40. Diocletian (Raiser of Taxes) 

Daniel Chapter 11, Verse 20.

(Raiser of Taxes) Diocletian. AD 284-305. 

Daniel uses these 2 words "STAND UP", or "stand before", or "stand" on a few occasions, to emphasise that the person he sees in prophecy, is upon his feet in an upright position in strength and has to be taken note of as regards "His" situation. Here in verse 20, we read of the emperor Diocletian in that fixed steady, maintained, attitude.

The word "SHALL" which precedes the words "STAND UP", is an act of will- power and implies control or authority on the part of the person we are reading about here. Therefore, we now have a king or leader who is strong willed when it comes to showing the Roman world who "HE" is and what "he's" all about! The next words of verse 20 says, "IN HIS ESTATE", the question is whose "estate" are we talking and learning about? An "estate" is a property, possession, -or- an order of men in the body politic.

Up to now in the last few verses we have been unravelling the story of the British Isles during those Roman times. But now we go back to Rome itself and into the years around 284 AD, which is a jump of 200 years towards the years of emperor Diocletian, from the affairs of Agricola and the emperor Domitian.

The situation of what affects Rome also affects the British Isles and all the Roman Empire from one end to the other.

Daniel the prophet is picking out of the "oracles of God", during the ruling power of Rome's iron legs, specific milestones within that Roman era. To convince us reader that there are no "perhaps" these verses mean "this", -or- "maybe Daniel's verses means that" theories, which many so-called translators offer in various answers.

When we conclude Daniel's chapters with all these translations of prophecy, one will see most definitely, that there is a "position" formed also, to verify them as correct! We, in verse 20 are dealing with Roman power, and the same "estate" which the men in verse 19 belonged and that "estate" remains as Rome itself. The place where Agricola was born was Rome and the same "estate" this man is referred to as the "HIS" of verse 20.

The next words of Daniel 11:20 describe the emperor whose portrait we are colouring in here.

"A RAISER OF TAXES IN THE GLORY OF THE KINGDOM". The Emperor Diocletian, has gone down in secular history as the greatest "RAISER OF TAXES" Rome ever saw and "that" was quite a feat on his part, when many emperors raised taxes out of all proportion and emptied the people's pockets. It was the "way" Diocletian went about it, that separated him from the other emperors and made him "STAND UP" for Daniel to see.

Secular history gives us quite a story as to how he went about this task of raising taxes.

Firstly reader, let us have a little background knowledge of Diocletian to help fill in the memory picture. Gaius Diocletian was born of humble parents in Dalmatia (Yugoslavia), becoming an officer in the Roman army. He became an educated man and of him it was said, -he was a statesman- rather than a warrior. He was the founder of the late Empire of Rome and his reign was more illustrious than any of his predecessors, with his reforms of government lasting after him.

Between the death of the Emperor Domitian in 96 AD and Emperor Diocletian in 284-205 AD there had been a list of 28 notable Emperors of Rome, with many claimants, usurpers and co-emperors. For example, between the years of Emperor Severus Alexander 222-235 AD and Diocletian 284-AD there had been 50 chaotic years of ruling, with 20 Emperors and a host of usurpers holding parts of the Roman Empire for very short periods of time, with the exception of two, all of them meeting violent deaths.

The Roman soldiers seemed to have made and assassinated emperors as they chose, more for their own gain than anything else. When the Emperor Marcus Numerianus died in 284 AD, Diocletian's troops proclaimed him, emperor. Here now was a new emperor who was to bring the "glory" back to Rome, which it had lost through years of great turmoil.

Diocletian was faced with many uprisings in many parts of the Empire and he dealt with them in an unusual way. His problem to restore political order within this vast Empire was no mean task, because it was in a mess. Discipline had broken down, inflation gripped the marketplace and the Empire's frontiers on all sides were breached.

The unusual way he went about restoring order was to select a colleague to help him rule and he chose a fellow officer named Marcus Aurelius Maximian, who became known as Maximian. Diocletian first gave him the title of Caesar and later the title of Augustus.

But Diocletian needed more assistance he could rely on in defending and administrating such a vast Empire, and of course a peaceful succession to the Roman throne is what was needed at that time.

