Roman Emperor: Life and Reign of Domitian Quiz

Answer: Domitilla the Elder

Domitian was born in 51 AD in Rome. He was the youngest son of the family, and was never intended to be Roman emperor. Vespasian had come to power somewhat accidentally as well, taking advantage of the political vacuum caused be Nero's suicide in 68 AD, and the civil war that came as a result of this.

Born in Sabratha, Libya, (birth date unclear) Domitilla the Elder was a part of the colonial venture that had moved to Libya during the time of Augustus being Roman emperor. Despite being mother to two who would later become Roman emperors, and being married to a future Roman emperor herself, Domitilla the Elder never experienced being a Roman empress. She died before her husband Vespasian made it to the Roman throne, and never lived to see her sons follow in his footsteps.

Answer: Domitilla the Younger

Domitilla the Younger was the elder sister of Domitian, and the younger sister of Titus. Sharing a similar fate as her mother, she died in 66 AD, three years before her father Vespasian would become Roman emperor in 69 AD. She was married to a Roman general, Quintus Petillius Cerialis, and they had a daughter together who would later be recognised as a Christian saint: Flavia Domitilla.

Domitian did not see much of his father and Titus when he was growing up, as his father and brother were often away abroad as part of the Roman military at this time. Titus was Roman emperor between 79-81 AD. His last words were allegedly, "I have made but one mistake" after which he died of a fever. Some historians have speculated that Domitian had a hand in his demise, and that Titus' one mistake was not killing his brother while he had the chance.

Answer: Domitia Longina

Domitia Longina was the daughter of Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, a Roman general who had been forced to commit suicide by Nero in 66 AD. She was also a descendant of Roman noblewoman, Junia Lepida, who was a descendent of the Roman emperor Augustus. She married Domitian in around 70-71 AD, divorcing her husband, Lucius Aelius Lamia Plautius Aelianus, in order to be able to do this. At first the marriage appeared to be a wise idea. The name "Corbulo" was synonymous with military prowess and history.

Vespasian had firstly tried to arrange a marriage between Julia Flavia (Titus' daughter, Domitian's niece) in 70 AD, but Domitian was far too interested in Domitia Longina to accept his father's proposal. Domitian and Longina only had one known child in 80 AD, who died young in 83 AD. It is not known if Domitian had other children with other women, but he and Longina did not have any more together. Little is known about her life as Roman empress, although Domitian did exile her around the same year their son died, for unclear reasons. She was back in the palace by 84 AD however, either because Domitian missed her or he wanted to quash rumours regarding the relationship he had with his niece. The rest of their marriage, to history's knowledge, was amicable.

Answer: Germania

Petillius Cerialis, a Roman military commander and son-in-law of Vespasian, and was the first to be appointed by Vespasian as governor of Britain. Vespasian was not pleased when Domitian decided to take over his son-in-law's military campaign, and attempt to pass the hard off as his own, in an attempt to take all the glory for himself. Domitian's excesses and glory-seeking, reckless behaviour required a pardon from Vespasian, which he gave Domitian once he had returned home that autumn.

Answer: Moved the seat of government to the imperial court

Domitian had absolutely no interest in sharing any of the power that came with being Roman emperor with the Roman Senate. He made no attempts to hide his feelings in moving the seat of government to the imperial court. He was interested in revitalizing Rome and the morality of its citizens. He became heavily involved in everything regarding the Senate, and upset them with his scrupulous micromanaging of their affairs.

Heavily involved with the Senate with sincere intentions, Domitian was not fond of nepotism. Senators were appointed on merit only, and he was not afraid to remove any senators who did not live up to his standards. This was a great contrast to Titus and Vespasian, who had both engaged in nepotism during their times in power.

Domitian remained hated by the Senate for the rest of his reign. Suetonius asserts that Domitian would make up charges of treason against prominent members of the Senate, so that he could take their estates for himself: "the property of the living and the dead, on any charge brought by any accuser."

Answer: Palatine Hill

The Palatine Hill is located at the centre of the Seven Hills of Rome. The location for Domitian to build here was significant. According to Roman mythology, the Palatine Hill was where Romulus and Remus were found by a wolf who chose to look after them. A shepherd later discovered the twins and decided to bring them up with his wife.

Domitian's palace here would continue to be in use by Roman emperors for the next 300 years. Roman emperor Septimius Severus expanded the palace during his time in office. Domitian chose Rabirius as his architect, who also designed the Flavian Palace.

Answer: Lucius Salvius Otho Cocceianus

Lucius Salvius Otho Cocceianus was the son of Lucius Salvius Otho Titianus, the elder brother of Roman emperor Otho. In around 80 AD, Cocceianus was rising as a Roman consul, but this was all ended later (as well as his life) when Domitian discovered that he had observed his uncle Otho's birthday. Cocceianus was the nephew of both Otho, and future Roman emperor, Nerva.

Otho was Roman emperor very briefly, for three months in the year 69 AD. He committed suicide after being defeated in battle by Vitellius, who was then declared Roman emperor.

Answer: Jupiter

Domitian's reconstruction of the Jupiter the Guardian temple (also known as the "Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus") was reportedly the most extravagant and lavish makeover the building had ever seen. Located on the Capitoline Hill, the temple had originally been completed around 509 BC. The temple included smaller spaces for the worship of Roman goddesses, Juno (goddess of childbirth and marriage) and and Minerva (goddess of justice, wisdom, triumph and law). Domitian said that he had a connection with Jupiter, although he also worshipped Minerva, and appeared to be more fond of her. He had several shrines to Minerva in his homes and even had her featuring on Roman coinage.

Plutarch asserts that Domitian spend a substantial amount on having the roof gilded with gold. The temple was fully restored and completed under Domitian, and is said to have stayed in good condition for around 300 years.

