THE POSITION OF THE CHURCH AND CHRISTIANITY UNDER THE ROMAN EMPEROR DIOCLETIAN

ABSTRACT

The article deals with the personality of the Emperor Diocletian, his contribution to history and relations with the church. It describes its transformation not only in the economic, but also in the spiritual and political fields. The main purpose of the article is to study the personality and activities of the Emperor Diocletian and to evaluate his contribution to world history. The article uses the method of analysis and description.

Keywords: Emperor Diocletian, Church, conversions.

Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletian-a great ruler of the Roman Empire, a fine politician who lived in the III-IV centuries. The starting point of his biography and the date of birth is considered to be December 22, 244. The future emperor was born in a family belonging to the lower lower class, but having a subtle mind, a thirst for knowledge and being an excellent worker, Diocles was able to find himself in the ranks of the soldiers of the army of the Emperor Gallienus. Thanks to hard work and personal qualities of a warrior, he was able to quickly achieve success in this field. Thus, having earned the trust and respect of his colleagues and the command, on November 20, 284, at one of the military councils, Diocles was elected emperor by the military commanders.

On the first day of his new position, dressed in the imperial robes, Diocles swore an oath of loyalty to his state and defeated the traitor Apra. After that, Diocles gave himself a new name - Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletian. From the very first days of gaining the new status, Diocletian was engaged in the restoration and reunification of his empire. Already in the spring of 285, after only a year in power, the emperor Diocletian led his army to the Marga River, to fight for the Western part of the empire, where the permanent Carinus still ruled. The victory in this battle brought Diocletian fame and respect and meant only one thing – the former reunification of the Roman state under the leadership of one ruler.

Now an absolutely new system is being formed, not only of imperial power, but also of the spiritual and everyday life of the peoples of the Roman Empire. This is also emphasized by the historian I. O. Knyazky in his work "The Emperor Diocletian and the Decline of the Ancient World": "The coming to power of Diocletian drew a line in the political evolution of the imperial power. The long-dilapidated system of the Principate is officially finally eliminated in the first years of its rule. An absolute monarchy in its essence becomes so in its form. A new political terminology is born, reflecting a new political system headed by a deified emperor. The remnants of the former republican freedom are gone forever. The monarch no longer wishes to recognize even the formal supremacy of the people in the person of the Roman Senate." [2, p. 32]. The historian also mentions the self-determination of the emperor and the proper attitude of the people to power, according to the ruler, in his work: "In all the events of Diocletian, there is clearly a constant desire to emphasize the divine character of the imperial power, the divinity of the very person of the ruler of the empire." [2, p. 32].

With the coming of Diocletian to power, almost everything changes. He was an innovator of his time and was unlike any of his predecessors. "He was a very skilful and diligent sovereign, and was the first in Rome to introduce royal customs in place of the former Roman freedom. Ordered him to bow, whereas before he was just greeted, wore clothes and shoes decorated with precious stones." [1, p. 26].  In matters of public administration, in the sphere of economy, politics and in the military field, Diocletian achieves great success, brings many innovations and carries out fundamental reforms. Summing up, it should be said that during the time of Diocletian in power in the Roman Empire, an absolutely unprecedented system of empire management was created, the state power was finally systematized and centralized, which made it possible to have full control in the management of not only the capital of the state, but also every remote corner of it.

References:

1. Bolotov V. V. Lectures on the History of the Ancient Church. Postmortem ed. / Ed. Prof. A. Brilliantova. - St. Petersburg: Merkusheva Type, 1907.
2. Knyazky I. O. Imperator Diocletian and the Decline of the Ancient World / I. O. Knyazky.- St. Petersburg: Aleteia, 2010.