History glossary
Tetrarchy
Diocletian's system of four rulers sharing imperial authority across different regions.
- Category
- Political system
- Region
- Roman Empire
- Date range
- 293-313 CE
What it means
The Tetrarchy was Diocletian's attempt to stabilize the Roman Empire by dividing rule among two senior emperors, called Augusti, and two junior emperors, called Caesars. It brought rulers closer to frontier crises and tried to make succession more orderly, though the system later broke down into renewed rivalry.
