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Diocletian
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Diocletian Gold coin showing a profile portrait of Roman emperor Diocletian wearing a laurel wreath, with an inscription around the edge. Diocletian Palace of Diocletian Diocletian's tetrarchy
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Statue of of the Roman emperor Nero with the lighthouse in the background at Anzio, Lazio region, Italy
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Overlooking the Roman Forum with Temple of Saturn in Rome, Italy
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Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon in Coronation Robes or Napoleon I Emperor of France, 1804 by Baron Francois Gerard or Baron Francois-Pascal-Simon Gerard, from the Musee National, Chateau de Versailles.
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Diocletian
Diocletian Diocletian.

Diocletian

Roman emperor
Also known as: Diocles, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus
Written by
Jean Cousin
Professor of Latin Language and Literature, University of Besançon, France. Author of Destin de Rome and others.
Jean Cousin
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

Diocletian (born 245 ce, Salonae?, Dalmatia [now Solin, Croatia]—died 316, Salonae) was a Roman emperor (284–305 ce) who restored efficient government to the empire after the near anarchy of the 3rd century. His reorganization of the fiscal, administrative, and military machinery of the empire laid the foundation for the Byzantine Empire in the East and temporarily shored up the decaying empire in the West. The last major persecution of Christians occurred during his reign. Diocletian’s...

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