Titus Flavius Vespasianus succeeded in gaining the purple in A.D. 69 after a particularly bloody round of civil wars which followed the demise of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ‘Flavian’ was the name used to describe any member of his family and any supporter of his cause. Vespasian’s rule was typified by justice and stability combined with a return to imperial majesty. The heirs of Vespasian were his sons, Titus Flavius Vespasianus (II) and Titus Flavius Domitianus. Titus’ reign lasted just over two years and is mainly remembered for the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Domitian is traditionally thought to have been a brooding, resentful tyrant but modern research has revised this biased view. Domitian was a capable and hard-working emperor but he found it difficult to be diplomatic and his severe and cruel nature gained him few friends. The Flavian dynasty ended on 18th September A.D. 96 with the assassination of Domitian in the Imperial Palace on the Palatine. James R. Wadman B.A., M.A. [History and Archaeology] for TimeLine Originals.

T. Flavius Vespasianus enjoyed a most successful military career, playing an important role in the Claudian invasion of Britain in A.D. 43 as commander of Legio II. The accession of Vespasian saw the rise of Rome's second great imperial dynasty.

Titus Flavius Vespansianus was the eldest son of Vespasian. During the reign of Nero he served as a military tribune in Britain and Germany. In A.D. 70 he captured Jerusalem ending a Jewish revolt. His brief reign witnessed the eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79. The 'Amphitheatrum Flavium' or Colosseum was dedicated by Titus in A.D. 80, having been commenced by Vespasian nine years earlier.

Julia Flavia was the only child to the Emperor Titus from his second marriage to the well-connected Marcia Furnilla. Titus divorced Furnilla after Julia's birth and conquered Jerusalem on Julia's sixth birthday. Julia was born in Rome. She was also known as Flavia Julia, Julia, Flavia, Flavia Julia Titii, Titii Julia and Julia Titii. When growing up, Titus offered her in marriage to his brother Domitian, but he refused because of his infatuation with Domitia Longina. Later she married her second cousin Titus Flavius Sabinus (consul 82 A.D.), brother to Consul Titus Flavius Clemens, who married her first cousin Flavia Domitilla. By then Domitian had seduced her. When her father and husband died, in the words of Dio 67.3, Domitian: lived with her as husband with his wife, making little effort at concealment. Then upon the demands of the people he became reconciled with Domitia, but continued his relations with Julia none the less. The earlier coins belong to the reign of Titus and were probably produced on the occasion of Julia's evaluation to the rank of Augusta. Her later coins were struck under Domitian.

Titus Flavius Domitianus was the younger son of Vespasian. He was one of the worst of the Roman tyrants. He was eventually killed by an assassin's knife in his private apartments.

The wife of Domitian, wife Flavia Domitilla was the daughter of Titus Flavius Vespasianus, a successful Roman general who had played an important role in the Roman invasion of Britain (43) and was consul in 51. Domitilla was dead before July 1, 69, the day on which her father was proclaimed emperor in Judaea.