According to the description of the Roman historian Suetonius, Titus was rather short and corpulent. His preserved marble bust and other portraits show a man with a square face, closely set eyes and bald, similar to his father and brother. The same Roman historian also describes Titus’s character, writing that he exhibited uncompromisingness and determination against his enemies, but also political rivals and was known to treat them with cruelty. There were also negative rumors, spread by his enemies about his unbridled sexual life, which also included young boys. His love affair with Berenice – a princess from Judea and the sister of King Herod Agrippa II, which came about with the start of the Jewish war, aroused widespread criticism. Titus brought Berenice to Rome, put her in his own palace, officially adored and treat almost like a wife. These words of criticism apparently did not reach the emperor’s son, who was enamored with the educated woman, who was ten years his senior. The affair ended when Titus ascended to the throne, after the death of Vespasian in the year 79 A.D. Only then, with a heavy heart, he sent away the beloved and devoted to him Berenice. His behavior drastically changed as well. The same Suetonius, who previously wrote about his cruelty, calls him “the love and delight of the human kind.”  Titus’s words, quoted by the historian : “Friends, I have wasted a whole day!”, summarizing a day when he had done nothing good for his people, are recalled by latter historians as a confession of a nearly ideal ruler, who loved his subjects above everything else. This was the image created by chroniclers, who diligently listened to words of praise coming from the Senate, with which the emperor seemed to have cooperated in a harmonious manner. Besides such virtues as bravery and equestrian skills, he was praised for his sensitivity and high culture which was further evidence by his love of poetry, singing and playing the lyre, as well as an aversion to the sight of blood in the arena.

Such was the image of Titus during his short, less than 26-month long reign – completely different than his successor and brother, Domitian, who was condemned to eternal damnation by senators, while historians had nothing but harsh criticism for him. But what of the reality?

The time of Titus’s short reign was marked with misfortunes. In the year 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted which brought with it the destruction of Campania but also fear in Rome itself. Soon after a great sickness spread throughout the Eternal City, while later a fire which destroyed the area between the Pantheon and Capitoline Hill. For superstitious Romans these were signs which indicated disfavor and almost anger of the gods, although the emperor himself attempted to actively aid the populace afflicted by this tragedy, devoting to this aim not only money from the state treasury but also luxurious items from his own palace.

An act of great importance was the finishing of the Colosseum (Amphitheatre of the Flavians), whose construction was started by Emperor Vespasian and which was to be the greatest gift of the Flavian dynasty to the Romans. It was erected thanks to loot acquired, mainly during the sacking of Jerusalem. Its opening was accompanied, by extensive, hundered days long games, during which to entertain the audience, thousands of gladiators fought in the arena and thousands of wild animals were killed. At the initiative of Titus, baths were built in the area of the former Palace of Nero (Domus Aurea), dedicated for public use (Baths of Titus), which were a kind of a symbol to his paternalistic relation with his subjects.

Who then was Titus – a merciless tyrant or a caring father for his people? Present-day historians see in him a skilled organizer and manager of his own image but also an uncompromising and cruel soldier. A short reign, is in his case a benefit, since history dealt with him rather generously, while fate did has not provided us with the opportunity to check what his reign would have looked like if it had lasted longer – perhaps similar to his brother Domitian?

A young, still 42-year old Titus, unexpectedly fell ill, most likely to malaria and after a short illness, died. Upon his deathbed he uttered a mysterious sentence, which still today stimulates the imagination of historians: “I have made but one mistake.” What was it that Titus regretted, we still do not know.

After Titus’s death, his brother Domitian claimed all power in the empire, while the way in which he accomplished this was the beginning of bad reputation of the new emperor, which in time provided him with numerous enemies. Unfavorable opinion of him provided by latter chroniclers was also the caused by a rumor, that he was the one responsible for poisoning Titus. However, it is not supported by any evidence.

Buildings in Rome created, started or finished during the reign of Titus: 

•     Beginning the construction of the Temple of Vespasian (later Titus as well) on Forum Romanum from the side of Capitoline Hill (today only three columns remain and a part of the entablature); it was finished by Domitian
•     Completion of the Colosseum
•     Funding baths in the area of the former Palace of Nero (Baths of Titus) and connecting them to the    Colosseum with monumental stairs