#titus and berenice

[thelastofthebookworms]

This poll has a limited number of options to offer so if your faves aren't there, put them in the tags !

More polls about comics, art, literature, Shakespeare, etc in my pinned post.

[ancientcharm]

Titus Flavius and his indelible traces.

Titus Flavius was born in Rome on December 30 of the year 39. He was a direct descendant of a loyal soldier of Pompey the Great during the Civil War against Julius Caesar. After Pompey's defeat at the Battle of Pharsalia, his life was spared by Julius Caesar, returned to home and became a Publicanus (tax collector). In an incredible twist of fate, the Flavians, a family of peasants, who came from the defeat of the past, ended up occupying the throne founded by Caesar's heir, and replacing the aristocratic Julio-Claudian dynasty with the Flavian dynasty.

During reing of Caligula (37-41) Vespasian,father of Titus, was Aedile of Rome. According Suetonius, Emperor Caligula passed by a street that was very dirty, ordered Vespasian to be brought and the garbage thrown on him, and then told him "Do your job well, keep the city clean."

During the reign of Claudius (41-54) Vespasian obtained the position of praetor and the command of one of the legions that went to the conquest of Britannia.

After revolt in Judea in the year 66, emperor Nero chose the experienced and brilliant general Vespasian to put an end to the rebellion. Vespasian went with his son, Titus, who was then 26 years old, and was an excellent army's officer.

In June 68, after of the death of Nero, the first civil war of the imperial era broke out, which would last until December of the following year. On December of the chaotic year 69, known as the year of the 4 emperors, in which three aristocrats came to the throne and were murdered, Vespasian was proclaimed emperor by the army. Titus was left in command against the rebellion in Judea.

A historical event of mystical relevance.

After months of bloody fighting, on August of the year 70, the Temple of Jerusalem was looted, burned and demolished by Titus's troops.

Titus made his triumphal parade in the year 71 in Rome. Years later, in the place where Titus passed, his younger brother, the Emperor Domitian, ordered the construction of the Arch of Titus; One of its extraordinary relief depicts the triumphal parade with the treasures of the Temple.

Emperor Vespasian decided to tear down the Domus Aurea, the palace that Nero had ordered to be built for his own enjoyment, and build "a palace for the enjoyment of the people". He saw his work almost completed but died of illness on June 23, 79, at his estate. The next day Titus ascends the throne.

A mess with the gods.

Exactly 4 months after his accession to the throne and while his younger brother was celebrating his birthday, a tragic event occurred. An inexplicable and terrifying news reached Rome: the peaceful mount Vesuvius roared, exploded and became something unknown, and several Roman cities with their inhabitants disappeared under "a sea of fire." Among the victims was the prestigious politician, soldier and writer Pliny the Elder, a close friend of the imperial family, who had dedicated the book 'Naturalis historia' to Titus.

Emperor immediately went to the scene of the disaster. He made immense works and donations to help those affected in the area. Early year 80 he went there for the second time and at that time a fire broke out in Rome for three days. Rumors began to circulate that the emperor had a "problem with the gods", and it was due to his forbidden relationship with princess Berenice, great-great-granddaughter of Herod the Great.

Although he was a very popular emperor, he did not want to risk those tragedies affecting his image and the people becoming angry, so he decided in 80 to accelerate his father's work, which still had to wait to be completed. And so began the inauguration of the most famous "stadium" in history : The Flavian amphitheater, better known as Colosseum.

There were 100 days of games. Those shows were free for the people. They had never seen an amphitheater of such grandeur. Very soon the people of Rome forgot about Vesuvius and Berenice.

Coins were minted showing the work started by his father but completed and inaugurated by him. In the image: a sesterce from the time of Emperor Titus.

The pseudo-Nero

After Nero's death, rumors began to circulate that his suicide was not real. Years later, this rumor had spread throughout the empire and even beyond its borders. Suetonius wrote about an event that he experienced during the reign of Domitian: "Twenty years after his death, when I was young, a man of obscure origin appeared, who claimed he was Nero; And the name Nero was still in such favour with the Parthians that they supported him vigorously and surrendered him with great reluctance."