Diocletian again selected two more colleagues to assist him, one named Gaius Galerius Maximianus, better known as Galerius, who he adopted as his son. The other colleague was Flavius Constantius, who Maximian adopted as his son. So, 2 emperors had the title of Augustus and the latter two were Caesar's and heirs- apparent. These four ruled the empire jointly, but Diocletian retaining the superior rank overall.

He even went so far as to establish once more the official doctrine of divine right to the emperor's position and demanded all who approached him must prostrate themselves in adoration.

Diocletian was an absolute sovereign, adopting the regalia of the Eastern courts complete with a robe of silk, gold and purple.

Here we begin to see Daniel's words taking shape in Diocletian's attitude of ruling, when we read in verse 20 "IN THE GLORY OF THE KINGDOM".

Diocletian brought back to Rome what Octavian Augustus had given it in the beginning, which was a figurehead as a deity, with the joys of heaven's blessing. To have "GLORY" as Daniel put it, is to have all the things, with praise, honour, distinction and heavenly bliss thrown in for good measure.

This fourfold rule of the Empire resulted in maintaining law and order, strengthening Rome's control in administrative reorganisation, within far flung arrears, such as Africa, Persia and far away British Isles.

The four rulers of Rome carved up the Empire as such, Maximian had Italy and Africa, -Constantius had Gaul, Spain and Britain,- Galerius took the Germanic countries of the Danube and Rhine and Diocletian took control of the East, namely the provinces of Asia, Asia Minor, Egypt and Thrace.

As I said previously reader, Diocletian's rule was an absolute divine monarchy, having declared to all that his special protector was the god Jove or Jupiter. -With elaborate functions because of his so-called divinity, it set Diocletian, Maximilian and the two Caesars above the rest of mankind.

He was an autocratic ruler, introducing Eastern ceremonies at his court, which court was moved to Milan and soon took on the splendour of an Imperial city. So, the "GLORY" of Rome was forged once more after so many messy years before his rule, with Daniel's prophetic words coming true.

Daniel calls Diocletian "A RAISER OF TAXES", indeed, in his zeal he was to set an elaborate form of taxation in motion.

The Empire was divided into 101 provinces, grouped into 13 larger divisions called dioceses, each of which was directed by a vicar. Then into four major parts over which a Caesar was placed to rule, (the names I have already given).

Diocletian it seemed had a very orderly mind and character, because he regulated all things around him which became oppressive to say the least.

During the year 301 AD an "Edict of Diocletian" fixed the maximum prices of commodities and wages throughout the empire, fixing a death penalty for violators of the system, but it became so unenforceable it had to be abandoned. Diocletian sent out a vast army of Census-takers to every part of the Roman world, to collect data for the purpose of taxes, having then extensive records of its peoples, their land and possessions. For example, he knew that a farmer named Dionysius living at Mytilene on the Island of Lesbos, owned 216 first class olive trees.

There is an account of commodities from Britain, when corn was exported to the army on the Rhine. How prices were fixed for pearls, hunting dogs and woollen blankets etc; coming from this province.

This census taking became a regular affair and increased the taxes to the state. It also kept families on their land, which brought about the hereditary principle of a son obliged to take over his father's inheritance. It is said the oppressive system of collecting taxes set men in a caste system for serfdom and peonage.

Diocletian had a vast army of officials for his administrative and financial reforms for the Empire. He also increased the size of the army to 60 legions and at the same time broke up the legions into smaller sections, giving them less chance for trouble. As it was, 2 army Commanders of Britain who had made an attempt to usurp the throne of Rome and then arrest power from the hands of Caesar Constantius in 293-296, were killed for their troubles.

To hold back the barbarians who had broken through the frontiers of the Roman world, Diocletian had strong fortifications built consisting of towers, forts and cities, stationing his large army along them.

Diocletian indeed fulfilled Daniel's prophecy of him, as a Raiser of Taxes and glorifying his Kingdom. Diocletian will also be remembered in secular history, for his unleashing a terrible persecution of the Christians, beginning in 302 AD, it was most violent in the East.

