Diocletian – military leader, statesman and builder

Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, as this Roman soldier called himself after ascending the imperial throne, was the most significant Roman statesman of the Late Roman Empire, alongside Caesar and Octavian. In the 2nd century AD, he saved the Empire from collapse and ensured its continued existence through his far-reaching reforms.

Although he holds a significant place in history, little is known about him due to the Church’s attempts to erase any trace of him, as he persecuted Christians.

It is interesting that during a period when the Roman Empire was threatened by barbarians and faced the danger of losing its magnificent Roman spirit, its throne was occupied by Illyrian-born soldier-emperors: Decius, Claudius II, Aurelian, Probus, Diocletian, and Constantine I.

There is little information about Diocletian’s birth and origin. He was most likely born around 245 in the vicinity of Salona. He comes from the Illyrian tribe of the Dalmatians, and before ascending the throne, he was only known by the name Diocles. The writer Eutropius around 360 AD states that Diocletian was the son of a humble scribe, yet his lineage produced a number of significant individuals. For instance, the Liber Pontificalis, a church book from the late 5th and early 6th centuries, states that the Roman Pope Caius, later proclaimed a saint, was from Diocletian’s lineage.

Chronicles indicate that young Diocles entered the army during the reign of Emperor Gallienus. He probably served far from his homeland from the very beginning, as after the uprising of the Delmatae led by Baton, Illyrian recruits served in provinces that did not border Illyricum. Historian Vopiscus in the 6th century mentions a story about a prophecy made to Diocles by a Dryad, the wife of a Celtic priest, during his service in what is now Belgium. As an officer, Diocles, together with his friend Maximian, was housed in the priest’s home, and on one occasion, the Dryad prophesied that he would become emperor, but only after killing a boar.

Diocles’ military career did not progress smoothly. However, he constantly progressed. He becomes a military tribunal and fights with Emperor Aurelian in the East. Then he becomes a general (Magister Militum). In addition to the military profession, Diocles learns statesmanship from Aurelian. During the reign of Emperor Kara, the Senate appoints Diocles as consul, or commander of one of the Roman legions. With Emperor Kara, he fights against the Sarmatians and the Quads, as well as against the Persians in the East. His stay in the East and the conquered Persian cities of Ctesiphon and Hatra deeply impressed Diocles and significantly influenced his later architectural activities.

After the death of Emperor Kara, his empire was ruled by his two sons: Numerian in the East and Carinus in the West. On his return from the war with the Persians, Numerian is killed by his father-in-law Ariaus Flavius Aper, commander of the praetorians. The murderer is discovered and arrested, and the council of generals of the legions in the East proclaims Diocles as the emperor.

Thus, once again, the fate of the Empire was decided by the legions. He was chosen, as many writers emphasize, as the “man necessary for the Roman state” (Vir Rei Publicae Necessadu). It happened in the year 284 on a military training ground near Nicomedia. Diocles addresses the assembled legions of the East with the following words:

“Greetings warriors, for the happiness of our immortal and invincible Empire, as long as our war memory serves us, we will fight with sword and spear until eternal peace comes, when the doors of the temple of Mars and Janus will be closed, and swords will rust, and plowshares will shine. Until we achieve this, Jupiters, Mars Belong, and Mitra, make sure our spears and swords never miss their target. Long live military unity, long live the Empire!”

After Flavius Aper was brought to him, Diocles exclaimed, “Warriors! This man is the killer of Numerian!” He drew his dagger and killed Aper, saying, “Finally, I have killed the fateful boar.” (aper, Latin: boar)

Carinus, the ruler of the West, considers Diocles an usurper and gathers fresh and numerically superior Western legions. Diocles is in a difficult position. Although experienced and crowned with glory from a series of victories, his army is exhausted from wars. and his troops are devastated by the plague. Nevertheless, he does not hesitate for a moment, fills the ranks with veterans, takes the initiative, and marches forcefully across the Balkans towards the West. The armies face each other in Mezija, present-day Serbia. The experienced Diocletian takes a favorable position, and he is joined by two Illyrian legions stationed in Mezija, which, being hardened and reliable, form the backbone of his army. Trumpets and drums set tens of thousands of warriors in motion. Diocletian’s cataphracts (heavily armored cavalry) attack first. But as soon as the battle begins, Karina kills one of his officers, allegedly in revenge for seducing his wife; the battle thus ends, and his commanders acknowledge Diocletian as the emperor.

In August of 285 AD, Diocletian arrives in Rome. He appears before the Senate, restores the imperial court and its institutions, and the Senate Curia, which Karina had burned down. The chronicler J. Malalas from the 6th century describes Diocletian as a generous person of tall stature, with gray hair and beard, blue eyes, and a copper-colored face.

Diocletian Julian doesn’t waste time in Rome, as barbarians are advancing from all sides, and the Persians pose a serious threat to the Eastern borders of the Empire. His reign is filled with almost constant warfare. He never loses a battle. He defeats the Germans in Recia and Pannonia, crushes the major Bagaudae uprising in Gaul, moves East and after several victories pushes back the Persians and drives the Saracens out of Syria. Alongside Diocletian, the young commander of the 3rd Dalmatian Cavalry Cohort, Constantine, also fights in the wars, who will later become emperor.