The Parthians were happy believing that Nero was alive because he had been the only Roman emperor they liked, as during his reign he signed the peace treaty and had a cordial attitude towards Parthia.

Titus had to face the rebellion of a guy called Terentius, another Pseudo-Nero that according to ancient historical sources "he sang with a voice equal to that of Nero, played the lyre and looked like him." The impostor had a lot of followers in the eastern Roman provinces. The Parthian king, Titus's enemy, received this man and made preparations for him to return to Rome as emperor but he was executed when his true identity was revealed.

On September 13, 81, Titus died at the age of 41 on his father's farm, due to fever. His brief reign was very prosperous and popular. Having only a daughter (Julia Flavia), his successor was his brother Domitian who would rule for 15 years.

According to Roman writers, his last words were: "I regret nothing except one thing"; And some believe that he regretted having said "no" to Berenice when she proposed marriage after the death of emperor Vespasian, the major opponent of the relationship between them.

The Colosseum and the Wailing Wall are undoubtedly the two indelible traces of Titus Flavius.

[tuttocenere]

I watched "those about to die" (what a title) on prime. Overall I liked it ok. It has a lot of flaws, but it's nice that this sort of big history drama gets made at all anymore.

A bunch of half baked thoughts under the cut:

What I'd change:

- merge the two older Spanish bros, use the freed-up screen time to flesh out the youngest Spanish bro's plotline, because as it was, it kinda came out of nowhere

- also give some more space to Scorpus' workplace drama with Xenon because that also ramps up really suddenly and then resolves really unsatisfyingly

- Hermes the boytoy deserved better, although that was probably the point. Still, he had this whole emancipation plotline and then... I mean I kinda get what they were going for, but even in the context of the general cruelty of the finale, his fate was pretty extreme

- remove the older Numidian sister, she didn't add anything to the plot at all, give her screentime to the younger sister so that we can care about her

- probably remove Berenice, nothing would change (though she does add some flavor so idk)

- the "who drives for which faction" drama took up a lot of time and was ultimately kind of pointless...

Things I liked:

The whole "Kwame X that other gladiator" situation, I liked how it was kind of open to interpretation what exactly they had going on, very old-school

The two spectators who keep showing up, those were a lot of fun, I don't know if they have names

The evil open marriage patrician couple, I like the ambiguity, you never really know what to think of them, they're kinda less evil than everyone else

The main character Tenax was well constructed, his inner conflicts make sense, he's a bad person but it's understandable

I also liked his romance arc, had a lot of depth

Some other things:

It's pretty funny how often they show a scene and then explain in dialogue what it means... Maybe an Amazon prime thing, they do this in a lot of films.

The lion was pretty underwhelming, I was hoping it would be used in one of the fights to save Kwame or generally make things turn out for the better, instead it's kind of anticlimactic what happens to it

I liked the backgrounds and costumes a lot overall

Can't believe they had Titus say no to mercy, Mozart is spinning in his grave

[blueiscoool]

Roman Coin - Gold Aureus of Titus AD 78-79 Portrait of Titus T CAESAR – VESPASIANVS. Reverse: ANNONA AVG. Annona seated holding bundle and corn ears in both hands.

Titus Caesar Vespasianus (30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death.

Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a military commander, serving under his father in Judea during the First Jewish–Roman War. The campaign came to a brief halt with the death of emperor Nero in 68, launching Vespasian's bid for the imperial power during the Year of the Four Emperors. When Vespasian was declared Emperor on 1 July 69, Titus was left in charge of ending the Jewish rebellion. In 70, he besieged and captured Jerusalem, and destroyed the city and the Second Temple. For this achievement Titus was awarded a triumph; the Arch of Titus commemorates his victory to this day and age.

During his father's rule, Titus gained notoriety in Rome serving as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, and for carrying on a controversial relationship with the Jewish queen Berenice. Despite concerns over his character, Titus ruled to great acclaim following the death of Vespasian in 79, and was considered a good emperor by Suetonius and other contemporary historians.

