Vespasian and the Year of Four Emperors,The 14 year rein of Nero had been disastrous for the Roman E
Vespasian and the Year of Four Emperors,The 14 year rein of Nero had been disastrous for the Roman Empire, bankrupting the Imperial Treasury, creating an atmosphere of corruption, incompetence, and lawlessness within government, and sparking rebellions all over the vast Roman world. The death of Nero plunged the empire into civil war as various Roman warlords and strongmen attempted to fill the power vacuum that Nero once filled. The year was 68 AD, almost 100 years since the death of Mark Antony and the last Roman Civil War. During the period between 68 and 69 AD there were four emperors on the Imperial throne (Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian), each vying for power as Roman Emperor, and each quickly defeating each other to only in turn become the defeated.By 69 AD the empire was near collapse, and it seemed that the Roman world would fall with it. In the meantime Vespasian had just finished quelling a rebellion in Judea, a rebellion which led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple. A general famous for a lifetime of victories, he had a large, well equipped, well trained, and well disciplined army. Sweeping from the east Vespasian ended the civil war by crushing the various factions that were dividing up the Empire. He was proclaimed Emperor by the Senate on the 1st of July, 69 AD.During his imperial reign Vespasian would restore the fractured empire, revitalizing the Roman economy, bring discipline and order to the military, purging the government and civil service of corruption and incompetence, and end the various rebellions and invasions that were occurring at the empires borders. Today his legacy is best known as the emperor who began the building of the Colosseum. He died in 79 AD at the age of 70. -- source link
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