Jump to content
UNRV Ancient Roman Empire Forums

Diocletian


Recommended Posts

To get back to the original question and away from this riveting coinage debate .... Diocletian's reforms were presaged by Aurelian and finalized by Constantine. You can see him as a link in a chain rather than as chief instigator.

 

Yes, the trend in the Late Empire was toward a more commanding government - some would say the embryo of feudalism and the divine rights of kings. This needs to be taken into context - the preceding fifty years of anarchy of civil war and barbarian invasions where the Empire nearly collapsed. The Crisis of the Third Century. The old rules of the lax Principate were no longer working, thanks in no small part to the rise of a regional superpower in Persia. The government needed more oversight of its localities, especially their finances, and a better military vehicle to deal with the increased threats.

 

The result was a heavy top-down structure of government with Oriental overtones at the imperial court. If one wants to call this the death of freedom, so be it. But it seems to have given the Western empire a few more generations of life, and to have completely reinvigorated the East.

 

I do point out in this

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 30
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...