Stephen Williams is a freelance writer. His most recent book is Theodosius: The Empire at Bay.

"[Williams] has performed a valuable service for the profession as well as for the general reader ... his judgment of particular matters is invariably sound, and the book is a well-written synthesis." -- AmericanHistorical Review USE"Stephen Williams is not a professional Roman historian, but he is certainly an expert, and his view of Diocletian is original and convincing. ... [He] is an equitable and balanced historian and I think one can rely on him." -- Peter Levi"This is the first biography of Diocletian in English and is written both for students of history and politics and for general readers." -- The Bloomsbury Review USE"This biography is never dull, for the author writes with considerable style, and he has the ability to turn a neat phrase." -- James E. Seaver History Reviews of New Books

• PART I: CRISIS; 1. The Third-Century Collapse; 2. Virtus Illyrici; PART II: EMERGENCE; 3. Jove and Hercules; 4. The Tetrarchy; 5. Victory and Consolidation - Britain, Africa, the Danube; 6. Victory and Consolidation - Egypt and Persia; PART III: THE NEW ORDER; 7. Defense in Depth; 8. The Recasting of Government; 9. Finance, Taxation, Inflation; 10. A Command Economy; 11. The New Order; PART IV: TRIUMPHS AND DEFEATS; 12. The Gods are Alive; 13. Politeia Christi; 14. The Great Persecution; 15. Abortive Renewal; PART V: AFTERMATH; 16. Constantine's Completion; 17. In the Long Run