Titus Flavius ​​Sabinus (Consul 82)

Titus Flavius ​​Sabinus was a Roman politician and senator and, as Vespasian's great-nephew and son-in-law of Titus, a member of the Flavian imperial family .

Sabinus was probably the son and grandson of the suffect consuls of the same name in 72 and 47 . During the civil war in 69 he and his grandfather withdrew to the Capitol from the followers of Vitellius . In contrast to this, Sabinus was able to flee from the Vitellians. In 81 Sabinus married Flavia Iulia , daughter of Emperor Titus, and in 82 he became full consul with Emperor Domitian .

Relationship with Domitian

It is significant that Domitian chose his relative Sabinus as colleague of the year 82. Suetonius narrated relations between Domitian and Sabinus were extremely tense before the throne, as the contender it looked to the imperial throne with displeasure that his relative had white-clad servants. Obviously he considered this to be the sole prerogative of the emperor and his sons. But this dissatisfaction cannot have been too great, otherwise Domitian would not have made him his consular colleague.

Domitian apparently pursued the same policy here as his father Vespasian, who had also drawn on his relatives to a special degree as officials in support of his policy and always emphasized the Flavian family. Furthermore, under these conditions it becomes completely impossible that the incident reported by Suetonius took place with the consular committees of the year 81. Because Sabinus is said to have been proclaimed emperor instead of consul by a mistake by the herald , which prompted his execution. Rather, Sabinus must have been appointed consul again, which could have led to the disastrous event. Domitian had by no means had Sabinus executed without compelling reason; otherwise he would not have selected him for a second consulate beforehand. Because this is, of course, a special distinction from his relative.

So what Suetonius reports from before Domitian's reign should not be seen as determining his relationship with Sabinus. On the other hand, it must rather be assumed that Sabinus destroyed this at least objective good understanding by a highly treasonable act in the later years. If you see Sabinus as a member of the group of Titus followers, you can clearly feel Domitian's endeavor to remain in a tolerable relationship with these partially opposition circles.

literature

• Rudolf Hanslik : Sabinus II 15. In: The small Pauly (KIP). Volume 2, Stuttgart 1967, column 573.
• Werner Eck: Flavius ​​II 42nd In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 4, Metzler, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-476-01474-6 , column 550 f.
• Werner Eck : Senators from Vespasian to Hadrian. Prosopographical investigations including the annual and provincial fasts of the governors (= Vestigia. Volume 13). Beck, Munich 1970, ISBN 3-406-03096-3 , p. 51f.

Remarks

1. ^ Werner Eck : Flavius ​​II 42nd In: Der Neue Pauly (DNP). Volume 4, Metzler, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-476-01474-6 , column 550 f.
2. ^ Suetonius, Domitian 10.4.
3. ↑ Suetonius, Domitian 10.3.