Having entrusted Titus with the siege of Jerusalem, Vespasian set off for Rome; and he was met many miles from the city by the senate, and one-half of the inhabitants, who for the first time expressed a sincere delight in having an emperor of high principle and tried virtue. While Rome was thus made happy by the succession of Vespasian, his son Titus carried on the war in Judea, which he brought to a close by the total destruction of Jerusalem, as described in our history or the JEWS. Titus, therefore, returned in triumph; and the triumphal arch which was erected at that grand celebration exists almost entire in mo dern Rome. The Romans were justly proud of a prince, who had exhibited all the qualities of a go vernor, and all the heroism of a soldier ; and the me tropolis of the world was destined to enjoy, at least during two reigns, the blessings of a profound peace.
Having quieted every commotion, Vespasian had the satisfaction of shutting the temple of Janus, which had been open for six years; and he devoted himself to consolidate the happiness of his people by moral as well as political reformations. He restored the an cient discipline of the army. He shortened and im proved the proceedings in courts of justice; and it has been said, that during his long reign no individual suffered from an unjust or a severe decree. Vespasian extended his fostering arm to the arts and sciences, and to the restoration of the public buildings, and the improvement of the city. He settled 100,000 scsterces on the teachers of rhetoric. He patronized Josephus, the Jewish historian, and Quintilian the orator ; and Pliny the natural historian was held by him in the highest regard. lie patronized both the fine and the useful arts; and he invited to his capital, and took un der his patronage the most celebrated masters and artificers from every part of the world. He restored the Capitol to its original splendour; he built the ce lebrated amphitheatre, whose ruins still attest its for Mee grandeur; and he founded several new cities, and repaired others that had suffered from the devasta tions of his predecessors. The clemency of Vespa Sian was not less than his wisdom. He provided a match iti a noble family for the daughter of Vitellius his enemy, and he himself gave her a handsome dow ry; and when plots were organized against him, he refused to punish the conspirators. The only excep tions to this mild and forgiving temper, occurred in the case of Julius Sabinus, who had proclaimed him self emperor at Vitellius's death. This rash com mander, after being defeated by Vespasian's army, concealed himself for nine years in a cave, where he was attended by his faithful wife Empona, who pro vided for all his necessities. Sabinus was at last dis
covered, and carried prisoner to Rome; but though powerful application was made in his behalf, yet Ves pasian could not be induced to extend his mercy to a man whom he had already dreaded as a rival.
The character of Vespasian required some abate ments to be brought down to the ordinary level of humanity; and these were soon discovered in his ava rice and rapacity. He revived taxes that had fallen into disuse; he is said to have drawn profit from the purchase and sale of commodities; and he has been loaded with the more serious charge of sharing in the plunder of avaricious governors, whom he had set over the provinces. For the taxes which he levied, however severe and absurd they may have been, an excuse has been easily found in the exhausted state of the revenue when he came to the throne. We are unwilling, therefore, to admit the charge of his shar ing in the rapacity of his governors; for it is an un doubted fact, that he took the greatest precautions to provide for the safety of his remotest dominions. And when we consider that only two insurrections took place in his reign, it is not probable that his people were unjustly taxed, or his provinces rapa ciously governed. These insurrections were confined principally to the Alani, a rude tribe, who, quitting their deserts, passed into Media and Armenia, and defeated Tiridates with great slaughter. Titus, how ever, having been sent to punish them, they retired to the river Tanais, from which they came. During the reign of Vespasian, Petilius Cerealis and Julius Frontinus subjugated a considerable part of Britain; and Agricola, who went out towards the end of Ves pasian's reign, completed the conquest of the island, as has been stated under that article.
After a reign of ten years, Vespasian was seized with an illness at Campania, which soon carried him off, amid the tears of a people whom he had benefitted, and who sincerely loved him in return.
After some slight opposition from his brother Do mitian, who alleged that his father's will had been altered, Titus was declared emperor. Though in his youth he was fond of pleasure and dissipation, yet no sooner did he ascend the throne, than he became a pattern of regularity and moderation. His generosity and love of justice, his hatred of informers, his anxi ety to prevent dissensions, his obliging disposition, and his readiness, on all occasions, to do good, pro cured for him the enviable appellation of the Delight of Mankind. The celebrated exclamation of his hav ing lost a day, is said to have been made when he re collected in the evening that on that day he had done nothing to promote the good of mankind.