|
|
Titus Caesar Vespasianus was the second Flavian Emperor, and a major military figure before he ascended to the throne. Somewhat surprisingly he was the first Emperor to success his biological father on the throne, and was followed by his biological brother Domitian, another first.
One unusual feature of Titus’s life is that he was a major figure for a lot longer before he became Emperor than while he was actually ruling. Much of this book thus covers his time as a general during the First Jewish-Roman War rather than his short reign (this is recognised in the sub-title, ‘Right Hand of Vespasian’). During the first part of the war Titus was serving directly under his father. During the Year of the Four Emperors they both prepared to travel back to Rome to support Vespasian’s claim to the throne, but Vespasian’s allies won the civil war while the two Flavians were still in Alexandria, so while his father headed to Rome and the Imperial Throne, Titus returned to lead the Roman war effort in Judaea.
The only blot on his record came between his return from Judaea and the death of his father, where he gained a reputation as a brutal enforcer of his father’s rule. However he was a popular Emperor (possibly because a two year long reign wasn’t long enough to start accumulating enemies!).
Although Titus was only Emperor for two years, they were pretty eventful. Early in his reign Vesuvius erupted, destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum, and Titus organised an effective relief effort. He helped fund the rebuilding of large parts of Rome after a three day long fire. The Colosseum, started by his father, was completed late in Titus’s reign, and its 100 day long opening games were the last major event of his reign.
This is an excellent study of Titus’s life, focusing largely on his time in Judaea, which takes up about half of the text. The siege of Jerusalem takes up much of this space, as it was the major military event of his time in overall command, and would have results that outlasted Roman Empire! Three chapters look at his time in power, with one each on Vesuvius and the Colosseum, giving us a good view of his time as Emperor.
Chapters
1 – Flavians
2 – Titus
3 – Boudica
4 – Judaea
5 – Jotapata
6 – Tarichaea
7 – Gischala
8 – Vindex
9 – Antonius Pius
10 – Kidron
11 – Jerusalem
12 – Nikon
13 – Crucifixions
14 – Antonia
15 – Temple
16 – John and Simon
17 – Triumph
18 – Caesar
19 – Praetorian Prefect
20 – Princeps
21 – Vesuvius
22 – Amphitheatrum
23 – Domitian
Author: Marc Hyden
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 238
Publisher: McFarland
Year: 2025