He leaves Maximian, his faithful war comrade, in Gaul, and after the German incursion, he tells him: “Whatever happens, remember: the Rhine must always be Roman.” Maximian carries out the order – the Germans are once again defeated and expelled from Gaul.

According to Roman chroniclers, the wildest barbarian tribe, the Sarmatians, penetrate into Pannonia. Diocletian arrives in Pannonia, gathers an army, achieves new victories, and pushes the Sarmatians back across the Danube. The army is rejuvenated by the new emperor, military discipline is strengthened, The ancient Roman virtues are once again driving the legions.
Year 286 is tough for Rome, as the Persians attack with renewed forces. Diocletian rushes to the East, personally leading the army and once again pushing back the Persians. He returns to the West and meets Maximian in Trier (Gaul). Just as he secures some peace in the north and west, the eastern and African provinces are threatened by internal rebellion and attacks from the Saracens and Persians. Diocletian returns to the East, and on the middle Danube, he attacks and expels the Quadi, Sarmatians, and Juthungi.
Although a skilled warrior, Diocletian is not a conqueror but a defender of the Empire. Above all, he is a statesman. He seeks a respite to reorganize the administration and the army. First, he introduces a diarchy: he is the Augustus (the senior ruler) and directly rules over the East, while Maximian, as Caesar (the junior co-ruler), rules over Italy, Gaul, Britain, Hispania, and Western Africa. Until he abdicated in 305, Diocletian constantly waged wars in the East and on the Danube, while leaving the West to Maximus. janu.

The year 296 was yet another decisive year for the Empire. Rebellion spreads throughout Roman Africa, including Egypt, and the Persians attack again. Diocletian suppresses one uprising after another. He imposes a highly favorable peace upon the defeated Persians, through which five provinces of Mesopotamia are ceded to the Empire. It is the twentieth anniversary of his reign, and he returns to Rome, where a magnificent welcome awaits him. Maximian accompanies him in the carriage. They briefly stay in Rome and then return to their respective capitals, Nicomedia (near present-day Izmit) and Mediolanum (Milan), strategically chosen for the defense of the Empire’s borders.

Diocletian, a soldier, ascetic, and statesman, dislikes Rome for its luxury and idleness, in which the Roman spirit is dying; he also dislikes the Senate as a typical example of Roman decadence. The Roman spirit now resides in the two Illyrian rulers, their legions, and their capitals. Diocletian adopts the Persian court ceremonial, which elevates the Emperor, but not because of personal vanity, because he understands that the well-being of the state requires such displays of power and grandeur. eatski uređena, već autoritarna s jasnom hijerarhijom i strogim zakonima. Dioklecijan je bio svjestan da stabilnost Carstva ovisi o snažnoj upravi i ujedinjenju vojne moći. Njegove reforme su imale za cilj ojačati Carstvo i osigurati njegov opstanak u turbulentnim vremenima. The government was despotic, even by ancient standards, but the alternative was chaos and the collapse of the Empire. The administration of the empire is large and slow, but therefore more secure and fair. Monetary reform restores trust in the state currency and curbs inflation. Taxes have increased, but now everyone pays them, even the inhabitants of Rome. State revenue exceeds expenses, the army and officials regularly receive their salaries, the state is stable, and the borders are calm.

The persecutions of Christians that he carried out were not the result of his religious fanaticism. Quite the opposite, he did not oppose any faith as long as Roman laws were respected. His wife Prisca and daughter Valeria were Christians, just like many high officials of his court. The Christian church in Nicomedia is one of the largest and most beautifully situated temples in the city. Diocletian’s young co-ruler Caesar Galerius had long tried to convince Diocletian of the subversive activities of the Christians, but Diocletian decided to act only when the disobedience of the Christians towards the authority of the state and the emperor became apparent. The speech was comprehensive. The first edict of persecution against Christians was issued in 303 in Nicomedia.

Diocletian abdicated in 305 in accordance with the laws of tetrarchy and forced Maximian to do the same. He handed over power to Galerius, got into a carriage, and went to his native Salona to his newly built palace.

“A strong desire overwhelmed him for building.” This sentence by Lactantius best describes that aspect of his character. He expanded Nicomedia and turned it into the capital of the East, he gave the Romans the largest baths in the Empire, rebuilt Carthage and Palmyra, and constructed a series of military, sacred, and other buildings. He always built with the aim of glorifying the Empire. The buildings reflect his attitude towards the state, they are monumental, devoid of personality. Eastern of the Peristyle, there is an imperial mausoleum built in the shape of an octagon (a building with an eight-sided floor plan) which was the largest building in the palace and later converted into a cathedral. To the west of the Peristyle, there were three temples, the Temple of Cybele, the Temple of Venus, and a little further away, the Temple of Jupiter or Asclepius, which is preserved in its original form. The Vestibule, a round building through which one enters the emperor’s private apartments, adjoins the southern facade of the Peristyle. The northern part of the palace was used for accommodating the army and servants.

Historian Taofan records that Diocletian was active in public life even as a citizen. He remained the greatest authority of the Empire until the end of his life. One law from the year 315 calls him the first Augustus (Senior Augustus). Remaining loyal to the laws of the tetrarchy until the end, he rejected Maxentius’s call to reclaim power due to the turmoil in the Empire.

The original Croatian text: “Sve su mame iste, uvijek brinu i rade sve za svoju djecu.”

Possible translation: “All mothers are the same, they always worry and do everything for their children.”