Editing Titus (section)

==Early life==
Titus was born in [[Rome]], probably on 30 December 39 AD, as the eldest son of [[Vespasian|Titus Flavius Vespasianus]], commonly known as Vespasian, and [[Domitilla the Elder]].<ref>Suetonius claims Titus was born in the year Caligula was assassinated, 41. However, this contradicts his statement that Titus died in his 42nd year, as well as Cassius Dio, who notes that Titus was 39 at the time of his accession. See [[Suetonius]], ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', Life of Titus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#1 1], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#11 11]; Cassius Dio, ''Roman History'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#18 LXVI.18]; and {{Cite book|author=Brian Jones |author2=Robert Milns |title=Suetonius: The Flavian Emperors: A Historical Commentary |year=2002 |publisher=Bristol Classical Press |location=London |isbn=978-1-85399-613-9 |page=91}}</ref> He had one younger sister, [[Domitilla the Younger]] (born 45), and one younger brother, [[Titus Flavius Domitianus]] (born 51), commonly referred to as Domitian.

=== Family background ===

Decades of civil war during the 1st century BC had contributed greatly to the demise of the old aristocracy of Rome, which was gradually replaced in prominence by a new Italian nobility during the early 1st century.<ref name="jones-domitian-3">Jones (1992), p. 3</ref> One such family was the ''gens [[Flavia gens|Flavia]]'', which rose from relative obscurity to prominence in only four generations, acquiring wealth and status under the Emperors of the [[Julio-Claudian dynasty]]. Titus's great-grandfather, [[Titus Flavius Petro]], had served as a [[centurion]] under [[Pompey]] during [[Caesar's Civil War]]. His military career ended in disgrace when he fled the battlefield at the [[Battle of Pharsalus]] in 48 BC.<ref name="jones-domitian-1">Jones (1992), p. 1</ref>

Nevertheless, Petro managed to improve his status by marrying the extremely-wealthy Tertulla, whose fortune guaranteed the upwards mobility of Petro's son [[Titus Flavius Sabinus I]], Titus's grandfather.<ref name="jones-domitian-2">Jones (1992), p. 2</ref> Sabinus himself amassed further wealth and possible [[equestrian (Roman)|equestrian]] status through his services as [[tax collector]] in Asia and banker in [[Helvetia]]. By marrying [[Vespasia Polla]], he allied himself to the more prestigious [[patrician (Ancient Rome)|patrician]] ''gens Vespasia'', ensuring the elevation of his sons [[Titus Flavius Sabinus II]] and [[Vespasian]] to the [[Roman senator|senatorial]] rank.<ref name="jones-domitian-2"/>

The [[cursus honorum|political career]] of Vespasian included the offices of [[quaestor]], [[aedile]] and [[praetor]] and culminated with a [[consulship]] in 51, the year Domitian was born. As a military commander, he gained early renown by participating in the [[Roman invasion of Britain]] in 43.<ref>Jones, (1992), p. 8</ref> What little is known of Titus's early life has been handed down by [[Suetonius]], who recorded that he was brought up at the imperial court in the company of [[Britannicus]],<ref name="suetonius-titus-2">[[Suetonius]], ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', Life of Titus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#1 2]</ref> the son of Emperor [[Claudius]], who would be murdered by [[Nero]] in 55.

The story was even told that Titus was reclining next to Britannicus on the night he was murdered and sipped of the poison that was handed to him.<ref name="suetonius-titus-2"/> Further details on his education are scarce, but it seems he showed early promise in the [[military science|military arts]] and was a skilled poet and orator both in [[Koine Greek|Greek]] and [[Latin]].<ref>[[Suetonius]], ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', Life of Titus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#3 3]</ref>