Editing Titus (section)

==Legacy==
===Historiography===
[[Image:The Arch of Titus, Upper Via Sacra, Rome (31605340150).jpg|thumb|The [[Arch of Titus]], on the [[Via Sacra]], just to the south-east of the [[Roman Forum]] in Rome]]
Titus's record among ancient historians stands as one of the most exemplary of any emperor. The extant accounts from the period, many of them written by his contemporaries, present a highly favourable view toward Titus. His character has especially prospered in comparison with that of his brother Domitian. ''[[The Wars of the Jews]]'' offers a witness account of the Jewish rebellion and the character of Titus. The neutrality of [[Josephus]]'s writings has been questioned as he was indebted to the [[Flavians]]. In 71, he arrived in Rome in the entourage of Titus, became a [[Roman citizen]] and took on the Roman [[Roman naming conventions|nomen]] Flavius and [[praenomen]] Titus from his patrons. He received an annual pension and lived in the palace.<ref>[[Josephus]], ''[[The Life of Flavius Josephus]]'' [[s:The Life of Flavius Josephus#76|76]]</ref>

It was in Rome and under Flavian patronage that Josephus wrote all of his known works. ''The War of the Jews'' is biased against the leaders of the revolt by portraying the rebellion as weak and unorganised and even blaming the Jews for causing the war.<ref>[[Josephus]], ''[[The Wars of the Jews]]'' [[s:The War of the Jews/Book II#Chapter 17|II.17]]</ref> His credibility as a historian was later questioned.<ref>Josephus, Flavius, ''The Jewish War'', tr. G.A. Williamson, introduction by E. Mary Smallwood. New York, Penguin, 1981, p. 24</ref>

Another contemporary of Titus was [[Publius Cornelius Tacitus]], who started his public career in 80 or 81 and credits the Flavian dynasty with his elevation.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 1#1|I.1]]</ref> ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|The Histories]]'', his account of the period, was published during the reign of [[Trajan]]. Unfortunately only the first five books from this work have survived, with the text on Titus's and Domitian's reigns lost.

[[Suetonius|Suetonius Tranquilius]] gives a short but highly favourable account on Titus's reign in ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', emphasising his military achievements and his generosity as emperor.<ref name="suetonius-titus-1">[[Suetonius]], ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', Life of Titus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#1 1]</ref>

<blockquote>Titus, of the same surname as his father, was the delight and darling of the human race; such surpassing ability had he, by nature, art, or good fortune, to win the affections of all men, and that, too, which is no easy task, while he was emperor.<ref name="suetonius-titus-1"/></blockquote>

[[Cassius Dio]] wrote his ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' over 100 years after the death of Titus. He shares a similar outlook as Suetonius, possibly even using the latter as a source but is more reserved by noting that

<blockquote>His satisfactory record may also have been due to the fact that he survived his accession but a very short time, for he was thus given no opportunity for wrongdoing. For he lived after this only two years, two months and twenty days—in addition to the thirty-nine years, five months and twenty-five days he had already lived at that time. In this respect, indeed, he is regarded as having equalled the long reign of [[Augustus]], since it is maintained that Augustus would never have been loved had he lived a shorter time, nor Titus had he lived longer. For Augustus, though at the outset he showed himself rather harsh because of the wars and the factional strife, was later able, in the course of time, to achieve a brilliant reputation for his kindly deeds; Titus, on the other hand, ruled with mildness and died at the height of his glory, whereas, if he had lived a long time, it might have been shown that he owes his present fame more to good fortune than to merit.<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-18"/></blockquote>

[[Pliny the Elder]], who died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, dedicated his ''[[Naturalis Historia]]'' to Titus.<ref>[http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pompeii.htm The Destruction of Pompeii, 79 AD], Translation of [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]]'s letters. [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/pliny.ep6.html Original.]</ref><ref>[[Pliny the Elder]], ''[[Natural Histories]]'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/plinyepistle.html Preface]</ref>

In contrast to the ideal portrayal of Titus in Roman histories, Jewish memory has "Titus the Wicked" remembered as an evil oppressor and destroyer of the Temple. A legend in the Babylonian Talmud described Titus as having had sex with a prostitute on a Torah scroll inside the Temple during its destruction.<ref>Babylonian Talmud (Gittin 56b)</ref>

===In later arts===
[[Image:The Triumph of Titus Alma Tadema.jpg|thumb|upright|''The Triumph of Titus'', by Sir [[Lawrence Alma-Tadema]] (1885). The composition suggests a love affair between Titus and Domitian's wife, [[Domitia Longina]] (see below).]]
The war in Judaea and the life of Titus, particularly his relationship with Berenice, have inspired writers and artists through the centuries. The [[bas-relief]] in the Arch of Titus has been influential in the depiction of the [[destruction of Jerusalem]], with the [[Menorah (Temple)|Menorah]] frequently being used to symbolise the looting of the [[Second Temple]].

