Diocletian and the Tetrarchy - (Debates and Documents in Ancient History) by Roger Rees

About the Book

This book aims to make accessible the sources and controversies concerning a key period in the history of the Roman Empire - the reign of Diocletian and its immediate aftermath.

Book Synopsis

This book aims to make accessible the sources and controversies concerning a key period in the history of the Roman Empire - the reign of Diocletian and its immediate aftermath. Diocletian was an emperor of unusual ambition, and his reign saw considerable military success, an experiment in collegiate government, a move towards provincial capitals away from Rome, a reorganisation of the administrative machinery of empire and its finances, and a committed project to persecute the Christians. In Part I, an introduction to Diocletian and the world of the late third century is followed by six thematic chapters covering a range of aspects of government and society under this emperor, including military, economic, religious and administrative affairs. These chapters discuss the original sources, highlight their strengths and weaknesses, and consider the main scholarly approaches to them. Throughout Part I there are regular cross references to the source material which is presented in Part II - this includes literary, archaeological, artistic, legal, and documentary evidence, as well as coins and inscriptions. All texts are in English, and there is a guide to further reading, a full bibliography, some questions for consideration, a glossary of technical terms, and a brief list of relevant online resources.

Review Quotes

The book is well done and could be recommended to all students of this very important topic.-- "Journal of Ancient Civilisations"

This reviewer was impressed by Rees' excellent control of both the primary sources and the secondary literature on the Tetrarchy. His judgements on various contentious issues are balanced, and, in many cases, he allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions based on the weight of the evidence.... a good introduction to the reign of Diocletian and his co-rulers for the average undergraduate or graduate student.-- "BMCR"

About the Author

Roger Rees is a Reader in Classics at the University of St Andrews. He studied at Cambridge and St Andrews, and has taught at Newcastle, Edinburgh and Trinity College Dublin. His research focuses on the history and literature of the Roman Empire, especially in Late Antiquity. He lives in Fife.