Happy Saturday to you!
and happy slightly belated birthday to Vespasian.
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| Vespasian -Wikimedia Commons |
I should have got this information posted yesterday on the 17th of November but new writing had me sidetracked and the day disappeared. Though perhaps not the most famous of the Flavian emperors, the one below started the family tradition of claiming emperor status. In a sense, though, he is the most important Ancient Roman Emperor for me as I write my Celtic Fervour Series. He was the emperor of the Roman Empire during Books 1 and 2, and for a part of Book 3.
General Gnaeus Julius Agricola is mentioned in Book 3 but does not become a proper character till Book 4 of the series. However, what Agricola orders is very relevant to what my character Gaius Livanus Valerius undertakes. And, in turn, Agricola as general of the Brittanic armies and as Governor of Britannia is under orders of the Emperor Vespasian.
Vespasian
Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus Augustus
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| Vespasian - Jewish Revolt |
Generally known as Vespasian, he was born on the 17th
November A.D. 9 in Falacrinae, a village north east of Rome . His paternal grandfather, Titus Flavius
Petro, elevated the otherwise undistinguished family when he became a
centurion and fought for Pompey at the battle of Pharsalus . Vespasian’s father, Titus Flavius
Sabinus, became a customs official and gained himself further status when he
married Vespasia Polla whose father was a camp prefect and her uncle a senator.
As the second
son, Vespasian was not expected to achieve much his elder brother, Titus
Flavius Sabinus, having pursued the cursus
honorum. His brother progressed through the ranks of being a military
tribune serving in Thrace ,
then as quaestor in Crete and Cyrene .
By A.D. 40 Vespasian’s brother was a praetor, favoured by Caligula.
Vespasian,
like his brother spent time in Thrace
and Crete but his route to high office was
different from his brother. When Claudius became emperor in A.D.41, Vespasian
was appointed as the legate of the Legio II Augusta which was then stationed in
Germania but by A.D. 43 the Legio II Augusta
was on campaign under the command of Aulus Plautius during the Invasion of
Britannia.
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| Nero sends Vespasian to Jerusalem |
His military
career was interrupted by periods as Governor of Africa Province but by A.D. 66
he was back in command of a couple of legions, supported by considerable
mounted forces and auxiliary units. His success in suppressing the ‘Jewish
Revolt’ earned him a reputation for being fair, perhaps ruthless at times, but mostly
just.
When control
of the empire collapsed with the death of Nero in A.D. 68, Vespasian was in a
strong position to overthrow the third of the temporary leaders during the civil
war Year of the Four Emperors in A.D. 69. Galba had taken control after Nero
but was soon murdered by supporters of Otho. In turn, Otho was defeated by
Vitellius. The natural next leader for the supporters of Otho to turn to was
Vespasian.
The Senate in Rome declared Vespasian emperor in his absence since he
was in Egypt
securing the all too needed grain supplies.
Vespasian does
not feature as a character in my Celtic Fervour novels but during his reign as
emperor he was instrumental in what happened during the campaigns in Britannia from A.D. 69 through to A.D. 79.
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| Vespasian - Ostia |
The construction
of many major building programmes were authorised under Vespasian, the Flavian
Amphitheatre (Colosseum) being one of them. Before the foundations could be
laid for the Colosseum the decadent Domus
Aurea (Golden Palace of Nero) had to be demolished. The huge lake at the
heart of the Domus Aurea was drained
and the foundations for the Colosseum laid in its place.
The Templum Pacis (Temple of Peace
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| Vespasian sestertius A.D. 71 reverse 'Judea Captured' |
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