Diocletian, 284-305 AD
- set up the “Tetrarchy”, 2 Augusti, 2 Caesars, with responsibilities evenly spread out to all four - they would rise to power by ability - he was the most impressive organizer since Augustus
- doubled the number of provinces (so they would be too small for the governors to make a successful revolt), grouped them in larger “dioceses” - vastly increased the army and made big changes with static forces on the borders and a mobile reserve
- because of this, there was a huge rise in taxes and inflation went wild - he issued a degree trying to regulate prices and wages but it was a spectacular failure
- in 303, even though his wife was a Christian, tried to stamp out Christianity - (1) no assemblies of Christians, (2) churches and Bibles were to be burned, and (3) clergy (later also laypeople) were arrested, imprisoned and tortured/executed if they wouldn't make a pagan sacrifice
- abdicated peacefully in 305, died in 316 (the only emperor to “retire” from that job)
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