Editing Diocletian (section)

===Illness and abdication===
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| image1 = Diocletian's Palace (original appearance).jpg
| caption1 = Reconstruction of the [[Diocletian's Palace|Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian]] in its original appearance upon completion in 305, by [[Ernest Hébrard]]
| image2 = Diocletian's Palace from the air.jpg
| caption2 = Modern-day Diocletian's Palace (2012), as the core of the city of [[Split, Croatia|Split]]
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Diocletian entered the city of Rome in the early winter of 303. On 20 November, he celebrated, with Maximian, the twentieth anniversary of his reign ({{lang|la|vicennalia}}), the tenth anniversary of the Tetrarchy (''[[decennalia]]''), and a triumph for the war with Persia. Diocletian soon grew impatient with the city, as the Romans acted towards him with what [[Edward Gibbon]], following [[Lactantius]], calls "licentious familiarity".{{sfn|Gibbon|1952|loc=Vol. 1, pp. 153 & 712, note 92}} The Roman people did not give enough deference to his supreme authority; they expected him to act the part of an aristocratic ruler, not a monarchic one. On 20 December 303,{{sfn|Potter|2005|p=341}} Diocletian cut short his stay in Rome and left for the north. He did not even perform the ceremonies investing him with his ninth consulate; he did them in [[Ravenna]] on 1 January 304 instead.{{sfn|Barnes|1981|pp=24–25}} There are suggestions in the ''[[Panegyrici Latini]]'' and Lactantius's account that Diocletian arranged plans for his and Maximian's future retirement of power in Rome. Maximian, according to these accounts, swore to uphold Diocletian's plan in a ceremony in the [[Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus|Temple of Jupiter]].{{sfnm|1a1=Panegyrici Latini|1loc=7(6)15.16|2a1=Lactantius|2loc=20.4|3a1=Southern|3y=2001|3pp=152, 336}}

From Ravenna, Diocletian left for the Danube. There, possibly in Galerius's company, he took part in a campaign against the Carpi.{{sfn|Potter|2005|p=341}} He contracted a minor illness while on campaign, but his condition quickly worsened and he chose to travel in a [[Litter (vehicle)|litter]]. In the late summer, he left for Nicomedia. On 20 November 304, he appeared in public to dedicate the opening of the circus beside his palace. He collapsed soon after the ceremonies. Over the winter of 304–05 he kept within his palace at all times. Rumors spread through the city that Diocletian's death was being kept secret until Galerius could assume power. On 13 December, it was falsely announced that Diocletian had killed himself. The city was sent into mourning from which it recovered after public declarations that Diocletian was still alive. When Diocletian reappeared in public on 1 March 305, he was emaciated and barely recognizable.{{sfnm|1a1=Barnes|1y=1981|1p=25|2a1=Southern|2y=2001|2p=152}}

Galerius arrived in the city later in March. According to [[Lactantius]], he came armed with plans to reconstitute the Tetrarchy, force Diocletian to step down, and fill the Imperial office with men compliant to his will. Through coercion and threats, he eventually convinced Diocletian to comply with his plan. Lactantius also claims that he had done the same to Maximian at Sirmium.{{sfn|Lactantius|loc=18.1–7}}{{sfnm|1a1= Barnes|1y=1981|1p=25|2a1=Southern|2y=2001|2p=152}} Scholars doubt Lactantius' account, since he had a strong bias against Galerius and probably attempted to villainize him.{{sfnm|1a1=Nixon|1a2=Rodgers|1y=2023|1pp=188-190|2a1=Southern|2y=2015|2p=237}} On 1 May 305, Diocletian called an assembly of his generals, traditional companion troops, and representatives from distant legions. They met at the same hill, {{convert|5|km|mi}} out of Nicomedia, where Diocletian had been proclaimed emperor. In front of a statue of Jupiter, his patron deity, Diocletian addressed the crowd. With tears in his eyes, he told them of his weakness, his need for rest, and his will to resign. He declared that he needed to pass the duty of empire on to someone stronger. He thus became the first (and arguably only) Roman emperor to voluntarily abdicate his title.{{sfnm|1a1=Barnes|1y=1981|1pp=25–27|2a1=Lenski|2y=2006|2p=60|3a1=Odahl|3y=2004|3pp=69–72|4a1=Potter|4y=2005|4pp=341–342}}{{refn|Diocletian almost certainly abdicated because of his advanced age and illness, but he also had a specific succession plan.{{sfnm|1a1=Nixon|1a2=Rodgers|1y=2023|1pp=188-190|2a1=Southern|2y=2015|2p=237}} Maximian was reluctant to abdicate, and later attempted to usurp power twice. Three more emperors abdicated in the later [[Eastern Empire]]: [[Staurakios]] ({{reign}}811), [[Michael I Rangabe|Michael I]] ({{reign}}811–813) and [[Isaac I Komnenos|Isaac I]] ({{reign}}1057–59), but all of them where forced to abdicate by a new emperor.|group="Note"}}

Most in the crowd believed that [[Constantine I|Constantine]] and Maxentius, the only adult sons of reigning emperors, who had long been preparing to succeed their fathers, would be granted the title of ''Caesar''. Constantine had travelled through Palestine at the right hand of Diocletian, and was present at the palace in Nicomedia in 303 and 305. It is likely that Maxentius received the same treatment.{{sfn|Barnes|1981|pp=25–26}} In Lactantius's account, when Diocletian announced that he was to resign, the entire crowd turned to face Constantine.{{sfn|Lactantius|loc=19.2–6}}{{sfnm|1a1=Barnes|1y=1981|1p=26|2a1=Potter|2y=2005|2p=342}} It was not to be: [[Severus II]] and [[Maximinus II]] were declared caesars. Maximinus appeared and took Diocletian's robes. On the same day, Severus received his robes from Maximian in Milan. Constantius succeeded Maximian as ''Augustus'' of the West, but Constantine and Maxentius were entirely ignored in the transition of power. This did not bode well for the future security of the tetrarchic system.{{sfnm|1a1=Lenski|1y=2006|1pp=60–61|2a1=Odahl|2y=2004|2pp=72–74|3a1=Southern|3y=2001|3pp=152–153}}