Table Of ContentVESPASIAN
From a pre-eminent biographer in the field, this volume examines the life
and times of the Emperor Vespasian and challenges the validity of his peren-
nial good reputation and universally acknowledged achievements. Levick
examines how this plebeian and uncharismatic Emperor restored peace and
confidence to Rome and ensured a smooth succession, how he coped with
the military, political and economic problems of his reign, and his evalu-
ation of the solutions to these problems, before she finally examines his
posthumous reputation.
Now updated to take account of the past fifteen years of scholarship, and
with a new chapter on literature under the Flavians, Vespasian is a fascinat-
ing study for students of Roman history and the general classical enthusiast
alike.
Barbara Levick is Fellow and Tutor Emeritus, St Hilda’s College, Oxford.
She has published extensively on Roman history, with titles including
Tiberius the Politician (Routledge, 1999), The Government of the Roman
Empire, Second Edition (Routledge, 2001), Julia Domna: Syrian Empress
(Routledge, 2007) and Augustus: Image and Substance (Routledge, 2010).
ROMAN IMPERIAL BIOGRAPHIES
Forthcoming:
Honorius: The Fight for the Roman West 395–423 ad, Chris Doyle
Valentinian I and the Defence of the Roman West, Mark Humphries
Also available from Routledge:
Claudius, Second edition, Barbara Levick
Augustus, Second edition, Pat Southern
Julius Caesar, Richard A. Billows
Constantine and the Christian Empire, Second edition,
Charles M. Odahl
Galerius and the Will of Diocletian, Bill Leadbetter
Nerva and the Roman Succession Crisis
of ad 96–99, John D. Grainger
Year of the Four Emperors, Kenneth Wellesley
Aurelian and the Third Century, Alaric Watson
Septimius Severus, Anthony R. Birley
Tiberius the Politician, Barbara Levick
Domitian, Pat Southern
Trajan, Julian Bennett
Hadrian, Antony R. Birley
Diocletian and the Roman Recovery, Stephen Williams
Agrippina, Anthony A. Barrett
The Age of Justinian, J.A.S. Evans
Theodosius, Gerard Friell and Stephen Williams
Marcus Aurelius, Antony R. Birley
Nero, Miriam T. Griffin
VESPASIAN
Second edition
Barbara Levick
Second edition published 2017 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa
business
© 2017 Barbara Levick
The right of Barbara Levick to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
First edition published by Routledge 2005
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Levick, Barbara, author.
Title: Vespasian / Barbara Levick.
Description: Second edition. | New York : Routledge, 2016. | Series:
Roman imperial biographies | Includes bibliographical references
and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015044016 | ISBN 9780415708890 (hardback :
alk. paper) | ISBN 9781315707938 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Vespasian, Emperor of Rome, 9–79. |
Emperors—Rome—Biography. | Rome—History—
Vespasian, 69–79.
Classification: LCC DG289. L48 2016 | DDC 937/.07092—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015044016
ISBN: 978-0-415-70889-0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-70793-8 (ebk)
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
TO MARION TAYLOR,
AND OTHER FRIENDS AT ST HILDA’S COLLEGE,
TO WHOM I OWE SO MUCH.
CONTENTS
List of plates ix
List of maps xiv
Acknowledgements xv
Abbreviations xvii
Key Dates xxiii
Stemma I: The Flavians xxv
Stemma II: The Arrecini and Julii xxvi
Introduction 1
1 A new man in politics 4
2 Vespasian and the aristocracy: the command in Britain 16
3 From Nero’s court to the walls of Jerusalem 27
Appendix: Josephus’ dates for the Jewish War 46
4 The bid for Empire 49
The year 69 49
Vespasian’s success 59
5 Ideology in action 75
6 A new Emperor and his opponents 89
7 Financial survival 105
8 Stabilization: the winning of peace 117
vii
CONTENTS
9 Enhancement: the physical and moral restoration of the
Roman World 133
Rome and Italy 133
Provinces west and east: gifts, status,
‘Romanization’, titles 143
10 Imperialism: Vespasian’s army and the extension of the Empire 165
11 Elites 187
12 Vespasian and his sons 201
13 Literature and politics in the Flavian Era 213
The problems of Flavian literature 213
The epic poets 215
Other verse forms 221
The power of writers 222
Flavian oratory 223
Diligence and study 223
Philosophy, politics, and the rehabilitation
of Domitian 224
14 Conclusion: ideology in the aftermath 227
Concordance 241
Bibliography 249
Notes 260
Index of persons 326
Index of peoples and places 333
Index of subjects and terms 341
viii
PLATES
(between pages 116 and 117)
1 Obv. Nero, laureate; Rev. Roma in military dress, with
Victory and parazonium (Aes, Lugdunum, c. 65). The
Ashmolean Museum, by permission of the Visitors
2 Obv. Galba, laureate; SER. SVLPI. GALBA IMP. CAESAR
AVG. TR.P. Rev. Galba, bare-headed in military dress on
platform and backed by officer, haranguing troops with
shield, standard, and spear; ADLOCVTIO S.C.: ‘Address to
the troops’. (Aes, Rome, c. December 68). The Ashmolean
Museum, by permission of the Visitors
3 Obv. Otho, bare-headed; M.OTHO CAESAR AVG.
TR.P. Rev. Securitas standing, holding wreath and
sceptre; SECVRITAS P(opuli) R(omani) (Gold, Rome,
mid- January–mid-April 69). The Ashmolean Museum, by
permission of the Visitors
4 Obv. Vitellius, laureate; A.VITELLIVS GERM. IMP.
AVG. TR.P. Rev. L. Vitellius in toga, seated on curule
chair, r. hand extended, 1. holding eagle-tipped sceptre;
L.VITELLIVS COS. III CENSOR (Gold, Rome, late
April–20 December 69). The Ashmolean Museum,
by permission of the Visitors
5 Head of Vespasian. By permission of the Ny Carlsberg
Glyptotek, Copenhagen
6 Portrait of Titus. By permission of the Vatican Museum
7 Portrait of Domitian. By permission of the Vatican Museum
8 Obv. Nero laureate; Neron Seb. Caisar: ‘Nero Augustus
Caesar’. Rev. Within wreath ‘Epi Ouespasianou Caisare.
L ID ‘: ‘In Vespasian’s term of office; Year 14. Coin of
the people of Caesarea’ (Aes, Caesarea Maritima, 68).
The British Museum, by permission of the Trustees
ix
