The Twelve Caesars

The last emperor of the Flavian dynasty, Domitian came to power after the sudden illness and death of his older brother Titus. Suetonius portrays Domitian as a fearful sadist who spent hours “catching flies and impaling them with a very sharp writing implement” (Section 3). However, he embarked on some successful military campaigns and rebuilt several prominent buildings that were destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome, and he was conscientious when it came to judicial cases.

However, Domitian executed many members of the Senate and spent enormous funds on public entertainment and the military. He demanded the Senate refer to him as “master and lord” in correspondence. After a dream and several other signs, Domitian realized that he was doomed to die. He was assassinated by his wife Domitila’s steward, Stephanus. Suetonius concludes by recounting a dream Domitian had, in which a golden hump grew out of his back. He interpreted this as a sign that the empire would be more prosperous and peaceful after his death, “as indeed happened […] through the self-control and integrity of the subsequent emperors” (Section 23).