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Author Topic: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today  (Read 1679 times)

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Offline Tacitus

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Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« on: June 24, 2019, 06:39:00 pm »
It is with a sad heart that I announce our glorious emperor, Vespasian died yesterday.
He came to the throne during the year of the 4 emperors and survived the trials and battles that were the downfall of the other three.

In terms of his rule, Vespasian was a competent and level-headed administrator who identified the various problems with which the Roman state was struggling and implemented effective solutions.

For example, a combination of Nero’s lavish expenditures and the effects of the civil war had left the empire’s finances in dire straits. Vespasian’s remedy was to increase existing taxes, revive old ones which had been abandoned by his predecessors, and impose new ones. Perhaps the most famous example from the latter category is his imposition of a tax on the use of public toilets.

When his son Titus rebuked him for raising revenue from such an unseemly source, Vespasian is said by Suetonius to have held a coin from the first intake of the tax to Titus’ nose and asked him if its smell revolted him. When Titus replied that it did not, his father quipped ‘and yet it comes from urine!’

Unfortunately for Vespasian, while his fiscal policies made economic sense, they led to a reputation as something of a money-grubber, and to accusations that he would employ somewhat underhanded tactics to raise money, such as allowing people to buy their way out of trouble in court or to purchase magisterial and other offices.

Vespasian also expedited the reconstruction of Rome – which seems still to have been suffering from the lingering effects of both the Great Fire of 64 and of general neglect – by allowing anyone with the money and the inclination to buy land and build on it, if the current owners were found to be unwilling.

In military and foreign affairs, Vespasian restored discipline in the army and standardized the structure of the empire by taking over the client kingdoms which still existed on the borders and converting them into full Roman provinces.

In addition to being a sensible ruler, Vespasian is also credited with being a humble and straightforward person. He was born on 17 November, AD 9 in the Sabine village of Falacrina, to a family of only local note, and it is said that his mother had to prod him into pursuing a senatorial career through sarcastic insults.

He struggled early in his career, including losing his first election to the aedileship, and later, when he governed Africa under Claudius, his honorable decision not to enrich himself at the expense of the province forced him to mortgage his property to his brother and fund himself by going into business as a muleteer, a decidedly lowly occupation for a man who would one day rule the Roman Empire.

Although his later career was somewhat more successful – consul in 51, and tasked under Nero with putting down the Jewish rebellion – his unremarkable career and background seems to have encouraged Vespasian not to take himself too seriously or let his ego get the better of him, even as emperor.

We are told that he was generally tolerant of criticism and jokes at his expense, choosing to respond in kind rather than attack the offender. Moreover, he avoided ordering the deaths of senators and giving in to rumors and fears of plots against him.

The exception to this rule was Helvidius Priscus, a high profile member of the so-called Stoic opposition, a group of nobles who followed the Stoic philosophy, held republican views and set their faces against the imperial system.

Priscus frequently insulted Vespasian and the dignity of the emperorship in word and deed; when his behavior became intolerable he was exiled and later killed on Vespasian’s orders.

Vespasian ruled for almost ten years, when he fell ill and died. According to our sources his last words were ‘it is fitting that an emperor should die on his feet!’ pronounced after he felt sure his final moment had come and had struggled from his bed to die with dignity.

Another story, and in keeping with his tendency towards jocularity and self-deprecation, his final utterance was ‘oh dear, I think I’m becoming a god’, a wry reference to the ritual of deifying emperors after their deaths.

Vespasian had occupied the imperial throne for almost ten years, and at his death it passed to his eldest son Titus, thus establishing the Flavian dynasty. Indeed, Suetonius tells us that Vespasian declared to the senate that either his sons would succeed him or no one would.

Our Dear Emperor's funeral rights will begin tonight at dusk.  The Imperial Prince Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus demands all shops and brothels closed for 3 days of morning.

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2019, 06:48:23 pm »
.

Offline Bill W4

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2019, 07:16:30 pm »
Tacitus;  You put some effort into the eulogy.  I enjoyed it.  Thank you, well done.
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Offline mix_val

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2019, 01:01:10 pm »
The emperor is dead, long live emperor Titus..... ;)
Bob Crutchley
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Offline cmcdon0923

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2019, 04:58:29 pm »
Very informative....thanks !!


Craig

Offline PMah

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2019, 07:29:35 pm »
You found the long-believed-to-be-lost version that was supressed by the aediles! 
The official version almost certainly started with "I,Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus, Commander, Consul for the seventh time, Conquerer of Judea and Prefect of the Guard, son of the next god..." and continued along that vein!
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Offline David Atherton

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2019, 07:29:55 am »
This is probably my favourite Divus Vespasian coin I can contribute to the thread.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-153559

Offline Tacitus

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2019, 07:32:37 am »
He was reading the announcement.

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2019, 07:41:31 am »
This is a great compilation of the herold's news reading

https://youtu.be/nIMGmbbx37A

"No actors, prostitutes or unclean tradesmen may attend!"

Offline stevex6

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2019, 07:58:55 am »
Ahaha ... Tacitus, that was awesome (good effort)

 :laugh:

Ummm, I only had this one example of Vespasian ... the eagle looks a bit like it's wearing Converse All-Stars


Offline Tacitus

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2019, 04:28:52 pm »
This is a great compilation of the herold's news reading

https://youtu.be/nIMGmbbx37A

"No actors, prostitutes or unclean tradesmen may attend!"

While it was very loose with history, Rome was very entertaining.   It was originally supposed to be 5 seasons.  However it was so expensive to film they only could afford 2.   Guess HBO was saving up for GoT.

Offline PMah

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Re: Funeral Rights for Vespasian Begin Today
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2019, 12:06:16 am »
Heralds are for auctions.  Future magistrates delivered eulogies.   Eulogies are about "you".  Roman Politics 101.
Be Well, Stay Healthy, Support your Local Numismatic Club

Paul 

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