The reign of Vespasian
When the Julio-Claudian dynasty crumbled and civil war ensued, one man was able to gain control of the empire and to cement his position sufficiently to found a new dynasty. Titus Flavius Vespasian was born on the 7th of November in 9AD. His father, Titus Flavius Sabinus, was a tax collector and died when Vespasian was still young; his mother was one Vespasia Polla. His origins were therefore rather lowly, there may have been a knight in his father’s family and his maternal grandfather was definitely equestrian and his uncle senator. Still, he was by no means part of the Roman aristocracy. He began his military career as a tribune in Thrace, he then moved along the ranks of quaestor, aedile, and praetor until he was given a high post in the II Augusta in Upper Germania under Claudius. He then gained a suffect consulship in 51AD as well as two priesthoods, including the augurate. He was then made proconsul of Africa, a successful placement for the end of a career. But in 66 Nero needed someone to put down the Jewish revolt in Judea and Vespasian was chosen to lead the three legions, more due to Nero’s paranoia than to Vespasian’s previous success in the field. Not only was Vespasian not related to any big family in Rome that might be persuaded to turn against Nero, but he had even married unambitiously. His wife, Flavia Domitilla, a Junian Latin by birth, gave him a daughter, who died young, and two sons, Titus and Domitian, before dying young herself. Yet from this position, Vespasian was able to further his career to the ultimate point and become the ruler of the known world.
After Nero’s suicide in 68AD concerning the Vindex affair, Galba at first took over. But the legions rebelled against him and Otho was successful in his coup. Otho however was unable to remain in power and Vitellius with a little help from his legions in Germania saw his chance. After the first battle of Cremona, Vitellius was victorious, Otho committed suicide and by April 69AD, Vitellius was in charge at Rome. On the first of July of that same year, Tiberius Julius Alexander, and the two legions of Egypt in Alexandria proclaimed Vespasian emperor. A few days later his own three legions in Judea followed suit. They were followed by the three legions of Syria, commanded by Mucianus, as well as the client kingdoms of the area (in whole interest it was to help the up and coming should they succeed). Soon the Danubian legions under Antonius Primus too rebelled and defeated Vitellius at the second battle of Cremona. Soon after this Vitellius was found dead. Upon this news Vespasian immediately sent Mucianus, without a doubt his most important ally, and Domitian, his son, to Rome. He sent Titus back to Judea to finish off the war there (only Jerusalem was still withstanding the Roman attack) and Vespasian himself stayed in Alexandria.
Vespasian remained in Alexandria until late 70 AD, almost a year after his recognition as emperor in Rome. Many have speculated as to the reasons behind this prolonged absence of the new emperor from Rome. It is undeniable that Egypt was a very important province to the Romans, both financially, through its grain, and strategically, in its location, yet both our sources and our common sense tells us there was more to Vespasian’s prolonged stay than that. His absence from Rome during the establishment of his rule allowed him to disassociate himself from all the bloodshed that was inevitably linked with this, like the senatorial bickering about who betrayed Nero and Galba and the cruel execution of the young son of Vitellius. By the time Vespasian returned things were stable in his favour and he was able to punish some of his powerful allies, claiming they had acted outside his knowledge. This was both a handy way to remain popular with Rome as well as a way to rid himself of allies too powerful, like Antonius Primus for example. Another important aspect of Vespasian’s stay in Alexandria was the control of corn. Our literary sources see this as a threat of starvation to Rome, but it might well have been the opposite, as during those days the main bulk of Roman corn was imported from North Africa, where Vitellius had a large amount of supporters. So perhaps Vespasian ensured that Rome did not starve by sending it Egyptian corn. Yet the most unusual reason for Vespasian’s stay given to us by the sources is that he remained in order to build up a mythical legend around his name and person. A number of stories are left to us, for example that he returned vision to a blind man and rendered the use of his limbs to another, who was a cripple. This could be seen as a metaphor for his “healing” of the empire. A number of visits to temples and divine predictions and benedictions of his reign are also relayed to us. Titus went to the temple of Aphrodite on Paphos and was told in no uncertain terms that his father would be emperor. Vespasian himself visited Mount Carmel and the temple of Serapis, where both the high priests confirmed his right to reign. Without a doubt these actions had a dual effect. Vespasian’s origins were a weak point, he needed a lift, in order to like his predecessors, be associated with a particular divinity, as for example Caesar had been with Venus. The Julio-Claudians themselves obviously had the possibility to show off their links to Augustus. Something, which even Vespasian’s immediate predecessors, had attempted to make use off, however weak, like Galba utilising his link to Livia, as he had been one of the beneficiaries of her will. But simultaneously, Vespasian also impressed the locals by taking part in their cults and showing respect for their local gods. No princeps had visited Egypt since Augustus; so perhaps the image of the princeps in Egypt needed some showing off in order to keep the locals happy with those who ruled them. Whether or not people believed the stories of Vespasian’s miraculous healing of the blind and the cripple, the story was broadcast and everyone at least knew a tiny bit more about him and his claims to the post of Princeps.
