Editing Titus (section)

=== Succession ===
[[Image:Titus Augustus Denarius.png|thumb|330px|A Roman [[denarius]] depicting Titus, c. 79. The reverse commemorates his [[Roman triumph|triumph]] in the [[Jewish-Roman wars|Judaean Wars]], representing a Jewish captive kneeling in front of a trophy of arms. Caption: IMP. T. CAESAR VESPASIANVS AVG. / TRibunus POTestas VIII, COnSul VII]]

Vespasian died of an infection on 23<ref>[[Suetonius]], ''[[Lives of the Twelve Caesars]]'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Vespasian*.html#24 "Life of Vespasian" §24]</ref> or 24<ref>[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#17 LXVI.17]</ref> June 79 AD, and was immediately succeeded by his son Titus.<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-18">[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#18 LXVI.18]</ref> He was the first Roman emperor to come to the throne after his own biological father. As Pharaoh of Egypt, Titus adopted the titulary ''Autokrator Titos Kaisaros Hununefer Benermerut'' ("Emperor Titus Caesar, the perfect and popular youth").<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pharaoh.se/roman-emperor/Titus |title=Titus |website=The Royal Titulary of Ancient Egypt |access-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> Because of his many (alleged) vices, many Romans feared that he would be another Nero.<ref name="suetonius-titus-7">[[Suetonius]], ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', Life of Titus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#7 7]</ref> Against those expectations, however, Titus proved to be an effective emperor and was well loved by the population, who praised him highly when they found that he possessed the greatest virtues, instead of vices.<ref name="suetonius-titus-7"/>

One of his first acts as emperor was to order a halt to trials based on treason charges,<ref name="suetonius-titus-8">[[Suetonius]], ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', Life of Titus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#8 8]</ref> which had long plagued the [[principate]]. The law of [[treason]], or [[law of majestas]], was originally intended to prosecute those who had corruptly "impaired the people and majesty of Rome" by any revolutionary action.<ref name="tacitus-annals-i-72">[[Tacitus]], ''[[Annals (Tacitus)|Annals]]'' [[s:The Annals (Tacitus)/Book 1#72|I.72]]</ref> Under [[Augustus]], however, that custom had been revived and applied to cover [[slander]] and [[libel]] as well.<ref name="tacitus-annals-i-72"/> This led to numerous trials and executions under [[Tiberius]], [[Caligula]], and Nero, and the formation of networks of informers (''[[delator]]s''), which terrorised Rome's political system for decades.<ref name="suetonius-titus-8"/>

Titus put an end to that practice against himself or anyone else and declared:

<blockquote>It is impossible for me to be insulted or abused in any way. For I do naught that deserves censure, and I care not for what is reported falsely. As for the emperors who are dead and gone, they will avenge themselves in case anyone does them a wrong, if in very truth they are demigods and possess any power.<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-19">[[Cassius Dio]], ''[[Roman History (Cassius Dio)|Roman History]]'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/66*.html#19 LXVI.19]</ref></blockquote>

Consequently, no [[Roman senator|senators]] were put to death during his reign;<ref name="dio-romanhistory-lxvi-19"/> he thus kept to his promise that he would assume the office of [[Pontifex Maximus]] "for the purpose of keeping his hands unstained".<ref name="suetonius-titus-9">[[Suetonius]], ''[[The Lives of Twelve Caesars]]'', Life of Titus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Titus*.html#9 9]</ref> Informants were publicly punished and banished from the city. Titus further prevented abuses by making it unlawful for a person to be [[double jeopardy|tried under different laws for the same offense]].<ref name="suetonius-titus-8"/> Finally, when Berenice returned to Rome, he sent her away.<ref name="suetonius-titus-7"/>

As emperor, he became known for his generosity, and [[Suetonius]] states that upon realising he had brought no benefit to anyone during a whole day he remarked, "Friends, I have lost a day".<ref name="suetonius-titus-8"/>