Diocletian split the Roman Empire into two sections.
War was posted in Ancient History on Friday, February 3, 2012
The article about Ancient Rome was originally published in Look and Learn.
The story of the Roman Empire was completely changed by a single decision.It was made by a man who was not even a Roman and who had origins which were hidden.
The man was the new Emperor.Rome should no longer be the capital of the empire.
All of the city's moral and spiritual traditions would be preserved.As the geographical centre of a vast empire that had spread east and west to uncontrollable limits, it could not retain its capital status.
The Emperor could not create an administration to deal with the barbarians in the outlying provinces of the empire if the government was centralized.
The empire had had good administrators for a long time.There would be two empires with two capitals after he severed the Roman world in two.The Western Empire was ruled from Milan and the Eastern Empire fromNicomedia.
There would be two emperors.The Eastern Empire would be ruled by Diocletian and the Western Empire by Maximian.
Each emperor had a second-in-command called a Caesar.The Rhine and Sirmium were where Caesar was stationed.The Greek word for "government by four people" is what we use to define this administrative system.
If you look at a map of Europe, you can see that Rome had a man who was capable of making all important decisions in four important areas which enabled him to travel quickly to any trouble spot in his territory.The system might have gone wrong if the other three men had posed a serious threat to Diocletian.
The problem was solved by the Eastern ancient rulers.He declared that he was more than just the Emperor.I am also a god.
The Roman Empire believed in Diocletian.He wore a crown representing the rays of the sun on his head.His toga and sandals were studded with precious stones, incense was burned in his presence, and anyone who was granted an audience was obliged to fall to the floor.The great traditions of Greek and Roman culture were taken over by Eastern absolutism.
Even though he believed in immortality, Diocletian was still a great organiser.He reformed the coinage and introduced a new tax system.The British government is fighting the inflationary spiral by fixing the maximum selling prices of fruit, vegetables and consumer goods.
The emperor had a black mark against him.The new religion was against the government that was run by an Eastern god.Christianity was widespread throughout the empire and his attacks on the Christians were bound to be felt.
The churches and Christian gatherings were destroyed by Diocletian.Christians were banned from all public appointments and books were burned.The persecution against the Christians was tightened when they hit back in rebellion.
In an unusual way for Roman emperors, Diocletian decided to retire after eight years of persecution.He laid down his sceptre and diadem at the foot of a statue on a hill near Nicomedia on May 1, 305.
The Western Emperor, who had to retire, was followed by Constantius Chlorus.What worked for Diocletian was not going to work for anyone else.Constantius Chlorus died in Britain.One man saluted his son as his soldiers rushed out on the parade ground.
The cry of "Hail, Emperor!" was enough to convince young Constantine that the throne of the empire was within his grasp.He was not the only one.Rome was embarrassed in the summer of 306 when six emperors claimed the imperial title.
The result was more civil war.We must watch the complicated maneuvers of Constantine, who was to be the ultimate victor.After occupying the valley of the River Po with 50,000 legionaires, he set out for Rome.
Maxentius arrived from that city to meet him.The two armies met.
While waiting for the battle to start, Constantine had a vision.He saw a Cross and the words "In hoc signo vinces" on it.
Constantine had no time to waste.The army of Maxentius was routed and many of their soldiers drowned in the River Tiber.Constantine was the master of Rome.
We are told that his vision before the battle led to the toleration of the Christians.It was more likely that Constantine needed the Christians on his side to fight for his throne.In 313, Constantine issued an order proclaiming full toleration for all religions.It was the first time in the history of the world that the principle of freedom of conscience was recognised.
Constantine was the master of the Western Empire, while Licinianis Licinas reigned in the East.A new civil war broke out when Constantine and Licinius got into a fight.Licinius came off the worst in the struggle.The twin empires were left to Constantine and his descendants after Licinius agreed to give up his right to name his successor.
The emperor was too ambitious to allow a compromise to last.He defeated Licinius at the first excuse.Constantine had Licinius murdered a year after he first promised to spare him.
Murder was not new to Constantine.He had killed his own sons and one of his grandsons, and his wife had been murdered in the bath.He had decided to become a Christian.
For a long time the new religion was divided over Church doctrine, which was important to Greek-Romans.The first general Church council was called to settle the disputes.The Nicene Creed, which is used by the Catholic Church at Mass, came from it.
Constantine lived in the style of an oriental monarch.The marauding raids of the Persians in the East were not an answer to the one-man rule.His own Christians were squabbling over the validity of the Nicene Creed.
He wondered how he could prop up this empire.He thought he could change the capital to a place that was beyond the reach of barbarians and the center of the eastern trade.
Byzantium is a town on a headland.It was an ideal trading port because it had a view over two great seas.
Constantine made his workmen work hard to build his city.Anthusa was the ancient cult name of Rome.He began to call it New Rome.Constantinople was simply called the city of Constantine because no one could decide what it was called.We call it Istanbul today.