Titus

Titus served in Judaea as commander of a legion (Suetonius, Titus 4). When his father Vespasian became emperor he was left to finish the war, and early in AD 70 he brought four legions and allied troops against Jerusalem (Tacitus, Histories 5.1). Suetonius says that he took the city on his daughter’s birthday and that the soldiers hailed him as imperator (Suetonius, Titus 5).

Josephus, who was with him, reports a council of officers at which Titus argued for sparing the temple, and says that when it caught fire he ran to it and ordered the flames put out, but that the soldiers did not obey (Josephus, Jewish War 6.236–243) (Josephus, Jewish War 6.254–266). Josephus wrote under the patronage of Titus, who signed his approval of the history (Josephus, Life 363). Titus shared his father’s triumph at Rome, in which the spoils of the temple were carried (Josephus, Jewish War 7.148–152). The arch later raised in his memory shows the scene (Arch of Titus).

At Rome his attachment to Berenice, who with King Agrippa had heard Paul at Caesarea, caused scandal, and he sent her away (Suetonius, Titus 7) (Acts 25:23). He succeeded his father in 79 and died in September 81 (Suetonius, Titus 11).