Domitian

Lore & Background

Domitian was born in Rome on 24 October 51, the youngest son of Vespasian and Flavia Domitilla Major. He had an older sister and brother, Titus. His youth and early career were spent in the shadow of his brother, who gained military renown during the First Jewish–Roman War. Domitian received honors but no responsibilities under his father and brother, and his adolescence was marked by the absence of near relatives, as his mother and sister had died and his father and brother were active in the military. He was likely taken under the care of his uncle Titus Flavius Sabinus II or possibly Marcus Cocceius Nerva. He studied rhetoric and literature, and according to Suetonius, he could quote poets like Homer and Virgil, and was a learned and educated adolescent with elegant conversation.

Reader's Guide

Domitian's reign, the longest since Tiberius, was marked by authoritarian governance. He strengthened the economy by revaluing Roman coinage, expanded border defenses, and initiated a massive building program to restore Rome. Significant wars were fought in Britain, where his general Agricola made gains in Caledonia, and in Dacia, where Domitian failed to achieve a decisive victory against King Decebalus. He fostered a cult of personality and, as perpetual censor, sought to control public and private morals. Popular with the people and army, he was considered a tyrant by the Senate. His assassination in 96 by court officials led to his memory being condemned by the Senate, with authors like Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, and Suetonius portraying him as a cruel tyrant. Modern revisionists characterize him as a ruthless but efficient autocrat whose programs provided the foundation for the peaceful second century.

Did You Know?

• Domitian was the last member of the Flavian dynasty.
• He was declared emperor by the Praetorian Guard after the death of his brother Titus.
• He was assassinated by court officials in 96 and succeeded the same day by his advisor Nerva.
• According to Suetonius, Domitian was sensitive about his baldness and wrote a book on hair care.