Was Diocletian the First Emperor to Reform the System to Stabilize the Empire?

WAS DIOCLETIN THE FIRST EMPEROR TO REFORM THE SYSTEM TO STABILIZE THE EMPIRE? OR DID HE BUILD ON THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF EARLIER EMPERORS FROM THE THIRD CENTURY CE?
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Diocletian was the first emperor to reform the system that stabilized the empire. The crises of the third century ended under Diocletian's rule. Diocletian was born in Dalmatia, contemporary Croatia; his father's name was a freedman scribe. He took control of the Roman emperor after rising through the army ranks and killing his predecessors. His deeds as an emperor enabled the Roman empire to last for more than 20 years. However, he experienced challenges emanating from restructuring the central government, recovering the seceding and rebellious provinces, defending the frontiers, and eliminating the conditions favouring consisted attempts to seize the thrones. The solutions provided by Diocletian to address the issues in the third-century crises were focused on developing the efforts others had attempted but were excellent under Diocletian's rule. As such, Constantine I continued with most of the policies implemented by Diocletian.[Potter, D. S. Ancient Rome: A New History. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2018. (255-279)]
During the crisis in the third century, the emperors experienced challenges such as ensuring a stable succession and defending the far-flung frontiers in Rome. As such, Diocletian attempted co-emperorships severally in the 3rd century. He created the tetrarchy system that split the empire into two sections. Each section had a senior and a junior emperor ruled by Augustus and Caesar. The rulers were four in number and maintained a court in the region's hub under Diocletian's control. Also, Diocletian had a personal bodyguard who acted as the main in the mobile army. The person bodyguard played a significant role in ensuring that the coins used in the Roman empire were minted in Diocletian's name. However, the laws and regulations of the emperor were made under the terms of the tetrarchy members.[Southern, Pat. The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine. London: Routledge, 2001.]
After approximately 50 years of barracks emperors, Diocletian decided to rehabilitate the emperor's authority by focusing more on the sacred aura and incorporating the sacred protocols and rituals that had surrounded the Persian Kings. The system developed by Diocletian functioned well. Diocletian operated as the senior Augustus, which was enabled by his unique personality. Although the plan had worked properly, it collapsed in 305 CE after Diocletian had retired.
During his rulership, Augustus Diocletian reformed the taxation and financial systems of the Roman empire, which helped in addressing the physical challenges experienced during the time. According to economic historians, the tax and financial reforms implemented by Augustus Diocletian had hidden consequences. Notably, the sections of the empire played significant roles, such as preventing other generals from affording a large army that could overthrow the throne and creating taxation roles. The strategy implemented did not distinguish Rome and Italy from the Empire. In the 3rd century, Italy and Rome had been mandated to provide the financial resources required for the army, although they did not pay taxes like the other emperors. Diocletian attempted to regulate the rapid increase in goods' prices by monitoring the wages and prices and ensuring that the coinage was back to the Nero standard. The measures employed were inefficient because enough coins could not be minted in the monetary reform. Also, when Diocletian made efforts to control inflation, there was a decrease in the supply of goods.[Southern, Pat. The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine. London: Routledge, 2001.]
Diocletian thus decided to evaluate the demands of the Roman Empire annually. He did so by subdividing the expenditures among all the landowners based on the size and population. The tax collectors played a significant role in deciding the amount of tax commoners were required to pay. It is vital that business people were excluded from direct taxation, and as such, the vulnerable people in the society were heavily taxed. Moreover, Diocletian decided to divide the empire for other reasons, such as preventing the generals from regulating the armies and attaining power that could enable them to become emperors. At the beginning of Diocletian's rulership, people identified his commanding ability. Such stirred rebellions in Egypt as people tried to create ne Gallic Empire.[Bennett, Alice. “Emperor Diocletian: The Genius Who Saved the Roman Empire.” TheCollector, November 12, 2020. /roman-emperor-diocletian/]
Conversely, a British Empire was developed and existed for a decade. Diocletian addressed the problem by dividing the large provinces into small units. He ensured that each Province had an administration hub which the provincial governor monitored. As the reform ended, approximately 100 areas were created, surpassing the previous number. Establishing administration centres and appointing new governors caused bureaucracy to arise in the central government. As such, there was increased efficiency in all the provinces, although not across the regions. Vicars were mandated to play a significant role in controlling cluster provinces. Each cluster had 12 sections and was well known as the diocese. The governors and vicars did not play a military role but rather a civic one, which helped decrease the usurpation threats.[Potter, D. S. Ancient Rome: A New History. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2018 (255-279).]
The Third-Century Crisis
The third-century crisis consisted of chaos and instability in the Roman empire. More than 24 emperors had exchanged the throne within 100 years. The period consisted of solid emperors supported by their legions and the upsurge in civil wars that adversely affected the Empire. At some point, the Roman Empire disintegrated into three separate sections and was saved by the Aurelian emperor. The Empire also experienced pressures from the imperial borders, whereby enemies attempted to attack the Roman territory. During this time, a significant percentage of the emperors lost their lives on the battlefield. However, the accession of emperor Diocletian enabled the Roman Empire to survive. Diocletian instigated a new political system, stabilizing the Roman Empire and maintaining its strength and power.[Potter, D. S. Ancient Rome: A New History. New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 2018. (255-279)]
As the crisis began, the Roman Empire was stable for some years. Members of the powerful Severian dynasty occupied the throne founded by emperor Septimius Severus. Although Severus strengthened the significance of the army, which played a significant role in addressing the turmoil, the soldiers in the military had political positions that resulted in the death of the emperor Caracalla and Elagabalus. When emperor Severus experienced a heavy military defeat, the army assassinated him with claims that he was inexperienced. The Severan dynasty was terminated in 235 AD when the legions elected career soldiers of low origin. Maximinus Thrax was elected in Severan's place.
Thax's reign did not last for many years. Emperor Thrax was only supported by the army and not the Senate. As a result, he could not pay the troops and was thus assassinated by his people in 238 AD during the Aquileia Siege. Numerous men made claims in different sections of the Roman Empire. The enemies made the situation worse by invading the imperial territory. Although some emperors succeeded in the ruling, they could not stabilize the Empire. The emperors were killed on the battlefield, enabling the civil war to prevail. For instance, Decius was the first Roman emperor to be killed by a foreign enemy on the battlefield. Decius was humiliated after Valerian was taken to captive because of experiencing defeat when campaigning for the Persians in 260 AD. Although there were significant military losses, the Roman Empire was significantly affected because its land was ravaged, and millions of people were killed, mainly in the large cities.[Southern, Pat. The Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine. London: Routledge, 2001. (348)]
A Roman history marked the reign of Gallienus, who was Valerian's son. However, emperor Gallienus was primarily absent, so Postumus was selected as the emperor. Gaul and Spain supported Emperor Postumus. During this time, Palmyra King was supported by the eastern army. The army also helped the king's daughter, Queen Zenobia. The Roman Empire was disintegrated into three sections: North Africa, the Balkans, and Italy. Although the three parts recognized emperor Gallienus, he had to experience the western Gallic Empire and the Eastern Palmyrene Empire, which regulated the crucial and wealthy Egyptian Province. As a result, the Roman Empire was almost collapsing.[Bennett, Alice. “Emperor Diocletian: The Genius Who Saved the Roman Empire.” TheCollector, November 12, 2020. /roman-emperor-diocletian/]
Emperor Gallienus was also killed on the battlefield, and emperor Claudius II Gothicus succeeded him. Claudius succeeded as a military commander, enabling the Roman legions to achieve over the invading Gothic tribes and stabilizing the Danubian frontiers. H...