Vespasian

notes from te Ricard Alston textbook

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  • Created by: rosie
  • Created on: 27-10-14 17:47
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  • Vespasian
    • Politics
      • Friends and Allies
        • Vespasian did not come from a particularly distinguished family
        • slept through one of Nero's performances
        • commanded troops in judaea
        • he had some powerful friends e.g. Mucianus
        • shared rule with Titus making Titus' succession very smooth
          • Also honoured his other son Domitian
        • Also honoured his other son Domitian
        • had the support of his nepew, Flavius Sabinus
        • Nerva was one of the few people who was not a flavian to hold a consulship during Vespasian's reign suggesting he was an important member of the group
        • he had a close knit group of friends and family that held the power
      • Manners and the senate
        • Vespasian didn't have the social status to present himself as superior to the senate, so he played the role of the senator
        • he was modest e,g, didn't live in a palace and gave up practise of searching visitors
        • presented himself as a traditional Italian aristocrat like those of the provinces rather than like the patrician families of Rome
        • Political feud with Prisus. After various attempts to quieten him, such as promoting his enemy, Vespasian eventually had him killed.
        • 'my sons shall succeed me or no one shall'
        • Not many senators killed
        • Made examples of Diogenes and Heras who spoke out against him, had Diogenes flogged and Heras killed.
    • Military Policy
      • war in Judaea
      • Agricola brought most of Britain under Roman control
      • there was also unrest in Germany
    • Building and finance
      • the treasury was empty when Vespasian came to power
      • Taxes were raised and new taxes invented. such as the tax on Jewish people and the tax on urinals
      • he managed to be generous to his friends, to sponsor the arts, to entertain the plebs and to fund various building projects
      • he repaired damage caused by the civil wars e.g. the temple of jupiter
      • started building the colosseum

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