The Later Roman Empire: The Tetrarchy

The Later Roman Empire saw significant changes under the Tetrarchy, a system of government established by Emperor Diocletian in the late 3rd century AD. The Tetrarchy, meaning "rule by four," divided the Roman Empire into two halves, each ruled by two co-emperors known as Augusti and Caesares.

Diocletian believed that the empire had grown too vast for one ruler to manage effectively and sought to decentralize power. The Tetrarchy aimed to provide stability and prevent civil wars by ensuring a smooth succession process. Each Augustus was paired with a Caesar, with the intention that the Caesar would eventually succeed the Augustus.

While the Tetrarchy initially brought some stability to the empire, tensions arose between the four rulers, leading to power struggles and conflicts. Diocletian's system began to unravel after his abdication in 305 AD, culminating in the civil wars of the early 4th century.

Despite its eventual collapse, the Tetrarchy marked a significant shift in Roman governance and influenced later imperial systems. It demonstrated the challenges of dividing power and the complexities of succession in a vast empire, leaving a lasting impact on the later history of the Roman Empire.