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Message:: [QUOTE="Ocatarinetabellatchitchix, post: 4860390, member: 99554"]<img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Marble_head_of_the_emperor_Titus_%28AD79-81%29%2C_from_Utica_%28Tunisia%29%2C_about_AD_70-81%2C_Roman_Empire%2C_British_Museum_%2815859087855%29.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> Titus marble head (British Museum) The expression "Jekyll and Hyde" entering the vernacular to denote people with an unpredictable double nature: outwardly good, but sometimes terribly bad. This is the case with Titus; he was Mr.Hyde as a prince, and weirdly he became Dr.Jekyll the moment he was named Emperor. "I have made but one mistake" were the last words of Emperor Titus before he died, September 13th 81 AD. What was his "one mistake" ? Before answering this question, let's take a look at the life of this 11th of 12 Caesars.Titus Flavius Vespasianus was born in 39 AD into a family of notables and received a thorough education. He is experiencing a rapid rise in society. First military tribune in Germany and Brittany in 57, he seconded his father, Vespasian, who became emperor in 69. He left for Judea to contain the insurrection of the Jews and demonstrated impressive military mastery. He remains famous for his capture of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Back in Rome, he supports his father and multiplies responsibilities: he becomes tribune in 71, then censor in 73, he also works as consul. In 72, he became praetorian prefect, that is to say head of the imperial guard, and took the opportunity to execute men who were too ambitious for his taste. Titus is also known for his nights of debauchery and the organization of big parties during this same period. During the Jewish Wars, Titus had begun a love affair with Berenice, the sister of Agrippa II. The Herodians had collaborated with the Romans during the rebellion, and Berenice herself had supported Vespasian in his campaign to become emperor. In 75, she returned to Titus and openly lived with him in the palace as his promised wife. The people of Rome were wary of the eastern queen and disapproved of their relationship. [ATTACH=full]1173743[/ATTACH] Vatican Museum When Vespasian died in 79 AD and bequeathed the throne to him, Titus took his responsibilities and sent Berenice back to Judea. Because of his many vices, many Romans feared that he would be another Nero. But that's not what happened at all. He undertook many works in Rome, notably on the Colosseum. Titus had also ordered the construction of a new public bath house, the Baths of Titus. But successive great catastrophes occurred during his reign. In August 79 AD, the  Vesuvius erupted and Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried. [ATTACH=full]1173747[/ATTACH] The following year, Rome was hit by a fire which  burned large parts of the city for three days and three nights, and a great plague epidemic also broke out during the fire. Titus shows himself close to his citizens and generous. He himself died of the plague in 81 and was nicknamed after his death by his people "the delights of mankind". And what about his "only mistake" ? Here are some hypothesis: <ul> <li>The historian Philostratus (3rd century AD) wrote that Domitian had poisoned his brother to assume the throne, so maybe Titus regretted not having his brother executed when he had the chance for openly conspiring against him. Cassius Dio ( 2nd century AD) believed the same thing. </li> <li>Some think he regretted sleeping with his brother's wife Domitia Longina (she denied it).</li> <li>The romantics want to believe he referred to Berenice, that the only regret he had was giving into the pressure, for choosing his country over true love...</li> <li>Jewish tradition says that Titus was cursed by God for destroying the Temple in Jerusalem, then he may have felt remorse for having attacked this holy building.</li> </ul>[ATTACH=full]1173744[/ATTACH] Hand drawing by Hubertus Goltzius 1557 So on this day of his death, please show us your favorite Titus' specimen ! Titus As[ATTACH=full]1173745[/ATTACH] Titus Sestertius[ATTACH=full]1173746[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]

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