History of Europe

How did Diocletian contribute Rome?

Administrative Reforms

* Divided the Roman empire into two halves, Eastern and Western, ruled by two emperors, or augusti.

* Each augustus would have a caesar, or junior emperor, to assist them.

* Created four administrative divisions, or prefectures, each ruled by a praetorian prefect.

* The prefectures were further divided into 12 dioceses, each ruled by a vicarius.

Economic Reforms

* Introduced a new tax system, the capitatio iugatio, which was based on the amount of land a person owned.

* Standardized the coinage system and introduced a new gold coin, the solidus, which became the standard currency of the empire.

Military Reforms

* Restructured the Roman army and created new units, including the limitanei (border troops) and the comitatenses (mobile field troops).

* Fortified the borders of the empire and built new forts and fortifications.

Religious Reforms

* Initiated the Diocletian Persecution, a series of edicts aimed at suppressing Christianity and other non-traditional religions in the empire.

* Promoted the traditional Roman gods and made it mandatory for all Roman citizens to make sacrifices to them.

Cultural and Artistic Reforms

* Built a new imperial palace in Split, Croatia, which was one of the largest and most luxurious palaces in the Roman world.

* Commissioned the construction of several public buildings and monuments, including the Baths of Diocletian in Rome.

* Patronized the arts and literature, and encouraged the revival of classical Greek and Roman culture.