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The Tetrarchy Facts & Worksheets

Roman Emperor Diocletian established the Tetrarchy in 293 CE. A system of government, it included four different rulers.

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Emperor Diocletian established the Tetrarchy in 293 CE. A system of government in the Roman Empire, it included four different rulers: two head emperors (Diocletian and Maximian) and two junior emperors (Constantius and Galerius). Each of these Emperors ruled independently and divided the empire into four districts.

See the fact file below for more information on The Tetrarchy, or you can download our 24-page Tetrarchy worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ROMAN TETRARCHY

  • Tetrarchy refers to a “rule of four.” The Greek words for four (tetra-) and rule (arch-) gave it its name. In practice, the term refers to the division of a government or organization into four parts, each of which is led by a different individual. 
  • Although there have been a number of Tetrarchies over the course of history, the term is typically used to describe the division of the Roman Empire into a western and eastern empire, each of which had subordinate divisions.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TETRARCHY

  • From 284 to 305 CE, Diocletian was the emperor of Rome. Diocletian rose through the ranks of the Roman military to become the cavalry commander for Emperor Carus. 
  • Diocletian was made emperor after Carus and his son Numerian died while traveling through Persia on a campaign. 
  • The Crisis of the Third Century came to an end during Diocletian’s reign, which resulted in the empire’s stability. 
  • In 286, he made Maximian, a fellow officer, co-emperor with Augustus. In 293, Diocletian delegated further, naming Constantius and Galerius caesars, or junior co-emperors. 
  • This tetrarchy, also known as the “rule of four,” stipulated that each emperor would be in charge of a quarter of the empire. Diocletian also made sure the borders of the empire were safe and got rid of anyone who could damage his power.
  • He established the empire’s largest and most bureaucratic government by separating and expanding the civil and military services as well as reorganizing the provinces.
  • Diocletian was able to manage matters in the eastern regions of the empire thanks to this reorganization, and Maximian was able to manage matters in the western regions in a similar manner.
  • This reduced the amount of administrative work required to manage an empire as large as Rome’s by half. Diocletian, with Maximian’s consent, expanded the imperial college in 293 by appointing Galerius and Constantius Chlorus as two caesars, each responsible to one of Augustus’ successors.
  • Constantius and Galerius were made augusti after the senior emperors retired and jointly retired in 305. The second tetrarchy was established when they appointed two new caesars: Maximinus in the east under Galerius and Severus II in the west under Constantius.
  • The four emperors did not reside in Rome but rather in other cities near the frontiers, primarily to serve as headquarters for the defense of the empire against rivals on the other side of the border.
  • Even though Rome no longer functioned as a capital, it continued to be the nominal capital of the entire Roman Empire under its own distinct Prefect of the City (praefectus urbis).

DIVISION OF POWER

  • During this time, the Roman state was not actually divided into four distinct sub-empires, and there was no precise division of regional jurisdiction between the four tetrarchs. Within the Roman Empire, each emperor had his own area of influence, which primarily affected the battlefield.
  • While delegating the majority of administration to the hierarchical bureaucracy headed by each respective Praetorian Prefect (a title for a high office in the Roman Empire), the Tetrarch was frequently present in the field. 
  • They started out as the commander of the Praetorian Guard. Over time, the office expanded to include a lot of legal and administrative responsibilities, and the people who held it became the emperor’s top assistants.

