Titus and Domitian

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Titus and Domitian were emperors of Rome and sons of Vespasian. Between them they separately reigned between AD79 and AD96. The short Flavian dynasty ended with the death of Domitian

Titus

Titus grew up in the inner circle of the Caesars and was a contemporary and friend of Britannicus, son of Claudius and was sitting next to him when he was poisoned by Nero and may have even tasted some of the fatal potion. They were so close that Titus had an Equestrian statue of ivory erected. Such was his reputation that many believed that Galba would adopt him and become heir apparent, although many other eminent people also believed there were to be chosen by Galba. He distinguished himself in Britain and German and when his father Vespasian became emperor he took on many roles, joint consulships and acted somewhat as regent.

Many of his enemies saw comparisons to Caligula and Nero. He once invited a suspected traitor to dinner and had him stabbed after he left the table. Caecina, a man of consular rank, whom he ordered to be stabbed at his departure, immediately after he had gone out of the room [1]. He also parties hard into the night and kept catamites and eunuchs around him and may have had an adulterous affair with Queen Berenice, a distant relation of King Herod. Like his father is prone to taking brides and abusing his position for financial gain.


What a start to Titus' reign with the eruption of Pompeii in August of AD79, followed by other calamities such as a fire in Rome and a bad outbreak of the plague. Besides showing some equanimity to some conspirators who wanted to depose him, Suetonious has little to say beyond when close to death he exalted "that his life was taken from him, though he had done nothing to deserve it; for there was no action of his that he had occasion to repent of, but one." [2]. One can speculate about what he meant. May be he committed adultery with his brother's wife, some say. Others say that he regretted NOT killing Domitian for conspiring against him. Titus, much to his chagrin lasted just two years and twenty days as emperor. Nevertheless, Suetonious seems more interested in Pliny the Elder's Natural History.

Cassius Dio is also circumspect about Titus. He tells us that he sent close aides to Pompeii to lend what assistance with the recovery. He bestowed gifts of money and used the the proceeds of unclaimed wills of the deceased to help those who had survived rebuild their lives. Cassius Dio sums up Titus' life much like Suetonious Most that he did was not characterized by anything noteworthy [3]

Tacitus may have had more to say about Titus but his books are very fragmentary around this time so perhaps some insight is lost. Nevertheless, Tacitus was generally writing a book on good stewardship more than a history and was keen to show by example the history of poor leadership in the past. Tacitus, right from the beginning, is honest enough to tell us that his preferment started under Vespasian and continued under Titus and Domitian so it is unlikely he would be too critical. Tantalizingly, he tells us that he may be more forthcoming in later books. But if he did write more about his contemporary emperors, and he may have not, then they are either lost, destroyed or suppressed

  1. The Lives of the Twelves Caesars, Suetonius
  2. The Lives of the Twelve Caesars
  3. Cassius Dio: Roman History
Preceded by
Vespasian
Titus
Domitian
Emperors of Rome
AD69 - AD96
Succeeded by
Titus
Nerva
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