authoritarian nature of the monarchy at the time, the Diocletian rule and the period
that followed it, are sometimes referred to as the dominant. However, this form of rule seemed to
be necessary for such a time of chaos. Diocletian had to make people believe that all the power truly resided in his hands and that it could not be taken away from him. This was the only way for him to ensure that he is not vulnerable and his ability to create such a powerful image of himself was extremely effective. As a result, he maintained power for 20 years!
Diocletian was the first emperor who broke many taboos and who took a different approach to presiding. He wore a diadem, a royal symbol that few emperors dared to wear. In his presence, his subjects were required to kneel. Access to him was extremely limited and the ordinary citizens were banned from wearing purple, as it became the preserve of royalty. As an emperor, Diocletian faced many struggles to preserve the stability of the empire. He had to make military reforms and deal with a lot of structural problems that had brought the empire to its knees. In addition, one of the major issues that he was facing was hyperinflation and he is known as the only Emperor who had tried to find a working solution to this economic meltdown. When it comes to his legacy to the Roman Empire, Diocletian’s military reforms served their purpose and kept Rome stable, and Rome never had an internal conflict on the scale of the one from the 3rd century. Diocletian’s political acumen put his head and shoulders above any previous emperor. Most of his successors would replicate his hard-won stability by adopting his dictatorial
leadership style. It is safe to say that Diocletian resuscitated Rome, and due to his efforts, the empire carried on until the 5th century.
Diocletian is also known as the only Roman emperor that retired voluntarily. Diocletian’s Palace became a retirement home, and it is believed that Diocletian spent the rest of his life quietly in his palace, gardening.
The Organizational Genius Who Saved Roman Empire
It is believed that Diocletian saved the Roman Empire from extinction; today, he remains a powerful and controversial figure in history, part tyrant and part organizational genius.
Diocletian was a powerful emperor who brought the Roman world out of turmoil. He gained respect where others failed miserably and was described as a great reformer with a harsh personality.
Diocletian was born in the Balkans in 244, and he grew up in a chaotic environment with little government or stability. He had begun life in obscurity – his father was said to be a freed slave – but driving energy, the force of personality, and a genius for administration propelled him through a career in the army.
Just before he was born, the Roman Severan dynasty had given the army undue power. As a result, almost anyone popular among the troops could proclaim himself emperor. When Alexander Severus, the last Severan emperor, was assassinated in 235, the legions raised and promptly murdered one man after another.
Rome experienced a prolonged period of anarchy in the third century AD, which nearly destroyed the Empire. There were at least 60 claimants to the throne over 50 years, and many emperors ruled for only a few months. Rome was still dealing with internal rebellions, barbarian incursions, and multiple claimants to the throne when Diocletian was proclaimed emperor. The Roman Empire had devolved into a shaky shell of what it had once been.
The rise to power of Diocletian was very typical for this time. He was a strong military commander who was popular among his troops, and his legions proclaimed him Emperor in Nicomedia (modern Turkey) in 284. Diocletian understood how dangerous it was to be proclaimed emperor as the vast majority of emperors were assassinated shortly after their coronation. He knew that he needed to act quickly and build his power base.
Because of the authoritarian nature of the monarchy at the time, the Diocletian rule and the period
that followed it, are sometimes referred to as the dominant. However, this form of rule seemed to
be necessary for such a time of chaos. Diocletian had to make people believe that all the power truly resided in his hands and that it could not be taken away from him. This was the only way for him to ensure that he is not vulnerable and his ability to create such a powerful image of himself was extremely effective. As a result, he maintained power for 20 years!
Diocletian was the first emperor who broke many taboos and who took a different approach to presiding. He wore a diadem, a royal symbol that few emperors dared to wear. In his presence, his subjects were required to kneel. Access to him was extremely limited and the ordinary citizens were banned from wearing purple, as it became the preserve of royalty. As an emperor, Diocletian faced many struggles to preserve the stability of the empire. He had to make military reforms and deal with a lot of structural problems that had brought the empire to its knees. In addition, one of the major issues that he was facing was hyperinflation and he is known as the only Emperor who had tried to find a working solution to this economic meltdown. When it comes to his legacy to the Roman Empire, Diocletian’s military reforms served their purpose and kept Rome stable, and Rome never had an internal conflict on the scale of the one from the 3rd century. Diocletian’s political acumen put his head and shoulders above any previous emperor. Most of his successors would replicate his hard-won stability by adopting his dictatorial
leadership style. It is safe to say that Diocletian resuscitated Rome, and due to his efforts, the empire carried on until the 5th century.
Diocletian is also known as the only Roman emperor that retired voluntarily. Diocletian’s Palace became a retirement home, and it is believed that Diocletian spent the rest of his life quietly in his palace, gardening.