born in 245, Diocletian assumed power as Roman emperor in 284; an astute administrator, he decided that the key to governing the vast Roman empire was to divide it; he ruled with Maximian in 285, and then added two more "junior emperors" in 293, one of whom was Constantius, the father of Constantine; in 305 he abdicated and retired; Diocletian is probably best known for his ten-year persecution of the Christians, which made him the frequent villain in Christian literature in the Middle Ages; Diocletian died in 313.

An ancient Roman motif adopted by Palladio in the 16th century, this is a semicircular window divided into three parts by two wide uprights (mullions). Also called a "therm," it was most often seen on early 20th-century Classical Revival structures.

The 'Godless King' featured defeated on 11th Century icon from Sinai