WI: Emperor Titus doesn't die in 81 AD

The emperor Titus died 81 AD after only two years ruling as emperor. Those were an eventful two years, as it saw the finishing of Vespasian's construction projects, including the Flavian Ampitheater and the Arch of Titus. It also included the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Titus showed much promise as an emperor for the future.

After his unexpected death however, he was succeeded by his younger Domitian, who's policies and personality alienated much of the empire's elites, and lead to his assassination and the abrupt end of the Flavian Dynasty, starting the Nerva-Antonine dynasty.

So, what if Titus did not die in 81, and continued to rule? He was only 42 IIRC upon his death, so he still had a while left. What would the rest of his rule be like? Assuming he has a son, what would be the positive and negative effects of a longer surviving Flavian dynasty? Titus was much more liked than his younger brother IIRC, so he surely won't be as alienating as Domitian was. He was also a military man, so I'm assuming he would at least go on one campaign himself.
 
It appears that Titus had one surviving child, a daughter named Julia Flavia..

Titus never remarried after divorcing Marcia Furnilla.

He apparently had a relationship with Berenice of Judea, sister of Judean King Agrippa II but was unable to marry her due to the Senate fearing another foreign Lady causing more grief to the Empire like Queen Cleopatra did to Rome in the past...

He was having issues with his brother apparently planning his assassination ....

Titus would have to deal with his younger brother's ambitions and the threats from Germania and Dacia....
 
It appears that Titus had one surviving child, a daughter named Julia Flavia..

Titus never remarried after divorcing Marcia Furnilla.

He apparently had a relationship with Berenice of Judea, sister of Judean King Agrippa II but was unable to marry her due to the Senate fearing another foreign Lady causing more grief to the Empire like Queen Cleopatra did to Rome in the past...

He was having issues with his brother apparently planning his assassination ....

Titus would have to deal with his younger brother's ambitions and the threats from Germania and Dacia....

Okay then. So let's assume Domitian's plot is thwarted and Titus orders his execution (would he execute his own brother?). Is there a chance he would remarry?

If he doesn't remarry, who would be candidates for him adopting and becoming his heir? I assume Trajan would be an option.
 
I would expect a better performance from Titus during the Dacian Wars than Dominitian's dismal performance. There'd be another two legions for Titus and his successors; V Alidae and XXI Rapax.
However, Dominitian balanced the Roman economy a little, he was good at micromanaging. Though Dacia has a lot of gold, so that might offset any downsides in that respect.
He also moved the Empire into a more autocratic period with a cult of personality. I don't know about Titus's beliefs, but Dominitian was a firm believer in the Roman gods IIRC.

As for his successor, he could always just adopt someone. Trajan would indeed be an option, theoretically.
 
I would expect a better performance from Titus during the Dacian Wars than Dominitian's dismal performance. There'd be another two legions for Titus and his successors; V Alidae and XXI Rapax.
However, Dominitian balanced the Roman economy a little, he was good at micromanaging. Though Dacia has a lot of gold, so that might offset any downsides in that respect.
He also moved the Empire into a more autocratic period with a cult of personality. I don't know about Titus's beliefs, but Dominitian was a firm believer in the Roman gods IIRC.

As for his successor, he could always just adopt someone. Trajan would indeed be an option, theoretically.
Indeed. Though he might not be pressured into adopting Trajan like Nerva did, so he may choose someone else. IIRC, Nerva did not initially want to adopt Trajan, but it was only because of the attempted coup to overthrow him, and the belief that he would die soon, as well as the fact that Trajan was popular amongst the military, that lead him to adopt him as his successor.

Titus however is a military man and would certainly have more freedom in choosing his successor.
 
Indeed. Though he might not be pressured into adopting Trajan like Nerva did, so he may choose someone else. IIRC, Nerva did not initially want to adopt Trajan, but it was only because of the attempted coup to overthrow him, and the belief that he would die soon, as well as the fact that Trajan was popular amongst the military, that lead him to adopt him as his successor.

Titus however is a military man and would certainly have more freedom in choosing his successor.

