Denarius of Domitian

If one read the contemporary historical accounts of Domitian’s reign, it would likely be: “Unwanted second son becomes Emperor by poisoning his brother. A tyrannical reign ensues. Thank goodness he is dead”. Being a second son, he was likely not fully prepared for the role and lacked the regulation of his power, like Vespasian, or the diplomatic cover, used by Titus. In truth, though, Domitian was likely exercising the power of his position—that of a sole monarch, to which the Roman world was not yet accustomed to such honesty.

Balancing out his reign is challenging as he was subject to “damnatio memoriae” by the Senate on his death, and all public mentions of his name on coins, buildings, and in writing were recalled and destroyed. We know that his reign was just; the weight of coinage was improved, he effectively campaigned in Germany, an efficient tax system was implemented, and he began a massive building program to support the cities and the frontier. The Piazza Navona in Rome is the remnant of his stadium. Much of the upcoming “Good Emperors” success can be attributed to these foundations.

While Suetonius’s characterization of a man who “stabs flies with a stylus” for fun is likely a fabrication, Domitian’s (not unjustified) paranoia lead to many executions, including 12 former consuls. Each cycle of purges lead to more conspiracies and then subsequent reprisals. Ultimately, he was killed in a plot involving everyone: the Praetorians, the Senate, and his wife. In retrospect, Domitian was correct in remarking: “The lot of princes was very miserable, since when they discovered a conspiracy, no one believed them unless they were murdered.”