In Britain over the years of Roman rule and during Diocletian's reign, the "Isles" were harassed from the sea with raids by the Saxons and from Gaul came the Celts and from the Scottish border the Picts. Though the raids were fewer during his reign, because Diocletian garrisoned and fortified the East Coast and maintained a navy in the North Sea, nevertheless, they were to continue into a deluge as the years sped on. From the Roman world whole families had been transported over many years and resettled in Britain. The British Isles was ever reforming and reshaping with the ebb and flow of the tides of men.

The Emperor Septimus Severus who had reigned on the Roman throne during the years 193-211 AD had died at York. Directing the defence of the British frontier from the Scottish raids etc; had reorganised the British tribes in their lands, bringing into being the 10 Horns (or 10 tribes) of Rome in doing so, which prophecy was spoken by Daniel 7:7,8 etc;

During the time of Agricola's governorship of Britain 61 AD to 93 AD the tribes in the "Isles" had been much more numerous, there had been 21 larger tribes. For example,- in Wales the Silures and Ordovices also shared the land with the Demetae and Deceangli and on the border with England the Cornovii and Dumnonii resided. Septimus Severus, a strong army man and a man who made the provinces like Britain more important than Rome itself. He split up the big provincial commands of Britain, Syria and Africa into divided commands, in doing so he gave the British Isles, her 10 Roman horns or toes. Thereby, reshuffling Agricola's 21 tribes into 10 princedoms, these being directly under the control of the emperor.

So, by the time Diocletian set his reorganisation for taxation purposes, the Command's or Princedoms within the province of Britain, was established already. Diocletian's way of dividing the political union of the Roman world into smaller authorities. He himself though preferring the East to the West, so setting the seal in place for the perpetual separation of both East and West into the 2 Roman iron legs. - (Daniel 2/33). Which Constantine was to endorse at a later date. The 10 Roman horns were to remain until those 10 Saxon Kingdoms were going to take Rome's place.

As I have written before reader, the 10 Roman horns, or 10 toes, that were part iron, part clay, are as follows:- 10 Roman horns were- Dumnonii - Belgae - Artrebates - Cantii - Trinovantes - Iceni - Coritani - Ordovices - Silures - Brigantes. These are the "iron horns" belonging and subject to the Roman Empire and these horns fell when Rome took her legions away in 410 AD.

We now come to the last line of Daniel 11:20:- "BUT WITHIN FEW DAYS HE SHALL BE DESTROYED, NEITHER IN ANGER, NOR IN BATTLE". Diocletian made another remarkable move in his ruling of the Roman Empire, "he" being the first Roman emperor to abdicate his throne.

First, he voluntarily shared his office with 3 other rulers, now he was to step down in 305 AD from that rule, from his own choice and persuading his co-Emperor Maxinian to do likewise.

When Daniel says:- "BUT WITHIN FEW DAYS", or- in a few years things will change. As a prophet Daniel had "seen" Diocletian's pomp and glory raising Rome out of the mess it was in, after Diocletian became emperor. -Now the word "BUT" is used.- Or- except and besides these other things, or nevertheless, something else will happen to Diocletian at that time of his "glory".

The word "WITHIN" in verse 20 can mean "within" the limits of the years he had been given for ruling. -Or- "within" his own inner self, of the mind and heart something else will happen.

The next 2 words -"FEW DAYS"- gives one the answer as to which explanation we choose when translating the word "within".

We must be fully aware reader that in Holy Scripture the expression of -a day- many times means - 1 year and as Diocletian reigned until his 21st year, we may perhaps perceive that it means 21 days.

In other verses in Daniel's prophecies, he also gives "years" for a certain ruler to perform within his time zone in history. Such as verse 6 pertaining to Ptolemy IX Lathyrus Soter II, we read of "years" for his rule.

Therefore, what Daniel is saying here is, something "within" Diocletian's mind and heart, -or- "within" his body or health, he was moved to renounce his rule of Rome "within" days, -or- "a short period of time". The word "FEW" in prophecy meaning, "not many" for a reason!

The next words in verse 20 are, "HE SHALL BE DESTROYED", or in literal meaning, "shall" is a word to "pay" -or- "what had to be atoned for". Shall, it is a word of authority passed by the speaker and in Diocletian's case, the speaker was Daniel, on behalf of the prophecies author, God!

Someone who is "DESTROYED", -as Daniel says,- is to be pulled down, which would happen with a structure. It is to put an end to and bring to naught. It also means to kill, subvert, or devastate.

