Lex Fridman · Murder of Roman Emperors - The crisis that almost destroyed the Roman Empire | Anthony Kaldellis

1. 1. In the crisis of the 3rd century, 26 emperors were murdered in 50 years, almost all generals killed by their own men.
2. 2. The empire fractured into three pieces, but Emperor Aurelian reconquered them in five years.
3. 3. Diocletian solved the crisis by turning the problem of too many emperors into a solution: he created the Tetrarchy, a college of four co-emperors.
4. 4. Diocletian implemented a universal census and taxation system, ending Italy's tax-exempt status and creating a flat tax that applied to elites as well.
5. 5. Despite Diocletian's laws limiting social mobility, the empire remained a society of high mobility in practice.
6. 6. Diocletian's reforms created a framework for economic and demographic recovery by providing military stability and beating back foreign invasions.