Source edition
Suetonius. De Vita Caesarum Libri VIII. Ihm, Max, editor; Leipzig: Teubner, 1908.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a biography that vividly depicts the life and reign of Vespasian, the founding emperor of the Flavian dynasty of the Roman Empire. The narrative begins with his humble origins, early career, and his rise as a military commander who was ultimately chosen to suppress the Jewish rebellion due to his practical abilities. It then describes how he was acclaimed emperor with the support of the eastern legions and various omens, subsequently returning to Rome to restore order after a period of civil war. As emperor, he diligently worked to discipline the military, rebuild the capital's infrastructure, reform the Senate, and restore justice and public morals, while maintaining a generous and tolerant attitude toward criticism. While he was criticized for his avarice due to his strict fiscal policies aimed at rebuilding the state treasury, he also generously sponsored public works and the arts, living a simple and disciplined daily life. The biography concludes with anecdotes of his characteristic humor—including his famous remark on the urine tax—his death, and the fulfillment of prophecies regarding his dynasty's future.