A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

1160 TITUS. TITUS.
ing of the higher destiny to which he was called. voured to win Domitian's affection. and urged hine
Titus managed to reconcile Mucianus the governor not to attempt to gain by criminal means that
of Syria, and his father, and thus he contributed power which he would one day have in a legitigreatly to Vespasian's elevation. [MUCIANUS, mate way. During his whole reign Titus displayed
LICINIITS.] Vespasian was proclaimed emperor a sincere desire for the happiness of the people,
on the 1st of July, A. D. 69, and Titus accompanied and he did all that he could to relieve them in
him to Alexandria in Egypt. He returned to Pa- times of distress. A story is told, that one evenlestine to prosecute the siege of Jerusalem, during ing, recollecting that he had given nothing durilg
which he showed the talents of a general with the the day, he said," My friends, I have lost a day."
daring of a soldier. The siege of Jerusalem, one He assumed the office of Pontifex Maximus after
of the most memorable on record, was concluded the death of his father, and with the purpose, as
by the capture of the place, on the 8th of Septem- he declared, of keeping his hands free from blood;
ber, A. D. 70, and Titus received from the acclama- a resolution which he kept. Two patricians who
tions of his soldiers the title of Imperator. The were convicted by the senate of a conspiracy
most complete account of the siege and capture of. against him, were pardoned and treated with kindJerusalem is by Josephlis. He did not return to ness and confidence. He checked all prosecutions
Italy for eight months after the capture of Jerusa- for the crime of laesa majestas, which from the
lem, during which time he had an interview with titme of Tiberius had been a fruitful source of false
the Parthian ambassadors at Zeugma on the Eu- accusations; and he severely punished all informers.
phrates, and he paid a visit to Egypt, and assisted He also removed from about him many young
at the consecration of the bull Apis at Memphis. men, whose acquaintance had damaged his reputa(Sueton. Titus, c. 5.) On his journey to Italy he tion, and he associated only with persons of good
had an interview with Apollonius of Tyana, who repute.
gave him some very good advice for a youth in his At the close of this year Titus repaired one of
elevated station. the Roman aqueducts, and he assumed the title of
Titus triumphed at Rome with his father. He Imperator onl the occasion of the successes of Agrialso received the title of Caesar, and became the cola in Britain. This year is memorable for the
associate of Vespasian in the government. They great eruption of Vesuvius, which desolated a large
also acted together as Censors. Titus undertook part of the adjacent country, and buried with lava
the office of Praefectus Praetorio, which had hi- and ashes the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
therto only been discharged by Roman equites. Plinius the elder lost his life in this terrible caHis conduct at this time gave no good promise, tastrophe; the poet Caesils Bassus is said to have
and the people looked upon him as likely to be been burnt in his house by the lava, and Agrippa
another Nero. Hie was accused of being exces- the son of Claudius Felix, once governor of Judaea,
sively addicted to the pleasures of the table, of perished with his wife. Dion Cassius (lxvi. 21,
indulging lustful passions in a scandalous wvay, and &c.) has described the horrors of this terrible calaof putting suspected persons to death with very mity; and we have also the description of them
little ceremony. A. Caecina, a consular whom he in a letter addressed to Tacitus by the younger
had invited to supper, he ordered to be killed as Plinius. [TACITUS.] Titus endeavoured to rehe was leaving the room; but this was said to be pair the ravages of this great eruption: he sent
a measure of necessary severity, for Titus had evi- two consulars with money to restore the ruined
deuce of Caecina being engaged in a conspiracy. towns, and he applied to this pur'pose the property
His attachment to Berenice also made him un- of those who had been destroyed, and had left no
popular. Berenice was the sister of King Agrippa next of kin. He also wvent himself to see the raII., and the daughter of Herodes Agrippa, some- vages which had been caused by the eruption and
times called the Great. She was first married to the earthquakes. During his absence a fire was
Herodes, king of Chalcis, her uncle, and then to burningl at Rome for three days and three nights
Polemon, king of Cilicia. Titus probably became A. D. 80: it destroyed the Capitol, the library of
acquainted with her when he was in Judaea, and Augustus, the theatre of Pompeins, and other
after the capture of Jerusalem she followed him public buildings, besides many houses. The elmto Rome with her brother Agrippa, and both of peror declared that he should consider all the loss
them lodged in the emperor's residence. It was as his own, and he set about repairing it with great
said that Titus had promised to marry Berenice, activity: he took, even the decorations of the imbut as this intended union gave the Romans great perial residences, and sold them to raise money.
dissatisfaction, he sent her away from Rome after The eruption of Vesuvins was followed by a dreadhe became emperor, as Suetonius says, but in his ful pestilence, which called for fresh exertions on
father's lifetime according to Dion. The scanda- the part of the benevolent emperor.
lous story of Titus having poisoned his father at a In this year he completed the great ampllifeast (24th June, A. D. 79) is not believed even theatre, called the Colosseumi, which had been cornby Dion, who could believe any thing bad of a menced by his father; and also the baths called
man. the baths of Titus. The dedication of these two
The year A. D. 79 was the first year of the sole edifices was celebrated by spectacles which lasted
government of Titus, whose conduct proved an one hundred days; by a naval battle in the old
agreeable surprise to those who had anticipated naumachia, and fights of gladiators: on one day
a return of the times of Nero. His brother Do- alone five thousand wild animals are said to have
mitian, it is said, was dissatisfied at Titus being been exhibited, a number which we may reasonsole emperor, and formed the design of stirring up ably suspect to be exaggerated. He also repaired
the soldiers; but though he made no decided at- several aqueducts, and paved the road from Ronme
tempt to seize the supreme power, he is accused of to Rimini (Ariminum).
having all along entertained designs against his In the year A. D. 81 Agricola wat employed in
brother. Instead of punishing him, Titus endea- securinlg his conqrlests in Scotland south of the