748 



DIOCLESIAN. 



Dioclesiaa. To their account, whoever was the author, it was 

 r "¥" !,s "' charged by that Prince ; who, at the same time, took 

 his departure from Nicomedia, declaring his dread of 

 being burnt by their machinations. The timid and 

 credulous Dioclesian, doubly exasperated by his ter- 

 rors, let loose all the fury of his vengeance against his 

 Christian subjects ; commanded numbers of them to be 

 put to death in the most inhuman manner, as incendia- 

 ries ; and issued a second edict, ordering all their bishops 

 and teachers to be cast into prison. A third edict 

 speedily followed, directing every species of punish- 

 ment and torture to be inflicted upon these unhappy 

 captives, in order to compel them to join in the sacrifices 

 of the Heathen deities, that by their example their respec- 

 tive congregations might be influenced to renounce their 

 religion. In consequence of this barbarous mandate, 

 multitudes of the most eminent and virtuous characters 

 in every quarter of the empire, ( excepting Britain and 

 Gaul, where Constantius Chlorus befriended the Chris- 

 tians,) were put to death by inexpressible tortures, while 

 others were sent to themines to drag out the remainder of 

 their days in the most humiliating servitude. In 304, 

 a fourth edict Avas issued, at the instigation of Galerius, 

 which required the magistrates to compel every Chris- 

 tian of every rank and sex, to offer sacrifice to the Hea- 

 then gods, and to employ every kind and degree of tor- 

 ture for this purpose. This persecution, which is ge- 

 nerally reckoned the tenth, and which was much more 

 bloody than any which had preceded it, continued to 

 rage, with little abatement, for the space of ten years, 

 when Galerius at length, suffering, in his turn, from the 

 horrors of a mortal and excruciating disease, recalled 

 these barbarous decrees, A. D. 311, and restored re- 

 pose to the wretched remains of his Christian subjects. 

 It had very nearly, indeed, proved fatal to the Christian 

 name ; and at one period of its progress, the tyrants 

 themselves boasted, in a public proclamation, that they 

 had extinguished that powerful superstition, and re- 

 stored the worship of the gods to its former splen- 

 dour. 



From the commencement of this persecution, the Em- 

 peror Dioclesian, to whatever cause it may be ascribed, 

 was pursued by a succession of calamities. After cele- 

 brating a magnificent triumph at Rome, A. D. 303, on 

 account of the success of his arms, and his entrance into 

 the twenty-third year of his reign, he retired to Nico- 

 media, with the design of prosecuting his embellish- 

 ments of that favourite city. Here he was seized with 

 a lingering disorder, which reduced him to a state of 

 extreme debility, terminating in a species of epilepsy ; 

 and when he appeared again in public, about the be- 

 ginning of the year 305, in order to dissipate the re- 

 ports which were propagated of his death, he was so 

 pale and emaciated, that he could scarcely be recog- 

 nized by those who had been most familiarly acquainted 

 with his person. Galerius, about the same time, re- 

 turned to Nicomedia, requiring him to resign the im- 

 perial authority, as he Avas noAv become unfit to dis- 

 charge its functions, and threatening to compel him by 

 force, should he refuse to make a voluntary surrender 

 of bis power. It has been alleged, that such was in 

 fact the private intention of Dioclesian, i* consequence 

 of his feeble state of health; but it is an unquestionable 

 fact, that the execution at least of his purpose was has- 

 tened by the demands of his ambitious colleague, who 

 had in like manner intimidated Maximian to retire at 

 the same time from the sovereignty. On the same day, 

 therefore, the first of May 305, Maximian at Milan, and 

 Dioclesian at Nicomedia, publicly abdicated the impe- 



rial throne ; and the latter immediately AvithdreAv to a Diode.'ina. 

 favourite residence in his native country of Dalmatia, "^^T mmr 

 near to the city of Salona. Here he built a magnificent 

 palace, of which some remains are still to be seen, and 

 which form a part of the modern town of Spalatro. In 

 this retreat he amused himself with the operations of 

 planting and gardening, in which he used to declare, 

 that he enjoyed more happiness, than when he was 

 adorned with the purple ; and was often heard to ex- 

 claim, " Now it is that I live ; noAv I see the beauty of 

 the sun !" When Maximian afterAvards solicited him 

 to resume Avith him the reins of government, he is re- 

 ported to have made the following reply : " I wish that 

 you could come to Salona, that I might sheAV you the 

 pot-herbs, which I have planted with my own hand, 

 and I am sure that you would never again make men- 

 tion to me of the empire." Though he was at first 

 greatly honoured in his retirement, by his successors, 

 yet he experienced many afflicting, or at least humilia- 

 ting circumstances, both in his own condition, and in 

 the treatment of his family. His wife Prisle, and his 

 daughter Valeria, were both treated with the utmost se- 

 verity by Maximian, and finally banished to the de- 

 serts of Syria, in spite of all his solicitations in their be- 

 half; while he himself received some threatening mes- 

 sages from Constantine and Licinius, who had suspect- 

 ed him of being engaged in the disturbances occasioned 

 by Maxentius. He Avas thus constantly in dread of suf- 

 fering an ignominious death ; and this apprehension, 

 united with his distemper, threw him into such an agi- 

 tation of mind and body, that he enjoyed no rest, either 

 night or day, but spent his Avhole time in sighs and 

 tears. At last, worn out by his suffering, or, according 

 to others, having poisoned or starved himself, he ex- 

 pired in the 68th year of his age, A. D. 313. A mag- 

 nificent tomb was erected to his memory, and he Avas 

 deified with the usual solemnities. 



It has been noticed as rather an unaccountable cir- 

 cumstance, that, though no reign was more remarkable 

 for its length and its events, and though a great num- 

 ber of historians flourished during its course, yet there 

 is none of the Roman emperors, whose history is more 

 imperfectly knoAvn than that of Dioclesian. This has 

 been ascribed by some writers to the hatred Avhich the 

 Christians bore to his memory, which led them to sup- 

 press all histories and memoirs of which he Avas the sub- 

 ject ; and by others it has been considered as the just 

 retribution of Heaven, for his endeavours to abolish the 

 sacred records. It is generally admitted, that he was 

 desirous of emulating good emperors, and diligent in 

 promoting the welfare of the empire. He enacted 

 many excellent laws, and studied particularly to render 

 provisions abundant in his army, his capital, and in 

 every quarter of the empire. He discountenanced vice, 

 promoted virtuous characters to places of trust, and, 

 until seduced by Galerius, was rather a friend than an 

 enemy to the Christians. But he may be regarded as 

 one Avho acted a part, and Avas naturally devoid of those 

 qualities which constitute an amiable or estimable 

 prince. Not to mention his barbarous persecution of 

 the Christians, his general mode of government tended 

 to the oppression of the people. He degraded the cha- 

 racter of the senate, altered the very titles of the magis- 

 trates, and changed entirely the Roman system. His 

 whole establishment Avas formed upon a principle of 

 ostentation ; and he imitated, in every thing, the 

 stately magnificence of the eastern potentates. He as- 

 sumed the diadem, which the Romans detested ; and 

 arrayed his person in the most sumptuous attire of silk 



