The Flavian Dynasty : Titus

Imperator Titus Caesar Vespasianus Augustus 79 – 81 AD

Born: 30th December 39 AD at Rome
Date of Accession: Proclaimed Caesar when his father became Emperor on 1st July 69 AD, Full accession on 24th June 79 AD
Died: 13th September 81 AD at Aquae Cutilliae

Governors of Britannia during his reign:

Gnaeus Iulius Agricola 79 – 81 AD

Titus was proclaimed Emperor the day after his father’s death. His accession was dreaded by many, Titus had handled a great many of the less reputable aspects of rule for his father to help keep his reputation clean and another “Nero” was the fear among the Senatorial class.

However Titus dispelled this in his short reign, it being one marked by his personal generosity and as a result he is seen as a good Emperor, though perhaps one who was not in office long enough to let the mask slip.

Titus had served as a military Tribune in Britain around 63 AD. This was the era of Roman consolidation in southern England after the Boudiccan rebellion had been bloodily eradicated.

Titus

He gained fame for his success in the Judean war in 69 AD -which he continued to prosecute for his father during the Civil War- but has latterly attracted notoriety for the pillaging and destruction he meted out in Jerusalem on its fall.

Notable events that took place during his reign included the eruption of Mount Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii and entombed Herculaneum, as well as the inaugural games of the near complete “Colosseum” started by his father.

Part of the menagerie of wild animals brought from the corners of the Empire to that spectacular event was a Caledonian bear, a reminder of the major theatre of war during his reign; Scotland.

This warfare did not penetrate to Caledonia, and the bear was probably acquired through trade, perhaps at the most northerly outpost which was then at Doune.

Agricola was maintained as governor and in Scotland immediately set about building a network of forts between the Forth and Clyde. This was Scotland’s first frontier though the identified forts of this period do not form an alignment like that adopted by the later Antonine Wall.

Clearly Titus had instructed that no advance further north was to be contemplated till the subjugation of the remaining tribes to the west of Agricola's gains earlier in 79 AD had been completed. Titus clearly was keeping faith with his father’s original plans and no doubt would have secured his approval for the business-like way he went about it.

This subjugation would be problematic as the area included much more difficult terrain than had been encountered the preceding year. It also contained a greater number of tribes and a philo-Roman response could not be expected. The task would take Agricola the two full years of Titus’s reign.

First to be targeted in 80 AD was hilly central southern Scotland, Selgovae territory while forts were built hard up against Dumnonii territory in west central Scotland.

The following year – 81 AD - Agricola conducted operations in south west Scotland – Dumnonii and Novantae territory – either (the original meaning in the Tacitean text is disputed) crossing the River Annan into Novantae territory or landing on the Galloway coast from the fleet (probably out of his capital Deva) while simultaneously striking out through Dumnonii territory from upper Clydesdale.

Regardless, lowland Dumnonii and hilly Galloway were over-run. Only just in time too, late that summer as Agricola – probably near Ayr – toyed with the concept of campaigning in Ireland word arrived of the sudden death, again due to illness of the Emperor.

Agricola had ordered a naval reconnaissance of the western seaboard preparatory to any further initiatives northwards in years to come but again was otherwise forced to wait new Imperial directive – and perhaps even replacement.

Brigantia, the largest and most powerful tribe in Britain had been conquered in less than two years as a local exercise by Cerialis. Smaller and less populous lowland Scotland – contrary to the boastful exaggeration of Tacitus – held out longer, taking three years to over run as the priority Imperial conquest of two Emperors, but as history would ultimately show – unlike the Brigantes – they would not remain subjugated long.

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