VESPASIAN, ves-pi:'zhi-an, TITUS FLAVIUS: Roman emperor 69-79. He was born in a little Sabine village of noble family on his mother's side 9 A.D.; d. there June 23, 79. In the confusion and turmoil which followed the death of Nero, Vespasian was proclaimed emperor by the army in Egypt July 1, 69. His officers subdued Italy for him, then in the possession of Vitellius, when he left Titus in charge of the forces and went to the capital. Although he held high civil offices, his genius lay in the direction of military affairs. Serious in nature, he gave himself to the unreserved performance of his duties. Possessed of a good education, he was a man of order and discipline, and gave the impression of an upright, painstaking, and benevolent man, though tainted with sensuality. He married Flavia DomatiIla, who bore him Titus, Domitian, and Flavia Domatilla.. His attitude toward the Christians is unknown; the statement that he was not pleased at slaughter and lamented even just punishment (Suetonius, "Vespasian," chap. xv.) has been construed to mean that he continued to assail Chris-

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tianity. Possibly in the attack on the Davidic house (Eusebius, Hist. eccl., III., xii.; NPNF, i. 146) some Christians suffered, but the motive was purely political, and no sure records of martyrs exist. His reign was significant in Jewish history, the capture of Jerusalem taking place then through the operations of Titus. The Christians had earlier left the city (Eusebius, Hist. eccl., III., v. 3; NPNF, i. 138) and settled at Pella.

(Victor Schultze.)

Bibliography: . Sources are the "Lives" of Suetonius (good ed. by M. Nisard, with Fr. transl., Paris, 1883); Dion Cassias, Hist., chap. lxvi.; Eusebius, Hist. eccl., III., v., xu., Eng. transl. in NPNF, 1 aer., vol. i.; Epiphanies, Har., xxxix. 7. Consult in general the works on the history of the period, including those on the Apostolic Age; L. S. Le Nain de Tillemont, Hist. des empereurs, ii. 1 sqq., 6 vols., Paris, 1700-38; H. Schiller, Geschichte der römisches Xaiserzeit, i. 2, pp. 499 sqq., Gotha, 1883; W. M. Ramsay, Church in the Roman Empire, pp. 256-258 et passim, London, 1893; W. Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, iv. 1248-48, ib. 1890 (good for the secular aide); DCB, iv. 1116-1117; and the works under Persecutions of the Christians.