Rome was coming apart at the seams. Civil wars, economic collapse, breakaway empires, invading armies - the Third Century Crisis pushed the ancient superpower to the edge of extinction. Then an obscure soldier from the Balkans stepped into the chaos.

In this episode, we interview Dr. David Gwynn to explore the rise of Emperor Diocletian. From his brutal path to the throne to the creation of the Tetrarchy, Diocletian rebuilt a shattered empire through radical reforms, ruthless centralisation, and a complete reimagining of imperial power.