As emperor, Titus is best known for completing the Colosseum and for his generosity in relieving the suffering caused by two disasters, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 and a fire in Rome in 80. After barely two years in office, Titus died of a fever on 13 September 81. He was deified by the Roman Senate and succeeded by his younger brother Domitian.

[thetwelvecaesars]

That was a quick first season.

Spoilers below for Those About to Die.

So, it was a fun season. And fun show. I like the OC characters, but honestly, Domitian leaves a lot to be desired. Secondly, I don't know what the writers are planning to do with him, because Julia Flavia isn't in the story at all. So, I'm lost. Also, just remembered that Domitian is supposed to be MARRIED to Domitia Longina this season!

Wow, so many amazing female characters ignored. :(

But anyway, single bachelor Domitian actually ended up getting on my nerves a bit. Which is weird, because I am usually love the bad guy in any story. But I think maybe it's a characterization/writing problem? I may just not be a huge fan of this version of the character.

Anyway, the show really rushed to Titus' death and again, it's a case where I feel like history is even better than what the media could ever imagine.

“The common report is that he [Titus] was put out of the way by his brother, for Domitian had previously plotted against him; but some writers state that he died a natural death. The tradition is that, while he was still breathing and possibly had a chance of recovery, Domitian, in order to hasten his end, placed him in a chest packed with a quantity of snow, pretending that the disease required, perhaps, that a chill be administered.” - Cassius Dio, Book 66

So, yeah. Domitian shoved his bro in to a box filled with snow. Like, I wanted to see that! :( It would have been much more interesting. Also, I am sad Berenice is dead. Not to be reduntant here, but WHERE are all our historical female characters???!! JULIA, WHERE ARE YOU?!!!

Anyway, the games were fun to watch in this show. However, I felt that the writers glossed over the religious aspects of the Games.

"Adopted from the earlier Etruscans, perhaps by way of Campania, gladiatorial games (munera) originated in the rites of sacrifice due the spirits of the dead and the need to propitiate them with offerings of blood. They were introduced to Rome in 264 BC, when the sons of Junius Brutus honored their father by matching three pairs of gladiators. Traditionally, munera were the obligatory funerary offerings owed aristocratic men at their death, although the games did not have to be presented then." (Chicago University)

And honestly, that always annoys me. Because we pay so much attention to the Aztecs and their religious human sacrifice, but don't bother to understand the Romans. I really wish people would. The flooded Amphitheatre was really cool.

Anyway, fun show. Fun characters. Don't know where season 2 could go.

Cheers,

TTC

[lesser-known-composers]

Rita Strohl (1865-1941)

[andrasta14]

So the cover of my book journal has me feeling like uncultured swine again, because all the book titles on it are famous couples/duos in literature, tv shows and movies etc and at least half of them have me like: ?????

I'm enough of a nerd to want to know where they're all from, and it's been bugging me for years. But Googling them feels somehow unsporting to me. lol (Plus I think some of the spellings are French?)

So...see a pair you recognize? Let me know. 🙏

~ Couples Listed ~

Fanfan & Alexandre = ???

Lana & Clark = Superman

Paul & Joanne = ???

Andromacue & Hector = The Iliad/Greek Mythology

Leonard & Salaì = ???

Orpheus and Eurydice = Greek Mythology

Lisbeth & Miriam = ???

Mathilde & Manech = ???

Chimène & Rodrigue = ???

Emma & Dexter = ???

Yves & Pierre = Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé

Arlequin & Columbine = ???

Julien & Mme de Rênal = The Scarlet and the Black

Edward & Vivian = ???

Edith and Marcel = ???

Marty & Jennifer = Back to the Future

Franck & Ava = ???

Jack & Rose = Titantic

Elisabeth & Richard = ???

Chouchou & Loulou = ??? (The hell kind of names are those? lol)

Roger & Jessica = ??? (Idk the first thing that jumped to mind was Roger & Jessica Rabbit lol)

Figaro & Rosine = The Marriage of Figaro

Christian & Anastasia = 50 Shades of Grey

Leeloo & Korhen = ???

Abelard & Héloïse = medieval historical romance, unsure of details

Valmont & Cecile = Dangerous Liaisons

Sam & Molly = ???