Answer: Cornelia

Cornelia was the high priestess Vestal Virgin who Domitian had buried alive in 91 AD. Pliny the Younger, a witness to the burial, was convinced of her innocence, asserting that Cornelia was repeating "Caesar thinks that I am impure, I who has performed so many rites, by which he has conquered and triumphed!" before she was led to the unground room for her death, her words implying that she did not break her vows. It was believed that if the Vestal Virgins were unchaste or let their sacred fire go out, catastrophes would befall Rome.

Varronilla was one of the Vestal Virgins who Domitian executed; however she was not the high priestess. She and fellow Vestal Virgins, the Oculatae sisters, were executed by Domitian for sexual transgressions that they took part in before his reign. Suetonius states that Titus and Vespasian were aware of their sexual activities but chose to ignore them. Domitian was not so forgiving. He did, however, offer Varronilla and the Oculatae sisters to choose their own method of execution rather than go through the tortuous ritual practice.

Answer: Haircare

Domitian was bald and was highly sensitive about this fact. Official depictions of the emperor always portray him with plenty of locks of hair, but, however far a cry from reality these depictions were, the artists understandably did not want to lose their lives over constructing an accurate representation of how the emperor looked.

Domitian dedicated his book to "a friend" but asserted in his work, "Yet my hair will go the same way, and I am resigned to having an old man's head before my time. How pleasant it is to have good looks, yet how quickly that stage passes!" perhaps suggesting that he was not completely delusional in regards to his appearance. Jokes at the expense of bald men would never be allowed nor go unpunished, and the sculptors of this time were well-aware of this fact.

Answer: Capitoline Games

The Capitoline Games began as a religious observation held annually at first, but by the time Domitian had revived interest in the games by 86 AD, he made it an event that came every four years, the same as the Greeks did with the Olympic Games. Domitian's games included dwarves against dwarves, female gladiators, and food would be dropped to the audience from ropes overhead.

Not only was no expense spared for the event, but Domitian was heavily involved with the games themselves, crowning the winners personally. This was another instance that perhaps endeared him to the Roman people, but irritated the Senate with his showiness - a typical occurrence of the two opinions of him clashing during his reign.

Answer: Limes Germanicus

Roman frontiers called "limes" were well established within the Roman army's defenses. There were many limes built throughout the world, and Limes Germanicus was completed around 83 AD and was intact until about 260 AD. Standing on the River Rhine's northern estuary, the Limes Germanicus ran as far as Regensburg on the River Danube.

It had at least 60 significant forts and around 900 watchtowers. It was just over 350 miles (570 km) long. Roman emperor Augustus was the first to attempt to have a similar system established along this area, but Domitian first properly established the Limes Germanicus.

Answer: Tombstone

Cassius Dio described the dinner party awaiting members of the Senate as being in a room adorned with black walls, with furniture of the same colour. Domitian had made sure to invite his guests to come alone, without supervision or bodyguards. Slabs of rock that looked like tombstones sat by the guest's seating places, each tombstone having the name of the guest engraved on it. The lamps hung on the tombstones in the black room (a cruel touch perhaps to make certain the guests would clearly see their own names on a gravestone) were the same lamps seen hanging in tombs around Rome at the time.

Domitian then had sacrificial food for Roman religious ceremonies served to the guests. Cassius Dio asserts that every single one of the guests were trembling, worried that at any moment their throat could be slit. Domitian heightened this mood by constantly musing about death throughout the macabre gathering, with nobody else daring to speak but him. Although there was no massacre of the Senate on this occasion, perhaps wanting to bask in their fear as long as possible, Domitian had the guests all chaperoned home by people they did not know, worried the entire journey they were being escorted to their execution.

Answer: Stephanus

Stephanus was a servant of Domitian's niece, Julia Flavia. Stephanus had been wearing bandages across his arms for days claiming to have an injury (which he might have had, but it was certainly not severe enough to stop him from murder) but in reality, he had concealed a dagger within the bandages. Domitian's quarters were closed and the plotters had had his sword removed from under his pillow, making it harder for the emperor to defend himself.

Suetonius asserts that an astrologer had told Domitian he would die around midday, therefore the emperor was even more paranoid than usual about that time. Once noon had passed on the day of his murder and Domitian was relieved, Stephanus approached Domitian, who was sitting at his desk reading decrees he meant to sign. Stephanus pretended to suddenly bring proof of an assassination plot, passing some paper to Domitian. Whilst Domitian was distracted by reading the evidence of this purported treachery, the real treachery took place in the form of Stephanus stabbing Domitian in the groin, and then repeatedly. Domitian tried to defend himself, but was then accosted by the rest of the plotters, including Clodianus Parthenius, Satur, and Maximus. In the confusion, Stephanus received injuries that would ultimately lead to his own death.

Some sources state that Domitian's wife was aware of and agreeable with the murder plot.

Answer: Phyllis

Domitian's body was taken by his nurse, Phyllis, and placed upon a common bier, that of a poor Ancient Roman citizen's burial. His body was carried to her estate and cremated. She discreetly took the ashes to the Flavian family's temple, placing them alongside Titus' daughter, Julia, who she had also helped to raise from childhood, as well as the now disgraced Roman emperor.

Domitian's legacy was subject to "damnatio memoriae" which is the erasure of any memories of the emperor, his statues smashed, his name removed from inscriptions across the city. Pliny the Younger asserts his pleasure in this, stating, "delightful it was, to smash to pieces those arrogant faces" when it came to Domitian's statues of himself. This possibly explains the bad reputation of Domitian as an emperor. Despite the Roman people loving him, the clashes he had with the Roman Senate influenced how his legacy was recorded at the time.