Define the Following Terms: Tetrarchy

Question

Examlex · Accepted Answer

The Answer is The term "tetrarchy" refers to a form of government where power is divided among four individuals. The word itself is derived from the Greek words "tetra," meaning four, and "arch," meaning rule. This system was most notably implemented by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in AD 293 as a means to address the vastness and complexity of administering the expansive Roman Empire, as well as to provide a more efficient response to internal and external threats.

Under Diocletian's tetrarchy, the empire was divided into two halves, each ruled by an Augustus (senior emperor). Each Augustus then appointed a junior emperor, known as a Caesar, to rule under them and to succeed them in the event of death or retirement. This created a hierarchy of two Augusti and two Caesars, with each responsible for governing a specific quadrant of the empire. The intention was to ensure a smooth succession and to prevent the power struggles that had plagued the empire in the past.

The tetrarchy did not last long beyond Diocletian's reign. It began to crumble after his retirement in 305, as the system's inherent rivalries and the ambitions of different leaders led to civil wars. Constantine the Great eventually abolished the tetrarchy after he became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire in 324. Despite its short lifespan, the tetrarchy was an innovative attempt to manage the complexities of ruling a large and diverse empire.

Define the Following Terms: Tetrarchy

Definitions: