Diocletian & the Tetrarchy

Diocles -> Diocletian (240s-c. 312)
o Emperor 284-305

Diocletianic Reforms
o Division of empire into West & East
o "Tetrarchy"
 
 

	East	West
Augustus	Diocletian	Maximian
Caesar	Galerius	Constantius

Attempts at economic reform (price edict)

"Great" Persecution of Christians, 303-311

305 Diocletian, Maximian abdicate

From the Tetrarchs to Constantine

306-312 Power struggle
312-324 Constantine & Licinius
324-337 Constantine sole emperor

Constantine (272/3-337)
o Son of Constantius (I)
o 306 acclaimed emperor on father's death
o 312 Battle of Milvian Bridge, Rome
 (vision of cross & promise of victory)
o 313 Edict of Milan: Christianity legal
o 330 Founding of Constantinople

The Later 4th Century

Constantine II (337-340)
 Constans (337-350)
  Constantius II (337-361)
Julian (361-363)
Jovian (363-364)
Valentinian I (364-375) — Valens (364-378)
  |
 Gratian (375-383)
 Valentinian II (375-392)
      Theodosius (379-395)
         |
 Honorius (395-423) — Arcadius (395-408)

Major events
o Pagan reaction under Julian (361-3)
o Battle of Adrianople (378)
o Final division of empire into E & W (395)

Military & Political Trends

The Eastern Front
o Rise of Sassanids in Persia (224 ->)
o Shapur I (mid-3d c.)
o Diplomacy and skirmishing (exception: Julian)

Western Europe

Edward Luttwak, The Grand Strategy of the  Roman Empire (1976)
Defence of frontiers —> "defence in depth"

Dealing w/ Barbarians
o Conventional warfare
o Diplomacy and payoffs
o Romanization (e.g. Stilicho)

Political Changes
o Rome no longer seat of empire
o New, unofficial capitals (Milan, Trier, Ravenna, Antioch)
o Rise of provincial aristocracies (Gaul, Spain, Pannonia)