====Literature====
* The early mediaeval Christian text ''[[Vindicta Salvatoris]]'' anachronistically portrays Titus as Roman client-king of Libya, north of Judah.<ref name="ehrman/plese 523">Ehrman and Pleše (2011), p. 523.</ref>
* ''[[Bérénice]]'', a play by [[Jean Racine]] (1670), which focuses on the love affair between Titus and Berenice.
* ''[[Tite et Bérénice]]'', a play by [[Pierre Corneille]], which was in competition with Racine the same year and concerns the same subject matter.
* ''[[Titus and Berenice]]'', a 1676 play by [[Thomas Otway]]
* ''[[La clemenza di Tito]]'', an [[opera]] by [[Mozart]], which centres around a plot to kill Emperor Titus instigated by Vitellia, the daughter of [[Vitellius]], to gain what she believes to be her rightful place as Queen.
* The ''Josephus Trilogy'', novels by [[Lion Feuchtwanger]], about the life of [[Flavius Josephus]] and his relation with the Flavian dynasty.
** ''Der jüdische Krieg'' (''Josephus''), 1932
** ''Die Söhne'' (''The Jews of Rome''), 1935
** ''Der Tag wird kommen'' (''The day will come'', ''Josephus and the Emperor''), 1942
* The ''[[Marcus Didius Falco]]'' novels, which take place during the reign of Vespasian.
* Titus figures prominently in "[[The Pearl-Maiden]]", a novel by [[H. Rider Haggard]], first published in 1901.

====Paintings and visual arts====
* ''[[:Image:Kaulbach Zerstoerung Jerusalems durch Titus.jpg|The Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus]]'' by [[Wilhelm von Kaulbach]] (1846). Oil on canvas, 585 x 705&nbsp;cm. Neue Pinakothek, [[Munich]]. An allegorical depiction of the [[destruction of Jerusalem]], dramatically centered around the figure of Titus.
* ''[[:Image:La Destruction du temple de Jérusalem - Nicolas Poussin - Israel Museum.jpg|The Destruction and Sack of the Temple of Jerusalem]] '' by [[Nicolas Poussin]] (1626). Oil on canvas, 145.8 x 194&nbsp;cm. [[Israel Museum]], Jerusalem. Depicts the destruction and looting of the Second Temple by the Roman army led by Titus.
* ''[[:Image:(Venice) La distruzione del tempio di Gerusalemme -Francesco Hayez - gallerie Accademia Venice.jpg|The Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem]]'' by [[Francesco Hayez]] (1867). Oil on canvas, 183 x 252&nbsp;cm. Galleria d'Arte Moderna, [[Venice]]. Depicts the destruction and looting of the Second Temple by the Roman army.
* ''[[:Image:Roberts Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem.jpg|The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans Under the Command of Titus, A.D. 70]]'' by [[David Roberts (painter)|David Roberts]] (1850). Oil on canvas, 136 x 197&nbsp;cm. Private collection. Depicts the burning and looting of Jerusalem by the Roman army under Titus.
* ''[[:Image:Romano Triumph of Titus and Vespasian.jpg|The Triumph of Titus and Vespasian]]'' by [[Giulio Romano (painter)|Giulio Romano]] (1540). Oil on wood, 170 x 120&nbsp;cm. [[Louvre]], [[Paris]]. Depicts Titus and Vespasian as they ride into Rome on a triumphal chariot, preceded by a parade carrying spoils from the war in Judaea. The painting [[anachronistically]] features the Arch of Titus, which was not completed until the reign of Domitian.
* ''[[:Image:The Triumph of Titus Alma Tadema.jpg|The Triumph of Titus]]'' by [[Lawrence Alma-Tadema]] (1885). Oil on canvas. Private collection. This painting depicts the triumphal procession of Titus and his family. Alma-Tadema was known for his meticulous historical research on the ancient world.<ref>{{Cite journal| last = Prettejohn | first = Elizabeth | author-link = Elizabeth Prettejohn | title = Lawrence Alma-Tadema and the Modern City of Ancient Rome | journal = The Art Bulletin | volume = 84 | issue = 1 | pages = 115–129 |date = March 2002 | doi = 10.2307/3177255 | jstor=3177255| title-link = Lawrence Alma-Tadema }}</ref> Vespasian, dressed as [[Pontifex Maximus]], walks at the head of his family, followed by Domitian and his first wife [[Domitia Longina]], who he had only recently married. Behind Domitian follows Titus, dressed in religious regalia. An exchange of glances between Titus and Domitia suggests an affair which historians have speculated upon.<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-26"/><ref name="suetonius-titus-10"/>
* ''[[:Image:Franks casket 01.jpg|Rear Panel]]'' of the ''[[Franks Casket]]''. Northumbrian, early 8th century. Whale's bone carving with Anglo-Saxon runic inscription, 22.9 x 19&nbsp;cm. [[British Museum]], London. Titus leads Roman army into Jerusalem and captures Temple. Inhabitants flee into exile, judgement is passed on offenders, and captives are led away.