Royalty · Politics · AD 244–AD 316
Born: 22 December AD 244 · Died: 3 December AD 316 · Age at death: 71
Diocletian died aged 71. He was born on 22 December AD 244 and died on 3 December AD 316.
Roman emperor who ended a long crisis, created the Tetrarchy of four rulers and became the first emperor to retire voluntarily
Did you know?He was the only Roman emperor to voluntarily abdicate his position, retiring to a palace in modern-day Croatia to grow cabbages.
Diocletian rescued the Roman Empire from half a century of chaos and then did something almost no emperor did: he retired. He was born to a humble family in Dalmatia and rose through the army ranks. In 284 the soldiers proclaimed him emperor. He decided the empire was too large for one man and split rule first with a co-emperor, Maximian, and then with two junior Caesars, a system called the Tetrarchy. He reformed taxes, the coinage, provinces and the army. He also launched the last and fiercest persecution of Christians. In 305 he abdicated and withdrew to his vast palace at Split. Its walls still enclose much of the city's old town.
Diocletian ( DY-ə-KLEE-shən; Latin: Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus; Ancient Greek: Διοκλητιανός, romanized: Diokletianós; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia.
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Profile
Roman emperor, born c. 244
Diocletian was born in Dalmatia around 244.
He became Roman emperor in 284.
He created the Tetrarchy, rule by four emperors.
He abdicated in 305 and retired to Split.
Career highlights
Did you know?Diocletian's Palace in Split is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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