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It is sometimes said that the emperor Diocletian split the Roman Empire into an eastern and a western half. This is wrong. The empire was never split. The terms Eastern Western Empire and Western Roman Empire have been coined by historians. The Romans did not use them. They only had one term: Roman Empire. Diocletian created four main administrative subdivisions (not two) when he created what historians have called the tetrarchy (rule by four). These were the four praetorian prefectures.
Diocletian appointed fellow general Maximian as co-emperor in 285. Maximian took overall control of the western part of the empire, while Diocletian took overall control of the eastern part. Then these two men became senior emperors (Augusti) with the creation, in 293, of two junior emperors (Caesars) who were subordinates of the Augusti. The Caesars were Constantius and Galerius. One of the tasks of the Caesars was to defend the troubled frontiers along the rivers Rhine and Danube respectively. Two of these men were in the west and two were in the east. Diocletian also designated four cites as imperial capitals: Nicomedia (north-western Turkey) was the capital of the praetorian prefectures of Oriens ( the territories in Asia and Egypt) Milan (in northern Italy) was the capital of the praetorian prefecture of Italia et Africa (Italy and north-western Africa), Augusta Trevorum (in south-western Germany) was the capital of the praetorian prefecture of Galliae (Gaul, Britannia and Hispania and Sirmium (in Serbia) was the capital of the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum (most of south-eastern Europe).
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How did the empire's access to waterways help it to control the empire?
The Roman Empire first expanded around the Mediterranean and took over all the lands on its shores. This sea remained the heart of the empire. The Romans called it mare nostrum (our sea). Italy was/is between the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean. This strategic location made it easier for the Romans to gain control over the western part first, and then expand into the eastern part and to control both of these basins.
How did the division of the Roman Empire make it easy for people to invade it?
The Empire was divided to make it easier to govern and defend. In a pre-mechanical transport age, the distances were too great so it was divided to enable better response times. The real weakening resulted from allowing the Goths to enter and settle on the borders to add their forces to help deter and defend against others. The Goths became increasingly dominant.
Who split the roman empire into two parts in ad 330?
Constantine split the Roman Empire into the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. It should be noted however that the emperor Diocletian (284-305 AD ) made this easier as he was the first to divide the empire into two parts, a western and eastern empire to be ruled separately. The emperors who followed Constantine, Julian and Theodosius I, made permanent the division of the Roman Empire into an eastern and western half.
How did the splitting of the empire into two parts helped it survive for another 200 years?
wealthier half included most of the great cities and trading centers; smaller area was easier to defend
How did roads contribute to the empire's success?
Roads facilitated communication between the various parts of the vast Roman Empire. This facilitated general travel, the transport for goods for trade and the journeys of officials and state messengers to the provinces of the empire. About 20% of the enormous road network of the Roman Empire were the famous stone-paved roads. These had military purposes. They speeded up the movement of troops and made the transport of supplies to the solders stationed in garrisons or at the front of wars easier.
