[Spktyr]

Yes, at least in a historical context, and at least on a somewhat-temporary basis. See Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, the Roman emperor who actually managed to stave off the inevitable collapse and begin to reverse it between 284 and 304. He made some mistakes, but he bought the Roman Empire almost two centuries.

[goldstategop]

Well his idea of a tetrachy didn't last but what he started - the division of the Empire into two halves become an accomplished fact. The Western Empire was gone in two centuries but the Eastern Empire would endure a millenium.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Bogolyubski]

That would be certainly be true of the Western half of the Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman Empire fared even better and held on until 1452, when the Mohammedan Turks, with the assistance of Italian artillery designers, finally breeched the walls of Constantinople that had stood for 1000 years. (Built by Theodosius II).

Diocletian set up the tetrarchy of course. He also carried out one of the last - and most brutal - persecutions of Christians in the Empire. His fellow tetrarch Constantine ended up issuing the edict recognizing Christianity as a legal religion later on.

[strategofr]

"Yes, at least in a historical context, and at least on a somewhat-temporary basis. See Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, the Roman emperor who actually managed to stave off the inevitable collapse and begin to reverse it between 284 and 304. He made some mistakes, but he bought the Roman Empire almost two centuries."

Quite interesting. I never heard of him. Could you expand a bit?