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Showing posts with the label Roman Empire

The Roman Series: Who was Emperor Domitian?

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 On 24 October 51, Domitian was born in Rome. He was the youngest son of Titus Flavius Vespasianus - known as Vespasian - and Flavia Domitilla Major.  He had one older sister, Domitilla the Younger and a brother also named Flavius Vespasianus.  Childhood Domitian was not educated at court. He displayed considerable marksmanship with the bow and arrow.  He was tall, with a modest expression. His eyes were large, but his sight was somewhat dim. He was handsome and graceful too.  He received the education of young man of the privileged senatorial class, he studied rhetoric and literature. Domitian could quote important poets and writers such as Homer or Virgil on appropriate occasions. He was described as learned and educated. Among his first published works were poetry as well as writings on law and administration.  The Year of the four emperors On 9 June 68 , Nero committed suicide and with him the Julio-Claudian dynasty came to an end. Chaos occurred a...

The Roman Series: Who was Roman Emperor Titus?

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Probably on 30 December AD was Titus born in Rome, as the eldest son of Titus Flavius Vespasianus, known as Vespasian and Domitilla the Elder. Titus had one younger sister, Domitilla the Younger and one younger brother, Titus Flavius Domitianus, mostly referred to as Domitian.  Youth Titus' family: Flavia, rose from relative obscurity to prominence in only four generations, acquiring wealth and status under the Emperors of the Julio- Claudian dynasty. Titus great-grandfather, Titus Flavius Petro had served during Caesar's Civil War.  Titus showed interest in military arts, he also was a skilled poet and orator both in Greek and Latin.  As an adult Titus was a military tribune in Germania from around 57 to 59. He also served in Britannia. Love and Marriage Around 62 AD, Titus married Arrecina Tertulla, the daughter of Marcus Arrecinus Clemens, a former Prefect of the Praetorian Guard. She died. Titus then took a new wife. He married Marcia Furnilla, her family was closely ...

The Roman Series: Who was Aulus Vitellius?

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On 24 September 15, Aulus Vitellius was born in Rome, then a part of the Roman Empire. Family Aulus Vitellius was the son of Lucius Vitellius and his wife Sextila. He had one brother who also was named Lucius Vitellius. When Vitellius was born his horoscope was so horrified that his father tried to prevent Aulus from becoming a consul. Early Youth Vitellius was one of the noble companions of Tiberius' retirement on Capri and there befriended Caligula, whose favour he won, by sharing in his passion for chariot racing and games of dice.  Love and Marriage Before the year 40 - he married a woman named Petronia with whom he had a son Aulus Vitellius Petronianus. Around the year 50, Aulus Vitellius married secondly a woman named  Galeria Fundana. They had two children, a son called Aulus Vitellius Germanicus and a daughter Vitellia, who married Decimus Valerius Asiaticus.  Career In 48, Aulus Vitellius became a Consul. In either 60 or 61, he became a  proconsular gov...

The Roman Series: Who was Tiberius Caesar Augustus?

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Tiberius was born in Rome on 16 November 42 BC as the son of  Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. In 39 BC his mother divorced his biological father. His mother remarried Octavian later named Augustus.  In 29 BC, Tiberius rode in the triumphal chariot along with his adoptive father Octavian after the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra.  In 23 BC, Emperor Augustus became gravely ill and his possible death was a threat to put the Roman world into chaos again. The succession trouble was a main problem for Augustus.  Augustus selected a series of potential heirs. Among them were Tiberius and his brother Drusus. In 24 BC at the age of seventeen! Tiberius entered politics under Augustus' direction. He was granted the right to stand for election as praetor and consul - even five years in advance of the age  required by law.  Source picture: Wikipedia Career Tiberius began appearing in court as an advocate, and probably in this period, his interest in Greek rhet...

The Roman Series: How do you think about Augustus ?

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Augustus: The first Roman Emperor In this second  post about the Roman Empire series , there is a main role for Augustus.  Early Life Augustus was born in the city of Rome, very close to the Roman Forum on 23 September 63 BC.  He was named Gaius Octavius Thurinus.  Due to the crowded places in Rome during that time, Octavius was taken to his father's home at Velletri to be raised. His mother, Atia was the niece of Julius Caesar.  In 59 BC his father died, when he was just four years old. His mother remarried a former governor of Syria, Lucius Marcius Philippus. Then Octavius was raised by his grandmother, Julia, the sister of  Julius Caesar.  Julia died in 52 or 51 BC and Octavius delivered the funeral oration for his grandmother. From this point his mother and stepfather took more interest in Octavius.  In 47 BC Octavius was elected to the College of Pontiffs. A turning point When Julius Caesar was killed on the Ides of March in 44 BC, Octav...