Lecture 2 - The Crisis of the Third Century and the Diocletian Reforms 235-284 AD

 -Problems in the Roman Empire during this time:

   -Sheer size of empire

      -Rome was decreasing in relevance as the imperial capital.

   -Problems with succession of emperors

      -Rivalries, power struggles, usurpers, etc.

         -Emperors kept on being killed either in battle, via revolt/mutiny, assassination, etc.

         -Power struggles between Senate elites and provincial generals (NOT elite citizens, however)

   -Cities were a drain on the countryside

   -Romans incorporated barbarians into the empire

   -East was more prosperous than the west

   -Invasions

      -Sassanid dynasty begins to expand into into various states that acted as a buffer between the Sassanids and the Romans (in the modern-day Middle East).

         -Captured Emperor Valerian in 260 AD, killed him.

      -Danube and Rhine rivers separated the Roman Empire from Germanic horde territory.

         -Emperor Decius died fighting Germanic hordes in 251 AD.

   -Money problems due to huge military spending.

      -Government devalues its currency, which creates inflation.

   -Regional elites had problems maintaining local order (due to over-taxation).

-Diocletian reigns until 305 AD.

   -Not a great military leader, but an excellent administrator.  

   -Militarized society; made an efficient but burdensome taxation system.

-Diocletian's goals:

   -Solving problem of succession (unable to fix this for the long-term, of course)

   -Stabilizing economy- mixed results.

   -Protect the frontiers- successful, doubled military size by increased taxes and efficient tax-collecting.

-Diocletian changed the image of the emperorship by making the office more sacred, more powerful, more bureaucratic, etc.

   -He also created a postal system!

   -More punishment for tax evasion- entire groups and towns would now be held responsible instead of merely one individual.

-The Tetrarchy- Diocletian splits the empire into East and West, both of which were to be ruled by their own emperors (called an augusti).

   -Appoints a co-emperor to rule in the west; Diocletian rules in the east.

      -Each emperor has one subordinate (called a caesar).

   -Of course, this doesn't work very well.

   -Diocletian nominates Maximian (Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius) to be his co-emperor in the west.

   -System breaks down in 306 AD with revolts and civil unrest.

      -Constantine would eventually emerge as the sole emperor of the Roman Empire in 324 AD.

-Diocletian tried to combat inflation by instituting the Edict of Prices.

   -Tried to set a fixed price for everything.

      -This just created a black market.

-Diocletian failed to suppress Christianity.

   -Persecuted Christians but wasn't able to stamp it out completely.

-Diocletian is not considered a failure... while he managed to prop up the West for another 100 years or so with military reforms, the East was able to survive for another 1200 years.... however, its government was modeled on Diocletianic reforms and principles.