Gaston & Melle Jeanne = ???

Drazic & Anita = ???

Don Juan & Charlotte = Don Juan/Don Giovanni

Mike & Susan = Desperate Housewives

Helen & Paris = The Iliad/Greek Mythology

Quasimodo & Esmeralda = The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

Rachel & Ross = Friends

Marilyn & John = Marilyn Munroe and John F. Kennedy?

Satine & Christian = Moulin Rouge

Dorian & Henri = The Portrait of Dorian Gray

Tarzan & Jane = Tarzan

Edward & Bella = Twilight

Nino & Amélie = Amélie

Mulder & Scully = The X-Files

Arthur & Paul = Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine

Harry & Sally = When Harry Met Sally

Sandy & Danny = Grease

Benny & Joon = Benny & Joon

Toi & Moi = ???

Maverick & Charlie = Top Gun

Candy & Anthony = ???

Odysseus & Penelope = The Odyssey/The Iliad/Greek Mythology

Thelma & Louise = Thelma & Louise

Titus & Berenice = Titus and Berenice is a 1676 tragedy by Thomas Otway.

Ariane & Solal = ???

Paul & Virginie = Paul and Virginie by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre (1788).

Johnny & BB = ???

Cyrano & Roxane = Cyrano de Bergerac

Marius & Fanny = ???

Chloe & Colin = ???

Adam & Eve = The Bible

Tristan & Iseult = Tristan and Isolde

Bonnie & Clyde = the historical Bonnie & Clyde

Popeye & Olive = Popeye the Sailor Man

Simone & Yves = ???

Buffy & Angel = Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Lauren & Humphrey = Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart?

Carrie and Mr Big = Sex in the City

Harry & Ginny = Harry Potter series

Clarence & Alabama = ???

Alceste & Célimène = ???

Lancelot & Guinevere = Arthurian legend

~*~

Edit:

From @theduchessofboredom

#arthur & paul could be art (arthur) garfunkel and paul simon #paul & virginie is the title of a famous 18th century novel #nino and amélie is definitely Amélie :) #yves & pierre are yves saint-laurent and pierre bergé

From @that-laj

Marty & Jennifer are from Back to the Future, if they’re the Marty and Jennifer I think they are.

@didoscity

Mike and susan are from desperate housewives (embarassed to know this). Also arthur and paul are definitely, to me, arthur rimbaud and paul verlaine. sorry for simon and garfunkel 😂

oh and titus and berenice is the name of a tragedy by corneille!

[tatisaaresto]

THOSE ABOUT DO DIE

EPISÓDIO 03 - À BEIRA DA MORTE

Kwame e Viggo se unem. A rainha Berenice avisa Titus sobre os planos de Domitian. Vespasian escolhe um herdeiro.

Acesse o link AQUI.

[reolf]

New chapter of Pompeii is being worked on right now but for now I want to give a snippet to my dear friend @deliriumsdelight7 for her birthday!

