Was Diocletian a Slave?

Diocletian (244 – 311 AD) – from slave to emperor
His father was a former slave, and some sources say that Diocles was born into slavery himself. The first forty years of his life are mostly obscure, but he became a soldier and rose through the ranks to become a commander of Roman forces on the lower Danube.

What Diocletian was known for?

Diocletian was first and foremost a soldier, but he made reforms not only in Roman military, but also in its financial system, administration, religion, architecture and changed rules of ruling the Empire. One of the most important achievements of Diocletian was the “tetrarchy” – ruling of four.

Why was Diocletian bad?

Diocletian revoked the legal rights of Christians, trying to encourage his citizens back to a more traditional worship of the old Roman gods. He razed churches and destroyed religious scriptures, and went even further to prohibit Christian's from even gathering to worship.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.