Titus

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Titus Flavius Vespasianus (December 30, 39–September 13, 81) ruled the Roman Empire from 79 to 81.

Early life and military successes

Titus was born in Rome as the elder son of the future emperor Vespasian and Domitilla the Elder.

In 61 to 63 he was military tribune in Britannia and Germania. In 64 he returned to Rome and married Arrecina Tertulla, daughter of a former commander of the Praetorian guard who died after a year of marriage. Titus then took a new wife of a much more distinguished family, one Marcia Furnilla (one daughter, Julia Flavia). Marcia's family was too closely linked to the opposition to Nero. Titus took fright at the failed Pisonian conspiracy of 65 and severed the connection by divorcing his wife. He never re-married.

Titus accompanied Vespasian to the east in 67 to put down the Jewish Rebellion, in which he served as commander of Legio XV Apollinaris. When Galba was murdered Titus won over Mucianus, governor of Syria, to the Flavian cause, and worked with him and others to launch Vespasian's bid for power. In 69, the Year of the Four Emperors, Vespasian returned to Rome to claim the throne, and left Titus behind to put down the rebellion, which he did in 70 with four legions. Jerusalem was sacked; the Temple was destroyed and much of the population was killed or dispersed. While in Jerusalem he also began a love affair with Berenice of Cilicia, daughter of Herod Agrippa. He was awarded a triumph upon his return to Rome in 71. The Triumphal Arch of Titus, which stands at one entrance to the Roman Forum, memorializes this triumph. He held various consulships under his father and also served as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, ensuring their loyalty to the emperor. These events were recorded in dramatic detail by the historian Josephus in his work The Jewish War.

Emperor

Titus succeeded his father as Emperor in 79, although some Senators were opposed to his relationship with Berenice, whom they compared to a new Cleopatra. However, he was an effective emperor and was well-loved by the population. He stopped the treason trials and punished the delatores (public informants), and held expensive gladiatorial games. In addition to his arch (not to be confused with the Arch of Titus constructed under Domitian shortly after his death), he also essentially completed the Colosseum, and built his namesake baths on the former site of Nero's Domus Aurea. Titus was emperor during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 and the consequent destruction of life and property in the cities and resort communities around the Bay of Naples, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum. In 80 there was a fire in Rome; Titus spent large amounts of money relieving victims of both the volcano and the fire. He visited Pompeii just after the eruption, and again the following year. His reign also saw the rebellion led by Terentius Maximus, the False Nero who resembled Nero in voice and appearance, and sang like him to the lyre. Terentius was soon forced to flee beyond the Euphrates, and took refuge with the Parthians .

After just two years, Titus died of a fever, possibly poisoned by his physician Valens on behalf of Domitian, or due to malaria. He was deified by the Senate and was succeeded by his brother, Domitian. Titus's reputation has prospered in contrast to the character of Domitian, whose persecutions were detailed by the contemporary historian Tacitus. Had Titus lived long enough, he may have suffered from the same excesses as previous emperors; instead, he was used as a model by later emperors, especially those known as the Five Good Emperors.

According to the Babylonian Talmud (Gittin 56b), a mosquito flew in Titus' nose and picked at his brain. When he died, they opened his skull and found a mosquito the size of a bird. This was Divine retribution for his wicked actions, and had caused his death. Some Jewish commentators, however, do not take this literally.

See also

• La clemenza di Tito. An opera seria written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
• Destruction of Jerusalem

In later literature

• The Josephus Trilogy, a novel by Lion Feuchtwanger - mainly about Flavius Josephus, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Berenice of Cilicia, Justus of Tiberias, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the persecution of the Jews in the Roman Empire
• *Der jüdische Krieg (Josephus), 1932
• *Die Söhne (The Jews of Rome), 1935
• *Der Tag wird kommen (The day will come, Josephus and the Emperor), 1942
• La clemenza di Tito, Mozart opera
• Marcus Didius Falco novels

Quotes

• Amici, diem perdidi. Translation: "Friends, I lost a day.", spoken by Titus in the context that he has done no good deed during that day. Source: Suetonius' Life of Titus 8.1
• "I have made but one mistake.", last words of Titus. What he meant has remained unknown.

External links