Happy birthday, Delirium!!!! 🎉

~~~

The sun was setting, announcing the night. The party was slowly starting. Musicians were playing their instruments on the side of the garden. Belle stood against a pillar at the side, Rubi and Ningua Alba next to her. They had helped her earlier with getting ready for the engagement party. Now she was dressed in a yellow dress, paired with a darker shade of stola. She wore gold bracelets on her arms and of course her mother’s engagement gift, the tiara.

Ravilla was at the other side of the garden, next to his father, Sergius Gastonius Rex, talking to her own father and to some of their guests. She felt overwhelmed by the amount of people who were here tonight. Most of them were people Belle had never met in her life. It wasn’t just some other party where she could perhaps sneak off to read in her room.

Luckily the attention wasn’t on her right now. The guests were all busy talking about the news which had reached them today. Two nights prior their Emperor Vespasianus had died. A shock had gone throughout the Empire at the news. Titus, his oldest son and heir, was now the new Emperor. A group of women close to her were talking.

“I do hope our old Emperor didn’t suffer. That would be shameful for such a great man to go that way.” The woman was dressed in black and white. Her hair was clearly dyed to a more blonde look and she wore golden bracelets, paired with a necklace set with amber.

The blond curly woman next to her spoke up. “Didn’t you have an argument with him years ago, Ciella? I believe it was about the taxes he gave your late husband?”

The woman, Ciella, waved her hand. “Oh, that was nothing, my dear. My late husband deserved that in the end. No, Vespasianus didn’t do anything wrong in that aspect.”

“I heard he died from a short illness at Aquae Cutilae on the way to Rieti,” A third woman spoke this time. The green dress she wore accentuated her beautiful dark skin. “So you can put your fears down to rest, Ciella.”

“He did have a softer spot for slaves to be honest,” said the blonde woman. “Didn’t he marry that Istrian woman slave ‘in all but name’?''

“Yes, indeed, Caenis was her name. But he freed her after his first wife died, I believe. She had a lot of influence on the emperor and made a lot of money. She died a few years ago, though.”

“Unbelievable. No wonder Titus’ brother Domitianus hated her. She had no place there. Once you are a slave, you cannot take that part away.” The blonde woman looked scandalized. “Now that Titus is Emperor, let’s hope he has some more brains in that aspect, although he does have an affair with the Jewish Queen, Berenice, last I heard. He will need to end that if he wants to keep the favour of the people. The last thing we want is another whole scandal with a foreign queen like Cleopatra more than a century ago.”

Ciella nodded. “If Titus is smart, he will probably end things.”

Belle didn’t hear the rest of their conversation, because a slave suddenly appeared before her with a plate of small appetizers. “Would you like some of our olive bread, my lady?”

Belle didn’t feel particularly hungry at the moment, but she took a small piece anyway and thanked the slave.

“Should I get you something to drink, Belle?” asked Rubi, gesturing to the bread she held in her hand.

“That would be lovely, thank you, Rubi,” she answered.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Ravilla walk towards a couple who had just entered the garden. They were both dressed in lavish clothes. The man wore a bright white toga, while the woman wore green silk. She had bright red hair, which immediately caught Belle’s eyes.

Ravilla welcomed them with open arms.

“Hellius Isaac! How good of you to come! And you brought your wife as well, I see! Welcome, welcome!”

Ravilla turned around to gaze over the garden and his eyes found Belle’s. He called for her.

“Belle, come here!”

Belle, who was raised with the etiquette of how to greet guests, knew her cue. She walked over, trying to smoothen her facial expression into pleasantness and tried to be open.

Ravilla put his arm around her. “Belle, I would like to introduce you to Hellius Isaac and his wife, Zelena. Isaac is the owner of the gladiator school and is the provider of our entertainment for tonight. Isaac, Zelena, this is my fiancee, Mauricia Bellum. Or Belle as she is called.”

Belle gave a small bow with her head. “Welcome to the house of Mauricius Nerva.”

Zelena gave her a broad smile. “Well you are quite a beauty.”

Belle gave a small smile. People usually said that when they first saw her.

She noticed how the woman wore a snake bracelet around her arm, fitted with emeralds.

Ravilla turned back to Isaac. “I hope you brought some of your best stuff tonight, my friend. It’s been a long time since I saw a real performance.”

Isaac looked at his wife, smiling, and turned back to Ravilla. “Don’t worry, tribune, your special evening will be the highest sensation. People will most certainly remember it.”

“Good.” He looked serious and put his arm around Isaac, turning them away from the women.

