held the highest military offices under Aurelian and Probus and in 284 was acclaimed emperor by the army. He introduced the "Tetrarchy," splitting the Empire into two parts: Eastern and Western, each ruled by an Augustus and a Caesar. He established his
own residence at Nicomedia and then Byzantium. He put the administration of the state back on a sound basis with an important tax reform and restored faith in the currency. He was a wise and valiant man, but also a cruel one: the Christians were subjecte
d to fierce persecution during his reign. He defeated the Persians and Sarmatians and put down dangerous internal revolts. In 305 he abdicated in favor of Galerius and retired to his palace in Split, where he died in 313.\par
