On This Day in Ancient History - Titus Died

On this day in Ancient Rome, in A.D. 81, the Ludi Romani continued and the Flavian emperor Titus (Imperator Titus Caesar Vespasianus Augustus) died. His brother, Domitian, may or may not have been involved. Titus had been on the throne for two years.

The Julio-Claudian dynasty was the first of the imperial dynasties. The Flavians were the second dynasty of Roman emperors. They built the Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater as an improvement over the Circus Maximus.

Titus, a son of Emperor Vespasian, was born around A.D. 40. He had an affair with Berenice, the daughter of Herod Agrippa, whom he met while on campaign (67-70) in Judaea during the first Jewish war with Rome. Titus besieged Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, a Roman triumph commemorated in the Arch of Titus. (The Jewish historian Josephus writes about this period.) Titus' infamous brother Domitian succeeded him as emperor after his death in September 81.

Emperor Titus

Photo of the ruins of the colosseum, © Judith Geary

Titus picture © Clipart.com