The Cyprian Plague decimated the workforce and the army.
The empire physically broke apart into three pieces: the Gallic Empire in the west, the Palmyrene Empire in the east, and the Roman core. Diocletian and the Tetrarchy (284–305 AD) The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine
Diocletian stabilized the economy through price edicts and reorganized the military into mobile field armies. However, he is also remembered for the "Great Persecution," a final, violent attempt to suppress the rising tide of Christianity and restore traditional Roman values. The Cyprian Plague decimated the workforce and the army
The era began with , a tough general from North Africa who seized power after a bloody civil war. His philosophy was simple: "Enrich the soldiers, and scorn all others." However, he is also remembered for the "Great
After Diocletian’s retirement, the Tetrarchy dissolved into civil war. Out of the smoke emerged . Following his victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312 AD—where he claimed to have seen a vision of a cross in the sky—Constantine fundamentally altered the course of Western civilization.
Constantine legalized Christianity, moving it from a persecuted cult to the favored religion of the state.