Diocletian: The Peasant Who Saved Rome | The Ancients

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Rome was coming apart at the seams. Civil wars, economic collapse, breakaway empires, invading armies - the Third Century Crisis pushed the ancient superpower to the edge of extinction. Then an obscure soldier from the Balkans stepped into the chaos. In this episode, we interview Dr. David Gwynn to explore the rise of Emperor Diocletian. From his brutal path to the throne to the creation of the Tetrarchy, Diocletian rebuilt a shattered empire through radical reforms, ruthless centralisation, and a complete reimagining of imperial power. 0:00 Introduction to Emperor Diocletian and the Later Roman Empire 1:51 What are Our Sources for Diocletian's Rule? 3:07 Diocletian’s Rise to Power in the 3rd Century Crisis 5:52 The Incredible Instability of Imperial Power Before Diocletian 9:36 Why Diocletian Created the Diarchy with Maximian 15:19 Diocletian's Radical Decision: Establishing the Tetrarchy (Rule of Four) 19:38 Propaganda and Iconography of the Tetrarchy: The Porphyry Statue 25:07 Diocletian's Administrative Reforms: Smaller Provinces and New Officials 34:05 Diocletian and the Growing Christian Minority in the Empire 39:19 From Manicheans to the Start of the Great Christian Persecution 48:35 The Failed End of the Great Persecution and Diocletian's Abdication Presented by Tristan Hughes. Producers are Joseph Knight & McKenna Fernandez, senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Editor is Matthew Wilson. Channel manager is Vilde Øksnes. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. All music from Epidemic Sounds. #HistoryHitPodcast #TheAncients #Rome