Diocletian

American

[dahy-uh-klee-shuhn] / ˌdaɪ əˈkli ʃən /

noun

Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, a.d. 245–316, Illyrian soldier: emperor of Rome 284–305.

Diocletian British

/ ˌdaɪəˈkliːʃən /

noun

full name Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus. 245–313 _ad , Roman emperor (284–305), who divided the empire into four administrative units (293) and instigated the last severe persecution of the Christians (303)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

post-Diocletian

adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Finally, persecution under the emperor Diocletian in 303–311 focused on destroying churches in favor of restoring traditional Roman cults.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

The emperor Diocletian implemented a series of measures to address the problems.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

In 284, however, Diocletian, a military official from Illyria in the Balkans, was declared emperor by his troops.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Diocletian also aimed to fix the empire’s economy, issuing several edicts to curb inflation and promote trade within the empire.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

His sword and the scepter of Diocletian hung on either side of his belt.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023