Tītus

Tītus (Tǐtus Flavius Vespasianus), AD 39–81, Roman emperor 79–81, elder son of the emperor Vespasian whose rule he had previously shared. He is famous for the capture of Jerusalem in AD 70 after a long siege. The Arch of Titus commemorating this, erected in the Forum at Rome by his brother Domitian (when the latter succeeded as emperor), is still standing, in part restored. During his campaign in Judaea Titus fell in love with Berenīcē, daughter of the Jewish king Herod Agrippa I (grandson of Herod the Great); in Acts 25: 13 she is mentioned as assisting her brother Agrippa II in the business of government. She accompanied Titus when he returned to Rome but the Romans disapproved of a connection between the emperor's son and colleague and a Jewess; Titus had to dismiss her, to the sorrow of them both. This is the subject of Racine's tragedy Bérénice. Titus was universally popular, and his short reign was remembered as a happy one, despite the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 and the plague and fire in Rome the following year. He gave generous help to those who had suffered; his building works included the completion of the Colosseum (begun by Vespasian) and the Baths of Titus. See also SUETONIUS (Lives of the Caesars).