Ancient Rome Board Game #8 Roman Tetrarchs (social studies, history)

In this game, play with 2-4 players, finding out about the decline of the Roman empire, and how things began to go downhill. Students will learn a little about how they tried to address some of these issues later in the Roman Empire.

The period of internal turmoil preceding the reign of Diocletian, known as the Crisis of the Third Century (roughly 235-284 AD), was a time of immense instability and nearly led to the collapse of the Roman Empire. This crisis was characterized by a combination of military anarchy, economic collapse, plague, and external invasions. During this period, the Roman Empire saw over 20 emperors in just 50 years, most of whom met violent ends. The empire was also plagued by civil wars, as rival generals vied for the throne, and external threats from Germanic tribes, Persians, and others pressed on its borders. The economy was in disarray, suffering from severe inflation and a breakdown in trade, while the plague further decimated the population.

Diocletian, who ruled from 284 to 305 AD, implemented a series of reforms that fundamentally transformed the structure of the Roman Empire, stabilizing it and ending the crisis. His reforms touched on various aspects of the empire, including its administration, military, economy, and even its religious life.