This "putting "AN END TO" Diocletian's rule was "passed on him", making him "pay" in the latter part of his years as emperor, for his violent persecution of Christians at that time. Of course, secular history remembers him most for these persecutions above all!

The persons of Diocletian and Galerius had a mixer of uncontrolled fear and hatred for the Christians. Perhaps because of the Christians "zeal" -even in the face of death- for the man Jesus who the Christians revered most.

Diocletian's palace at Nicomedia twice went up in flames, though the fires caused little damage, it was enough proof for them to blame the Christians. So, retribution upon them was brought about with many thrown into prison, with terrible tortures and bloody executions to follow for a great number of persons. So, all the Roman world had its orders for the Extermination of the Christians.

His other three co-rulers of the Empire, met on occasions to talk over what mischief could be caused amongst this growing sect of people. Augustus Maximian a personally cruel man, enjoyed the slaughter and terrible torture of Christians, because he hated them so much. Caesar Galerius also bore a terrible hatred for them, which he had difficulty to contain. Caesar Constantius had many Christians as servants in his household and found difficulty in punishing them for their beliefs. However, he was lenient and made a token gesture to this dreadful cause.

Diocletian as the autocratic ruler of all Rome, was responsible for its final outcome and heaven alone took note of his authority and actions as prophecy predicts! Therefore, in the 21st year of his reign and when the persecutions were at their height, Diocletian became ill. He perhaps troubled from "within" himself, that the dreadful cruelties were getting out of hand, decided to abdicate the throne. Thereby forcing Augustus Maximian to do likewise, which he resented very much. Diocletian had already planned that this left the succession of ruling to Galerius and Constantius.

Instead, the turmoil that followed Diocletian's abdication, was to help those Christians to escape some of the torment that had been proscribed for them. The desire to rule the Empire with the meticulous manner Diocletian had shown in the past, seemed to have left him. His abdication seems to have stunned most historical writers who still question "why"?

The next 12 months saw the breakdown of the appointed Caesars which Diocletian had so carefully put in place and the army once more tried to dictate the succession of the throne.

Daniel's last words in verse 20 were, -"HE SHALL BE DESTROYED NEITHER IN ANGER, NOR IN BATTLE", -were fulfilled to the letter of our Heavenly Father's Law. The word "anger" was not present here in Diocletian's abdication, because "anger" is a violent passion, it irritates and provokes a person to action. Neither was the word "battle", applicable to him, Diocletian was a statesman and not a warrior, he preferred the art of politics to all out fighting. On the other hand, "abdication" is a deeply thoughtful measure, it is a voluntary manner from "within" a man and something sets that voluntary thought into motion.

We have seen abdication of a throne in the 20th century, when King Edward VIII of the British throne abdicated in favour of the woman he loved. This woman was the motivating "thought" from within setting off that abdication.

The last we hear of Diocletian in history is, that he spent 9 years of his life as a private person, at his palace in Salona on the Adriatic Sea in Dalmatia, (Yugoslavia) which was in the Diocese of Italy. The end of his life he seemed to be doing simple things, building and beautifying his garden, history speaks of him growing cabbages. He was asked to resume the reins of government because of the continuing turmoil in the Empire, but he refused.

It was a strange end to a Roman emperor who only a short few years before caused such dramatic changes in the Roman world. He was worshipped as a deity when men prostrated themselves before his "glory". Now that man called Diocletian whose god was Jove (Jupiter), grew cabbages in seclusion. He was brought down to the earth by an unknown God, who Diocletian knew not! He died in 316 AD having never left his place of retirement.

To end this episode of the Emperor Diocletian, I thought perhaps reader you might find as an extra historical interest to you, from an exert of these times written. Namely Saint George the patron Saint of England 250-300 AD was born in Cappadocia and was a soldier under the Emperor Diocletian. He protested to the emperor against the Christian persecution and was martyred for his trouble. He became the patron saint of Genoa, Italy, before Edward III adopted him for the English nation as their patron saint. Saint George is depicted as slaying the dragon, which some say means "he's slaying the devil", -or- "the evils of the world". I put it to you reader, the bible depicts the Roman Empire as the red dragon, would it not be more appropriate that he's killing the dragon of Rome for all its evil?