Meanwhile, Douglas was selected as the candidate of the Northern Democrats, with Herschel Vespasian Johnson as the vice-presidential candidate.

Vespasian died in 79 and was succeeded by Titus, whose own reign came to an unexpected end when he was struck by a fatal illness in 81.

Domitian was born in Rome on 24 October 51, the youngest son of Titus Flavius Vespasianus — commonly known as Vespasian — and Flavia Domitilla Major.

News of Nero's death reached Vespasian as he was preparing to besiege the city of Jerusalem.

When Otho was defeated by Vitellius at the First Battle of Bedriacum however, the armies in Judaea and Egypt took matters into their own hands and declared Vespasian emperor on 1 July 69.

Support for the old emperor was waning however, as more legions throughout the empire pledged their allegiance to Vespasian.

In the confusion, the leading men of the state gathered at Sabinus ' house, proclaiming Vespasian as Emperor, but the multitude dispersed when Vitellian cohorts clashed with the armed escort of Sabinus, who was forced to retreat to the Capitoline Hill.

Order was properly restored by Mucianus in early 70 but Vespasian did not enter Rome until September of that year.

With the return of Vespasian in late September, his political role was rendered all but obsolete and Domitian withdrew from government devoting his time to arts and literature.

Vespasian attempted to arrange a dynastic marriage between his youngest son and the daughter of Titus, Julia Flavia, but Domitian was adamant in his love for Domitia Longina, going so far as to persuade her husband, Lucius Aelius Lamia, to divorce her so that Domitian could marry her himself.

The family procession was headed by Vespasian and Titus, while Domitian, riding a magnificent white horse, followed with the remaining Flavian relatives.

The most extensive account of the life of Domitian to survive was written by the historian Suetonius, who was born during the reign of Vespasian, and published his works under Emperor Hadrian ( 117 – 138 ).

Over the next four years, the territory was consolidated and the future emperor Vespasian led a campaign into the Southwest where he subjugated two more tribes.

The future emperor Vespasian subdued the southwest, Cogidubnus was set up as a friendly king of several territories, and treaties were made with tribes outside the area under direct Roman control.

It was while being confined at Yodfat that Josephus claimed to have experienced a divine revelation, that later led to his speech predicting Vespasian would become emperor.

After the prediction became true he was released by Vespasian who considered his gift of prophecy to be divine.

The fate of the menorah used in the Second Temple is recorded by Josephus, who states that it was brought to Rome and carried along during the triumph of Vespasian and Titus.

For example, the defeat of Vitellius in the Year of the Four Emperors was decided when the Danubian legions chose to support Vespasian.

Later, it was also used to refer to Domitian ( as son of Vespasian ).

His claim to the throne was soon challenged by legions stationed in the eastern provinces, who proclaimed their commander Vespasian emperor instead.

Once he realised his support was wavering, Vitellius prepared to abdicate in favour of Vespasian, but was executed in Rome by Vespasian's soldiers on 22 December 69.

* 70 – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, surrounds the Jewish capital, with four Roman legions.

The Roman province by that name had been on hiatus from 27 BC and re-established by Emperor Vespasian only in 72 AD.

This early dating is centered on the preterist interpretation of chapter 17, where the seven heads of the " beast " are regarded as the succession of Roman emperors up to the time of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, Caligula through Vespasian.

As a military commander, Vespasian gained early renown by participating in the Roman invasion of Britain in 43.

Chaos ensued, leading to a year of brutal civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors, during which the four most influential generals in the Roman Empire — Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian — successively vied for imperial power.

The following day, 21 December, the Senate proclaimed Vespasian emperor of the Roman Empire.

* 69 – The Roman Senate declares Vespasian as Roman emperor, the last in the Year of Four Emperors.

It is not known how many Roman legions were sent ; only one legion, the II Augusta, commanded by the future emperor Vespasian, is directly attested to have taken part.

* 70 – First Jewish – Roman War: Siege of Jerusalem – Titus, son of emperor Vespasian, storms the Fortress of Antonia north of the Temple Mount.

* 69 – Tiberius Julius Alexander orders his Roman legions in Alexandria to swear allegiance to Vespasian as Emperor.

He initially fought against the Romans during the First Jewish – Roman War as the head of Jewish forces in Galilee, until surrendering in 67 to Roman forces led by Vespasian after the six-week siege of Jotapata.

The Romans ( commanded by Flavius Vespasian and his son Titus, both subsequently Roman emperors ) asked the group to surrender, but they refused.

* 9 – Emperor Vespasian, Roman emperor ( d. 79 )

Vespasian (; ; 17 November 9 – 23 June 79 ) was Roman Emperor from AD 69 to AD 79.

Although he attained the standard succession of public offices, holding the consulship in AD 51, Vespasian became more reputed as a successful military commander, participating in the Roman invasion of Britain in 43, and subjugating Judaea during the Jewish rebellion of AD 66.

On 20 December, Vitellius was defeated, and the following day Vespasian was declared Emperor by the Roman Senate.

In 43, Vespasian and the II Augusta participated in the Roman invasion of Britain, and he distinguished himself under the overall command of Aulus Plautius.

While under the emperor's patronage, Josephus wrote that after the Roman Legio X Fretensis, accompanied by Vespasian, destroyed Jericho on 21 June 68, Vespasian took a group of Jews who could not swim ( possibly Essenes from Qumran ), fettered them, and threw them into the Dead Sea to test the sea's legendary buoyancy.

Finds included a silver coin of Marcia ( 124BC ), pottery, weapons and tools, bronze ornaments, and Roman coins from Vespasian to Valentinian II.

There followed the famous Year of Four Emperors, a brief period of civil war and instability, which was finally brought to an end by Vespasian, 9th Roman emperor, and founder of the Flavian dynasty.