Who was Diocletian and what was his original name?
Diocletian was a Roman emperor who reigned from 284 to 305. His original name was Gaius Valerius Diocles, derived from Dioclea, the name of his mother and her supposed place of birth.
Questions about Diocletian
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did Diocletian establish the Tetrarchy system?
On the 1st of March 293 at Milan, Diocletian established the Tetrarchy by appointing Maximian as Augustus and Galerius as Caesar alongside Flavius Constantius. This arrangement created rulership by four where each tetrarch ruled over a quarter-division of the empire.
What military campaigns did Diocletian lead between 285 and 299?
Diocletian defeated the Sarmatians and Carpi during several campaigns between 285 and 299 while also fighting the Alamanni in 288 and usurpers in Egypt between 297 and 298. He secured the entire length of the Danube with forts, bridgeheads, highways, and walled towns and sent fifteen or more legions to patrol the region.
Why did Diocletian order the destruction of Christian scriptures on the 23rd of February 303?
Diocletian ordered the destruction of Christian scriptures because a fire destroyed part of the Imperial palace and Galerius convinced him that Christians were conspirators who had plotted with the palace eunuchs. The edict prohibited Christians from assembling for worship and ordered the execution of those found guilty until at least the 24th of April 303.
When did Diocletian abdicate his title as Roman emperor?
On the 1st of May 305, Diocletian called an assembly of generals and representatives from distant legions where he voluntarily abdicated his title before a statue of Jupiter. He retired to Dalmatia and moved into the expansive Diocletian's Palace located by the small town of Spalatum on the shores of the Adriatic Sea.