DIOCLETIAN, GAITS AT RELICS VALEIU TS A Roman Emperor (A.n. 2S4 305). He was horn of humble parents in Dal matia (i.n. 2451. He adopted a military career. and served with distinction under Aurelian and Prohus. accompanied Carus on his Persian cam paign, and finally, on the murder of Numerianus baying been discovered at Chaleedon, he was pro claimed Emperor in 2$4 by the army on its homeward march. The suspected assassin of Numerianns, the prefect Arrius Aper, he slew with his own hands, in order, it is alleged, to fulfill a prophecy communicated to him, while still a lad, by a Druidess of Gaul, that he should accede to a throne as soon as he had killed an (wild boar). In 2S5 Diocletian coin mowed hostilities against Carinus (the joint Emperor along with the deceased Numerianus), \vim, although victorious in the decisive battle that ensued, was murdered by his myn officers, thus leaving to Diocletian the undisputed su premacy. his first years of government were so molested by the incursions of barbarians that, in order to repel their growing aggressiveness, he took to himself a eolleagne—namely. Max iminn—who, under the title of Augustus, be came joint Emperor in .2s6. I)ioeletian re served fur himself charge of tl e eastern half of the Empire, and gave the western to linxintian. still the attack: of the harharians continued as formidable as -ver. The Empire was menaced line Persians is the east. by the Germans and other barbarians in the west : and in order to pro ide for its permanent security. Dioeletian subjected it to a still further division. in .292, e'onstalit ins Chinni.: and Galerius were pro claimed as Caesars, and the distribution of the now fourfold, Diocletian taking the east, with Nicomedia as his seat of government : Alaximian. and with
\lilan as his residence; Consultants, Britain, haul, and Spain. with as his headquar ters; Galerius, Illyricum and the entire valley of the Danube, with Sirmium as his imperial abode. It was lipoti his colleagues that most of the burden of engaging actively in hostilities fell. as Diocletian seldom took the field int per son. .1inong the conquest... nr rather recon quests. that were made under his rule, may he enumerated that of Britain, which, after main taining independence under Carausius and Al lectusu was. in 296, restored to the Empire; that of the Persians, who were defeated and compelled to capitulate in 29A; and that of the .larconianni and others of the northern barbarians, who were driven beyond the Roman frontier. Diocletian, after twenty-one years' harassing tenure of gov ernment. desired to pass the residue of his days in tranquillity. Ott 1. 305, accordingly. lie abdicated the imperial throne at Nicomedia, and compelled his colleague :\ laximian (much against the latter's will to do likewise at Diocle tian sought retirement in his native province of Dalmatia, and for eight years resided at Salona (now Spalato), devoting himself to philo sophic reflection, to rural recreation, and to hortieultural pursuits. Two years before his abdication lie was instigated by his colleague Galerius to that determined and sanguinary persc•ution of the Christians for his reign is chiefly memorable. lie in 313. Consult llason, The l'ersceittion of Diocktiontis (London, lS76).