Roman Senator,
and he had himself risen from this low station to the highest positions
in the army. He acted with generosity toward the servants of the former
emperor, not only suffering them to remain in safety under his rule, but
even to retain their offices. Finding the empire too large to be
governed by a single ruler, he selected as his colleague Maximian, a
brave, but fierce and ignorant soldier, who, like himself, had risen to
a high rank in the army. Maximian, however, always admitted the
intellectual superiority of Diocletian. The emperor assumed the title of
Jovius, and Maximian that of Herculius. Diocletian also appointed two
Caesars, Constantius and Galerius, to aid him in the defense of the
empire, which was divided between the four princes. Gaul, Spain, and
Britain were intrusted to the care of Constantius, Italy and Africa to
Maximian, Galerius commanded the legions on the Danube, while Diocletian
reserved for himself Thrace, Egypt, and Asia. The four rulers seemed to
have labored together in harmony, but the establishment of four courts
in different parts of the empire obliged them to increase the taxes, and
every province suffered under new impositions. Even Italy, which had
always been favored in this particular, was now heavily burdened, and
every where lands were abandoned and left uncultivated because their
owners could not pay the taxes and impositions. In A.D. 287 a rebellion
occurred in Gaul, which was suppressed by Maximian; soon after,
Carausius, having become master of Britain, and possessing a
considerable fleet, defied the power of the emperor; but when
Constantius was appointed Caesar he prepared to reduce the island to
subjection. In A.D. 294 Carausius was put to death by Allectus, a new
usurper. Constantius now crossed the Channel and recovered the island,
which, after a separation of ten years, was once more reunited to the
empire. During this reign the Goths, Vandals, and other northern
barbarians wasted their strength in destructive contests with each
other; but whenever, in intervals of peace, they invaded the Roman
territory, they were driven back by the valor of the two Caesars.
Maximian, in the mean time, subdued a revolt in Africa; and Diocletian
himself suppressed one of those seditions to which Egypt was constantly
exposed. The emperor besieged Alexandria for eight months, cut off the
aqueducts which conveyed water to the city, and, having taken it, put
many thousands of its citi