Matsalolin tattalin arziki, gami da hauhawar farashi, da matsin lamba na waje a kan iyakokin sun haɗu don ƙirƙirar Rikicin Karni na Uku, tare da sarakunan da suka hau kan karagar mulki kawai don maye gurbinsu da sauri. Kudin soja ya karu a hankali a cikin karni na 3, galibi saboda yaki da Daular Sassania, wanda ya farfado a tsakiyar karni na 3. Sojojin sun ninka ninki biyu, kuma mahayan doki da ƙananan ƙungiyoyi sun maye gurbin rundunar Roman a matsayin babban rukunin dabaru. Bukatar samun kudaden shiga ya haifar da karuwar haraji da raguwar lambobin 'yan ƙasa, ko masu mallakar ƙasa, da raguwar adadi na waɗanda suke son ɗaukar nauyin ikon mallakar Constantinople a yankunanta na yamma. Gwamnatin Constantine ta zama mai saurin raguwa, tare da sarakunan da suka zo kursiyin kawai don maye gurbinsu da sabbin masu karɓar haraji. A tsakiyar karni na 28 (a cikin shekaru 30), Diocletian ya zama babban birni, wanda aka ɗauka a matsayin mai rarraba haraji tsakanin manyan biranen da ke fama da haraji, ya haifar da rikice-
tsakiyar karni na 4,