“I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Zelena smiled at Belle. “We’ll let the men talk. I am interested in you though, my dear. Can you show me around?”

Without waiting for an answer, she took Belle’s arm and walked her towards the cypresses.

“So Ravilla has told me quite a bit about his soon to be bride. You are nineteen, yes?”

Belle nodded in acknowledgment.

Zelena didn’t say anything in response, but Belle could read her face well enough. Nineteen was quite old for an unmarried aristocratic woman as herself. It didn’t matter. Soon she would be married and people would forget. Like most common gossip would.

However, Belle thought it was her turn to ask Zelena out.

“Forgive me, but how do you know the tribune Ravilla?” she asked calmly.

Zelena laughed, as if she knew what she was doing.

“We met in Londinium at a gladiator show a few years ago. Ravilla met us, my husband and me, on our occasional tour through the northern provinces to gather new meat for the gladiator school. It is he who recommended some new imported men from his campaign in the most northern regions of Brittania.”

Belle shuddered inwardly. Of course he had done that. Ravilla was so interested to see these people get rid of their homes and all the life they had ever known.

Zelena went on. “ Tonight, my husband and I are providing the feast with the newest gladiators, some of them from Brittania. I thought it fitting since it is where we met and our friendship started.”

In a passing moment, Belle thought of the Pict whom Ravilla had whipped last time they went to the gladiator school. She wondered if he would be here tonight.

[crematorydesire]

Pax Romana Roster

Saber; Rhea Silvia with Master Trajan (protagonists)

Lancer; Conall Cernach with Master Cyllin (senior)

Archer; Bao Si with Master Ban Zhao

Rider; Scipio Africanus with Master Postumus (pseudo-historical last descendant of Scipio Africanus)

Assassin; Amulius with Master Berenice

Caster; Demetrius (library of Alexandria guy) with Master Caecilius

Berserker; Tullus Hostilius with Master Tacitus

Rogue Saber; Flavius Aetius, despite not being born yet

Rogue Lancer; Loki

Rogue Archer; Teucer

Rogue Rider; Medb

Rogue Assassin; Brutus

Rogue Caster; Ea-Nasir

Rogue Berserker; Akhenaten

Ruler; Octavian

Overseer; Pliny the Elder

Mastermind; Emperor Vespasian (deceased)

Extra; Emperor Titus, Marcia (Trajan's mother), Caecina's army, guest appearance from the then-new Clock Tower, Cyllin (the sainted historical one), probably Nero in flashback, random senators, the in-construction Colosseum, Mt. Vesuvius, other stuff I haven't thought of yet

[garland-on-thy-brow]

Annoyed because I cannot find Corneille's Suréna in English. Found lots of plays I do not care for (Cinna? Pompey? Titus and Berenice? Could you all fuck off please?). However! Found an Italian translation from 1719. It seems I cannot escape 18th century Italy.

[femrobespierre]

jesus christ titus why are you breaking up with berenice through a friend? it's like breaking up by text find some courage guy

[coloursofunison]

Today, I'm welcoming Melissa Addey and her novel, Beneath the Waves, to the blog #bookreview #historicalfiction #highlyrecommended

Today, I'm welcoming Melissa Addey and her novel, Beneath the Waves, to the blog #bookreview #historicalfiction #highlyrecommended @MelissaAddey

Here’s the blurb The Colosseum is being flooded. And emotions are rising to the surface.Rome, 80AD. The Emperor orders the Colosseum to be flooded. There must be vast battles, spectacular props and epic storytelling. Meanwhile Emperor Titus must somehow be persuaded to give up his love affair with the Jewish Queen, Berenice. Marcus, manager of the amphitheatre, must face the dangers, mistakes…

[thetwelvecaesars]

Timeline Issues...

So, I was watching Those Prepared to Die, and realized the timeline is off. Julia Flavia should already be alive. And damn, I can't wait for her to be in this show. Anyway, I will double-check what my books have for dates, but Julia Flavia according to Wiki was born in 64 AD. The show takes place far after that date, because Vespasian died in 79 (again, wiki.) Also, can't wait for Titus Flavius Sabinus II! Don't disappoint me, show.

Also, why is Titus and Domitian's sister Domitilla isn't even mentioned. I remember reading in Suetonius that she died in childbirth. But, it's weird to me she's isn't spoken about at all. According to Wiki, she died before Vespasian became emperor. But someone should at least mention her! (It's like when I read that Caligula Comic and Drusilla was only mentioned in one scene.) Anyway, I think one of the main things that is frustrating me about this show is the lack of Historical Female characters. I really like Berenice, but I really donno why Domitllia and Flavia aren't in the show. Or at least mentioned. Also, if Flavia isn't alive or in the story, then what the hell are they going with Domitian's plot line?

[lesser-known-composers]

Rita Strohl (1865-1941)

[ingsoc85]