ABSTRACT

Stephen Williams's book is the first biography of Diocletian to appear in English. It combines the historical narrative of his remarkable reign and those of his fellow-emperors, with a chapter-by-chapter study of each of the great problems he faced, the interlocking solutions he evolved to meet them, and the longer term results. It is both a portrait of one of Rome's greatest and most original rulers, and a political study in the emergence of Absolutism.  Also includes four maps.

part |26 pages

Crisis

chapter |9 pages

The Third-Century Collapse

chapter |15 pages

Virtus Illyrici

part |50 pages

Emergence

chapter |20 pages

Jove and Hercules

chapter |10 pages

The Tetrarcy

chapter |7 pages

Victory and Consolidation I

chapter |11 pages

Victory and Consolidation II

part |62 pages

The New Order

chapter |11 pages

Defence in Depth

chapter |13 pages

The Recasting of Government

chapter |11 pages

Finance, Taxation, Inflation

chapter |14 pages

A Command Economy

chapter |11 pages

The New Order

part |50 pages

Triumphs and Defeats

chapter |10 pages

The Gods are Alive

chapter |10 pages

Politeia Christi

chapter |13 pages

The Great Persecution

chapter |15 pages

Abortive Renewal

part |19 pages

Aftermath

chapter |8 pages

Constantine's Completion

chapter |9 pages

In the Long Run