14 September – On this day

Titus Flavius Caesar Domitianus Augustus the second son of Vespasian, who had won the principate at the end of the year of four emperors succeeded his brother Titus to the imperial purple. As so often seems to be the case with Roman dynasties the Flavians ended on a poor note with Domitian generally thought to have been a horrendous and brutal emperor. Some of the negativity surrounding Domitian could be the result of an anti-Domitianic tradition designed to flatter his successors, particularly Trajan, leading to many of his acts being described in the most derogatory fashion possible.

Domitian’s reign ended with his assassination and damnatio memoriae (damning of his memory) which saw his name removed wherever possible.

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Damnatio Memeoriae – note Domitian’s name has been excised from the first line of text.