Domitian
51-96 A.D.
The younger son of Vespasian, Domitian inherited the
Empire when his brother died suddenly after ruling for only two years. He
seemed to suffer from little brother syndrome, and was the least popular
of the three Flavians. He was a relatively successful general, and remained
popular with the army even after his assassination. He launched an aggressive
campaign to reform morality, a sort of "family values" campaign
for ancient Rome. By the end of his fifteen-year reign, he was extremely
unpopular, particularly with the Senate: he had executed many, and insisted
on being referred to as Dominus et Deus, "Lord and God". He was
assassinated rather gruesomely in 96 A.D. by a conspiracy of his friends,
wife, and freedmen.
Student Research:
Student Creative Writing:
Ancient Source: Suetonius' Lives
of the Twelve Caesars (Vita Domitiani)
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