If he's smart, he'll choose Trajan; a man who won't rape his dog during an orgy, won't burn down half the Empire to build a palace, or replace the silver content in the currency with his hair, or something along those lines.:)
 
If he's smart, he'll choose Trajan; a man who won't rape his dog during an orgy, won't burn down half the Empire to build a palace, or replace the silver content in the currency with his hair, or something along those lines.:)

What about Publius Cornelius Nigrinus? I can't really find anything on him, but he was Nerva's original choice.
 
All I can find on him with a quick search is a minor reference to him from here.

In the meantime, the generals of the armies of the Rhine and Danube and several senators were consulting on their attitude to the choice of Nerva's successor. They agreed that the new emperor ought to be Trajan, the governor of Germania Superior, and in October 97, Nerva adopted the man chosen by the armies. Three years later, Pliny compared this event to an abdication (Panegyricus 7.4) and this is hardly exaggerated. Four months later, the old man died.
Probably, Pliny was involved in this silent coup, although there are indirect indications. However, he occupied a very important function, and had made his name as a courageous man not deterred by the influence of Trajan's rival Cornelius Nigrinus. It is possible that Pliny's attack on Publicius Certus was meant as an attack on Cornelius Nigrinus.
 
relayer

I hope this gets in here right. I am citing the Roman Emperors by Michael Grant. I have seen this elsewhere Titus had a cousin? Flavius Clemens who was married to Flavia Domitilla III with two sons. She was a grandaughter and he was acousin. Domitian had them all executed for symphizing with the jews or christians. Titus at a minimum would have made the sons heirs. i believe Domitian did for a short while.

relayer
 
He would most likely marry his daughter off, as he did OTL, offering her first to Domitian and then to his first cousin, Sabinus. Through her he might then perpetuate his line and obtain a young Caesar of his own blood, perhaps providing for a testamentary adoption of Sabinus to smooth things over in the interim period before a grandson would be old enough to rule.

A nice back-up would be his niece, Flavia Domitilla, daughter of his deified sister, the Augusta Domitilla, who married another first cousin, Clemens (brother of Sabinus).

Between them Titus' daughter and niece, married off to his father's nephews, would be sure to provide not only a Caesar for the purple, but plenty of siblings and cousins for him to butcher only he ascended to ultimate authority ;)
 
He would most likely marry his daughter off, as he did OTL, offering her first to Domitian and then to his first cousin, Sabinus. Through her he might then perpetuate his line and obtain a young Caesar of his own blood, perhaps providing for a testamentary adoption of Sabinus to smooth things over in the interim period before a grandson would be old enough to rule.

A nice back-up would be his niece, Flavia Domitilla, daughter of his deified sister, the Augusta Domitilla, who married another first cousin, Clemens (brother of Sabinus).

Between them Titus' daughter and niece, married off to his father's nephews, would be sure to provide not only a Caesar for the purple, but plenty of siblings and cousins for him to butcher only he ascended to ultimate authority ;)
I do not believe even Titus would marry his daughter to his brother although Domitian apparently did try or had an affair with her. I believe the sons of Flavius Clemens were called Titus and Vespasian. If Clemens or is the name Sabinus was not killed by Titus or even if he was the sons would be simply adopted after all they were in the bloodline albeit distantly.
 
He would most likely marry his daughter off, as he did OTL, offering her first to Domitian and then to his first cousin, Sabinus. Through her he might then perpetuate his line and obtain a young Caesar of his own blood, perhaps providing for a testamentary adoption of Sabinus to smooth things over in the interim period before a grandson would be old enough to rule.

A nice back-up would be his niece, Flavia Domitilla, daughter of his deified sister, the Augusta Domitilla, who married another first cousin, Clemens (brother of Sabinus).

Between them Titus' daughter and niece, married off to his father's nephews, would be sure to provide not only a Caesar for the purple, but plenty of siblings and cousins for him to butcher only he ascended to ultimate authority ;)
I was unaware he had a daughter. I should really look more into this stuff. :p
 
I was unaware he had a daughter. I should really look more into this stuff. :p


relayer. According to a geneaology from Suetonius T Flavius Sabinus married Titus's daughter Flavia Julia and his brother T Flavius Clemens married Flavia Domitilla III. Suetonius has the sons of this marriage as Vespasian and Domitian.Titus had someone of the family bloodline to pass the throne to if he chose to.:)
 
Top