Diocletian, whose reign is one of the most illustrious in
Roman history, entered the army as a common soldier, rose to high command, and
fought his way to the throne. A strong, ambitious man, Diocletian resolutely
set himself to the task of remaking the Roman government. His success in this
undertaking entitles him to rank, as a statesman and administrator, with
Augustus.
WEAKNESSES IN THE IMPERIAL SYSTEM
The reforms of Diocletian were meant to remedy those
weaknesses in the imperial system disclosed by the disasters of the preceding
century. In the first place, experience showed that the empire was unwieldy.
There were the distant frontiers on the Rhine, Danube, and Euphrates to be
guarded; there were all the provinces to be governed. A single ruler, however
able and energetic, had more than he could do. In the second place, the
succession to the imperial throne was uncertain. Now an emperor named his
successor, now the Senate elected him, and now the swords of the legionaries
raised him to the purple. Such an unsettled state of affairs constantly invited
those struggles between rival pretenders which had so nearly brought the empire
to destruction.