THE SECOND TETRARCHY

  • When Diocletian and Maximian retired, their Caesars: Galerius and Constantius Chlorus, were both elevated to the rank of Augustus and two new Caesares, Maximinus and Flavius Valerius Severus, were appointed. The second tetrarchy was formed.
  • But when Constantius died in 306, his son Constantine was proclaimed Augustus by his father’s troops, and Galerius elevated Severus to the position of Augustus. 
  • Maxentius, the son of Maximian, resented being excluded from the new arrangements. He defeated Severus, forced him to retire, and then planned his assassination in 307. 
  • After that, Maxentius and Maximian both declared that they were Augusti. Thus, there were at least four contenders for Augustus’ position (Galerius, Constantine, Maximian, and Maxentius) by 308, but only one for Caesar’s (Maximinus).
  • In 308, Galerius called an imperial conference at Carnuntum with the retired emperor Diocletian and Maximian. The council agreed that Constantine would serve as Licinius‘ caesar in the West. 
  • Maximinus remained Augustus’ caesar in the East, and Galerius remained augustus. 
  • Maxentius was declared a usurper, and Maximian was scheduled to retire. 
  • This agreement went terribly wrong: by 308, Maxentius was de facto in charge of Italy and Africa even though he didn’t have an imperial title. Neither Constantine nor Maximinus, who had been caesares since 306 and 305, were willing to let Augustus Licinius become their superior.
  • The majority of those who claimed the imperial office died or were killed in various civil wars between 309 and 313. In 310, Constantine made Maximian commit suicide. 
  • In 311, Galerius passed away naturally. At the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312, Maxentius was defeated and killed by Constantine. In 313, Maximinus took his own life at Tarsus after Licinius defeated him in battle.
  • Therefore, there were only two emperors left by 313. Licinius was in the East, and Constantine was in the West. Although Constantine finally defeated Licinius in 324, united the two halves of the Roman Empire, and declared himself sole augustus, the tetrarchic system was over.

LEGACY OF DIOCLETIAN’S TETRARCHY

  • Diocletian was a very ambitious emperor who was astute and hardworking. He wanted to fortify and guard his borders, so he doubled the size of his army and decreed that every soldier’s son would inherit his father’s estate. 
  • He also realized that he couldn’t control the provinces or taxes because the Empire was so big, so he set up an autocratic structure, made more bureaucrats, doubled the number of provinces, and had local officials report directly to Rome. 
  • By emphasizing taxpayer liability and making all tax information public, he also altered the Empire tax policy. He was the first ruler to use tax revenue to make a state budget. 
  • Despite alterations, Diocletian’s tax system and administration continue to exist today. He ruled that only gold or silver, not lead, could be used to make coins.
  • Diocletian was a polytheist like all Roman emperors. Although he did not consider himself a God, he believed that he and the other Emperors were God’s representatives on Earth. 
  • Because of this, he persecuted Christians out of resentment. Ironically, Constantine, Diocletian’s successor, made Christianity the Empire’s primary religion.

Tetrarchy Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Tetrarchy across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Tetrarchy. Emperor Diocletian established the Tetrarchy in 293 CE. A system of government, it included four different rulers.

Tetrarchy Worksheets
Tetrarchy Worksheets
Tetrarchy Worksheets

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Tetrarchy Facts
  2. Four in Rome 
  3. Periods of Roman Rule
  4. 3rd-Century Rome
  5. Beginning and End
  6. Leadership Qualities
  7. Four Tetrarchs
  8. Compared to Tetrarchy
  9. Applying a Tetrarchy
  10. Power of Four
  11. Promoting Rome Today

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the Tetrarchy?

The Tetrarchy was a system of government established by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 293 CE, in which power was divided among four co-emperors, each responsible for a portion of the Roman Empire.

Who were the four co-emperors in the Tetrarchy?

The four co-emperors in the Tetrarchy were Diocletian and Maximian as the senior Augusti, and Galerius and Constantius Chlorus as the junior Caesars.

What was the purpose of the Tetrarchy?

The Tetrarchy was established to address the problems of the Roman Empire’s size and complexity by dividing power and responsibility among four rulers. It aimed to improve governance and military coordination and prevent the chaos and civil wars that had plagued the Empire in the past.

How successful was the Tetrarchy?

The Tetrarchy was initially successful in restoring order and stability to the Roman Empire, as well as repelling foreign invaders. However, it was not a permanent solution, as power struggles and internal conflicts eventually led to its collapse.

Why did the tetrarchy ultimately fail?

The tetrarchy faced a number of challenges, including succession crises, disputes among the rulers, and economic instability. It also proved to be a difficult system to maintain over the long term, as the senior emperors often clashed with their subordinates and vied for greater power. The tetrarchy ultimately gave way to the rule of Constantine the Great, who emerged as the sole ruler of the Roman Empire in the early 4th century.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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