Editing Titus (section)

===Challenges===
[[Image:Pompeii Garden of the Fugitives 02.jpg|thumb|180px|The [[Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79]] completely destroyed [[Pompeii]] and [[Herculaneum]]. Plaster casts of actual victims found during excavations are now on display in some of the ruins.]]
Although Titus's brief reign was marked by a relative absence of major military or political conflicts, he faced a number of major disasters. A few months after his accession, [[eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD|Mount Vesuvius erupted]].<ref>[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#22 LXVI.22]</ref> The eruption almost completely destroyed the cities and resort communities around the [[Bay of Naples]]. The cities of [[Pompeii]] and [[Herculaneum]] were buried under metres of stone and ash,<ref>[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#23 LXVI.23]</ref> killing thousands.<ref>The exact number of casualties is unknown, but estimates of the population of Pompeii range between 10,000 ({{cite web |title=Engineering of Pompeii: Ruins Reveal Roman Technology for Construction, Transportation, and Water Distribution |url=http://enginova.com/engineering_of_pompeii.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708190434/http://www.enginova.com/engineering_of_pompeii.htm |archive-date=8 July 2008 |access-date=10 March 2009}}) and 25,000 ([http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pompeii.htm]), with at least 1000 bodies currently recovered in and around the city ruins.</ref> Titus appointed two ex-consuls to organise and coordinate the relief effort and personally donated large amounts of money from the imperial treasury to aid the victims of the volcano.<ref name="suetonius-titus-8"/> Additionally, he visited Pompeii once after the eruption and again the following year.<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-24">[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#24 LXVI.24]</ref>

During the second visit, in spring of 80, a fire broke out in Rome and burned large parts of the city for three days and three nights.<ref name="suetonius-titus-8"/><ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-24"/> Although the extent of the damage was not as disastrous as during the [[Great Fire of Rome|Great Fire]] of 64 and crucially spared the many districts of [[insulae]], [[Cassius Dio]] records a long list of important public buildings that were destroyed, including Agrippa's [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]], the [[Temple of Jupiter (Capitoline Hill)|Temple of Jupiter]], the [[Diribitorium]], parts of the [[Theatre of Pompey]], and the [[Saepta Julia]] among others.<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-24"/> Once again, Titus personally compensated for the damaged regions.<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-24"/> According to Suetonius, a plague also broke out during the fire.<ref name="suetonius-titus-8"/> The nature of the disease, however, and the death toll are unknown.

Meanwhile, war had resumed in [[Roman Britain|Britannia]], where [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola]] pushed further into [[Caledonia]] and managed to establish several forts there.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Agricola (book)|Agricola]]'' [[s:Agricola#22|22]]</ref> As a result of his actions, Titus received the title of [[Imperator#Imperator as an imperial title|imperator]] for the fifteenth time, between 9 September and 31 December 79 AD.<ref>[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#20 LXVI.20]</ref>

His reign also saw the rebellion led by [[Terentius Maximus]], one of several false Neros who appeared throughout the 70s.<ref name="tacitus-histories i-2">[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 1#2|I.2]]</ref> Although Nero was primarily known as a universally-hated tyrant, there is evidence that for much of his reign, he remained highly popular in the eastern provinces. Reports that Nero had survived his overthrow were fuelled by the confusing circumstances of his death and several prophecies foretelling his return.<ref>{{Cite journal| last = Sanford | first = Eva Matthews | author-link=Eva Matthews Sanford | title = Nero and the East | journal = Harvard Studies in Classical Philology | volume = 48 | year = 1937 | pages = 75–103 | doi = 10.2307/310691 | jstor=310691}}</ref>

According to Cassius Dio, Terentius Maximus resembled Nero in voice and appearance and, like him, sang to the [[lyre]].<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-19"/> Terentius established a following in [[Asia Minor]] but was soon forced to flee beyond the [[Euphrates]] and took refuge with the [[Parthian Empire|Parthians]].<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-19"/><ref name="tacitus-histories i-2"/> In addition, sources state that Titus discovered that his brother Domitian was plotting against him but refused to have him killed or banished.<ref name="suetonius-titus-9"/><ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-26">[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#26 LXVI.26]</ref>