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Message:: [QUOTE="IdesOfMarch01, post: 2862426, member: 39084"]Titus [ATTACH=full]682143[/ATTACH] Titus Flavius Vespasianus was born in 39 AD.  Being given the exact same name as his father (the emperor Vespasian) he would be called by his praenomen Titus.  He had two siblings, a sister named Flavia Domitilla (Domitilla the Younger) who died while a young woman; and a brother Domitian, 12 years his junior, who would also become emperor and the last of the Flavians. When Vespasian became one of emperor Claudius’ favored associates, Titus was brought up at court alongside Claudius’ son Britannicus.  They became close friends, and history places Titus seated next to Britannicus during the dinner at which Britannicus was poisoned.  Indeed, Titus had even drunk some of the poisoned wine and himself became ill but recovered soon thereafter. About his future, Suetonius wrote: “He was brought up at court in company with Britannicus and taught the same subjects by the same masters.At that time, so they say, a physiognomist was brought in by Narcissus, the freedman of Claudius, to examine Britannicus and declared most positively that he would never become emperor; but that Titus, who was standing near by at the time, would surely rule.” He distinguished himself as a military tribune in Germany and Britain, and became known for his integrity and energy – characteristics he shared with his father.  After Nero gave Vespasian command of the Judaean war, Vespasian brought in the then 27-year-old Titus to help him.  When Vespasian was hailed Caesar after the death of Galba (at the same time as Vitellius), Titus was left to finish the war in Judaea as Vespasian prepared to return to Rome. Titus ended the war by taking Jerusalem late in 70 AD, and sailed immediately for Italy, arriving early in 71 and surprising his father who did not expect him.  Reunited with his younger brother Domitian, the three of them celebrated the Judaean triumph. It’s clear that although both Titus and Domitian were named as heirs at the outset of Vespasian’s revolt, Vespasian placed most of his trust and hope in his older son Titus.  Once Titus returned to Rome, he replaced Mucianus as head of the Praetorian Guard. Titus was named Caesar and Imperator during his father’s reign from 69 to 79 AD, but despite his admirable traits, was not very popular with the populace.  Suetonius tells us why: “Besides cruelty, he was also suspected of riotous living, since he protracted his revels until the middle of the night with the most prodigal of his friends; likewise of unchastity because of his troops of catamites and eunuchs, and his notorious passion for queen Berenice, to whom it was even said that he promised marriage. He was suspected of greed as well; for it was well known that in cases which came before his father he put a price on his influence and accepted bribes. In short, people not only thought, but openly declared, that he would be a second Nero. But this reputation turned out to his advantage and gave place to the highest praise, when no fault was discovered in him, but on the contrary the highest virtues.” But when Titus succeeded his father in 79 AD, he proved to be the effective and thoughtful leader that Rome deserved.  One of his first acts as Emperor was to stop the practice of using trials based on treason charges to arrest and execute political opponents; these trials had been used extensively under Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero, but Titus declared: “It is impossible for me to be insulted or abused in any way. For I do naught that deserves censure, and I care not for what is reported falsely. As for the emperors who are dead and gone, they will avenge themselves in case anyone does them a wrong, if in very truth they are demigods and possess any power.” During his short tenure, Titus faced a couple significant disasters: Mt. Vesuvius erupted, destroying the port city of Pompeii and the resort city of Herculaneum, and while he was visiting Pompeii for the second time after the eruption, a serious fire broke out in Rome, raging for three days and three nights and burning a large part of the city. [ATTACH=full]682144[/ATTACH]View of Herculaneum showing dock area in lower center of picture.  This is where the ocean would have been when Vesuvius erupted. [ATTACH=full]682145[/ATTACH]View of Herculaneum's main street, showing shops on the left and official buildings on the right. [ATTACH=full]682146[/ATTACH]One of the official "greeters" of Herculaneum; maybe a spiritual descendant of an ancient ancestor? [ATTACH=full]682149[/ATTACH]Dock area of Pompeii as viewed from where the ocean would have been when Vesuvius erupted.  The street on the right is the main street into the city. Titus dealt with these disasters quickly and efficiently.  He appointed two officials to organize and coordinate the Vesuvius relief efforts and personally donated large amounts of money from the Imperial treasury for the victims.  Following the Rome fire, he personally compensated the damaged regions. Among his most notable achievement is the completion of the Colosseum (know also as the Flavian Amphitheater) started years earlier by his father Vespasian.  The opening ceremony lasted 100 days and included gladiatorial combat, fights between wild animals (boo!), mock naval battles (these were done early in the life of the Colosseum when it could be flooded, before the arena floor was dug out and used as a staging area for later games and combats), as well as horse and chariot races. [ATTACH=full]682150[/ATTACH]The Colosseum as it looks today. Sadly, Titus died after only a little more than two years as Emperor.  Most historians believe he died of natural causes, although some believe his death was hastened in some manner by his ambitious brother Domitian. Suetonius is uncharacteristically effusive in his praise of Titus.  In his chapter on Titus, his first paragraph states “Titus, of the same surname as his father, was the delight and darling of the human race; such surpassing ability had he, by nature, art, or good fortune, to win the affections of all men, and that, too, which is no easy task, while he was emperor; for as a private citizen, and even during his father's rule, he did not escape hatred, much less public criticism.” About the Coins Prior to his accession as Emperor, Titus had coins struck in his name by his father.  Upon becoming Emperor, Titus struck coins in his own name and his brother Domitian.  The most notable coin is the rare Colosseum sestertius (unfortunately I don’t own one of these) and among the more well known coins are his denarii commemorating the opening of the Colosseum. [ATTACH=full]682152[/ATTACH] My Titus mint set shows the distinct familial resemblance to his father Vespasian, and the denarius is one that commemorates the opening of the Colosseum with the now-extinct North African Forest elephant reverse. Pile on with your Tituses! Next: Domitian[/QUOTE]

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