Diocletian

Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (245?–312?), born Diocles, was Roman Emperor as Diocletian from November 20, 284 to May 1, 305. Diocletian brought to an end the period popularly known to historians as the "Crisis of the Third Century" (235–284). He established an autocratic government and was responsible for laying the groundwork for the second phase of The Roman Empire, which is known variously as the "Dominate" (as opposed to the Principate), the "Tetrarchy", or simply the "Later Roman Empire". Diocletian's reforms helped ensure the survival of the Western Roman Empire for another two hundred years, and the survival of the Eastern Roman Empire (later the Byzantine Empire) for another thousand.

An Illyrian of low birth (from the province of Dalmatia, today's western Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Western Montenegro and Northern Albania), Diocles rose through the ranks to the consulship.

Persecution of Christians In 303, the last and greatest persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire began.

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