Editing Titus (section)

====Year of the Four Emperors====
[[Image:Roman Empire 69.svg|thumb|350px|A map of the Roman Empire during the [[Year of the Four Emperors]] (AD 69). Blue areas indicate provinces loyal to Vespasian and [[Gaius Licinius Mucianus]].]]

The last and most significant fortified city held by the [[Zealotry|Jewish resistance]] was Jerusalem. The campaign came to a sudden halt when news arrived of Nero's death.<ref name="josephus-wars-iv-9-2">[[Josephus]], ''[[The Wars of the Jews]]'' [[s:The War of the Jews/Book IV#Chapter 9|IV.9.2]]</ref> Almost simultaneously, the [[Roman Senate]] had declared [[Galba]], the governor of [[Hispania]], as emperor. Vespasian decided to await further orders and sent Titus to greet the new ''[[princeps]]''.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 2#1|II.1]]</ref>

Before reaching Italy, Titus learnt that Galba had been murdered and replaced by [[Otho]], the governor of [[Lusitania]], and that [[Vitellius]] and his armies in [[Germania]] were preparing to march on the capital, intent on overthrowing Otho. Not wanting to risk being taken hostage by one side or the other, he abandoned the journey to Rome and rejoined his father in Judaea.<ref name="tacitus-histories-ii-2">[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 2#2|II.2]]</ref> Meanwhile, Otho was defeated in the [[First Battle of Bedriacum]] and committed suicide.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 2#41|II.41–49]]</ref>

When the news reached the armies in Judaea and [[Ægyptus]], they took matters into their own hands and declared Vespasian emperor on 1 July 69.<ref>[[Josephus]], ''[[The Wars of the Jews]]'' [[s:The War of the Jews/Book IV#Chapter 10|IV.10.4]]</ref> Vespasian accepted and, after negotiations by Titus, joined forces with [[Gaius Licinius Mucianus]], governor of Syria.<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 2#5|II.5]]</ref> A strong force drawn from the Judaean and Syrian legions marched on Rome under the command of Mucianus, and Vespasian travelled to [[Alexandria]], leaving Titus in charge to end the Jewish rebellion.<ref>[[Josephus]], ''[[The Wars of the Jews]]'' [[s:The War of the Jews/Book IV#Chapter 11|IV.11.1]]</ref><ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 2#82|II.82]]</ref> By the end of 69, the forces of Vitellius had been beaten, and Vespasian was officially declared emperor by the Senate on 21 December, thus ending the [[Year of the Four Emperors]].<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''[[Histories (Tacitus)|Histories]]'' [[s:The Histories (Tacitus)/Book 4#3|IV.3]]</ref>