7.19

Vespasian Emperor, 69–79 CE

(1) Vespasiānus: Titus Flavius Sabinus Vespasian. He was proclaimed emperor at Alexandria on the 1st day of July, 69 CE, although it was a year before he entered Rome. He lived more like a private person than like the emperor of Rome. The many stories that are told of his avarice and his methods of raising money are probably exaggerated. Although he was frugal in his personal expenditures, he spent large sums in adorning the city. He was the first of the Flavian dynasty. The other were his two sons and successors, Titus and Domitian. He died on the 24th of June, 79 CE. "His last words were characteristic of his somewhat cynical humor, 'Alas, I think am becoming a god'" (Vae, puto deus fio, Suet. Vesp. 23.4) (Hazzard, quoting Creighton).

huic: dative object of successit (AG 370), referring to Vitellius

apud Palaestīnam: In February, 67 CE Nero gave Vespasian the task of suppressing the Jewish rebellion which he had largely completed by June 68 CE. The two Egyptian legions acclaimed him emperor on July 1, 69 CE and the Judaean and Syrian legions followed their example a few days later. In August the Danubian legions declared for him and marched into Italy, entering Rome on December 21st (Bird).

prīvātā vītā: "in his private life," before he became emperor

ā Claudiō: Eutropius seems to follow Suetonius closely:

(2) Pecūniae tantum avidior fuit, ita, ut: "He was very greedy for money, yet in such a way that..." A result clause follows (AG 537).

nūllī: "from no one," dative with a verb of depriving, as usual (AG 381)

Quam: connecting relative referring to pecūniam

cum ... colligeret: concessive cum-clause (AG 549), followed as usual by tamen

facile ... est ... comperta: "is easily found (in the historical record)," see LS comperio β. 

iūstior: Vespasian was not only generous, but chose worthy recipients of his generosity.

Placidissimae lēnitātis: genitive of quality with subsequent result clause (AG 345, 537)

ut quī: "in as much as he" (LS ut I.B.4.c) followed as usual by subjunctive, pūnīerit.

māiestātis ... reōs: "those charged with treason." maiestatis is genitive of charge, AG 352. The crime of maiestas (in full, crimen laesae maiestatis, "a charge of harming the majesty [of the state]" became common, and commonly abused, in the early principate. Emperors were nervous about potential conspiracies among the upper class. The law of treason was greatly expanded in scope, mainly in the reign of Tiberius. It led to the rise of a class of professional informers, called delatores, who benefitted financially from denouncing even stray comments critical of an emperor as treasonous. Unlike Tiberius and Nero, Vespasian was relatively lenient in punishing it.

(3) Iūdaea: Judaea was annexed in 6 CE. Claudius briefly placed it under the control of Agrippa II in 41 CE but re-annexed it three years later (Bird).

Hierosolyma: Vespasian was besieging Jerusalem when the war broke out between Otho and Vitellius. When he started for Rome he left Titus, his son, in charge... Titus captured the city after a stubborn siege of five months, September 8, 70 CE, and despite his efforts the Temple was burned (Hazzard).

(4) Achaiam, Lyciam, Rhodum, Bȳzantium, Samum: see Achaea, Lycia, Rhodes, Byzantium, Samos

Thrāciam, Ciliciam, Commāgēnēn: see Thrace, Cilicia, Commagene

ēgerant: = fuerant

in ... formam: "to the status of"