Domitian was born in 51 AD. He had a suspicious character and was very afraid of conspiracies. This, however, pushed his on making mean jokes on this topic. Domitian always lived his life in the shadows of his father Vespasian and brother Titus. He always attempted to outclass them in splendor. Domitian had the idea that everyone should address to him as "master and god."
Domitian was the second son of Vespasian and Flavia Domitilla the Elder after Titus. After the death of Roman Emperor Nero, there were four people who succeeded him one after another. One of the four emperors was Vitellius "the Glutton". His youth Vitellius spent as a male prostitute on the isle of Capri during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. A chariot that ran over his thigh left it deformed. It is worth mentioning that the chariot was driven by Caligula.
He was very passionate about food. He used to eat three or four times a day, regularly vomiting up the food with the help of a long feather which served for provoking the process. After that he began eating again. As soon as Vitellius became the Roman emperor he started enjoying various delicacies, including pike livers, pheasant brains as well as flamingo tongues. Soon after becoming the emperor of Rome, Vitellius became known for his over exaggerated lifestyle and illogical appointments.
After the legions announced their support for Vespasian in 69 AD, Vitellius gave an order for the arrest of Vespasian's son Domitian, who at that time was 18. Domitian managed to escape the arrest and made his way to the advancing armies of Vespasian, while those who were on Vetellius' side killed his uncle.
Domitian never had the chance of achieving any military glory. When in 81 AD Titus was left dying, Domitian took the chance and appointed himself Emperor. According to historians Domitilian was "crazy and unbalanced." He had problems with being socially active and spent most of his time in loneliness.
Domitian was very afraid of conspiracies and hardly trusted anyone. His pillars were manufactured from reflective marble, so the emperor could see what was happening in the back. Just like Caligula, Domitian didn't enjoy his baldness, which is why his official portraits featured him with flowing locks of hair. He was also very violent.
A new method of torture is believed to be invented by Domitian: burning the sexual organs. He was also able to invite to supper an official who made a certain mistake and dismissing him in a way that the person left happy and carefree. But the next day the official was executed. Another one of his "hobbies" was inviting senators to dinner-parties where every object was black and thus every guest was so scared that he kept his mouth shut.
Just like his father, Domitian had a negative attitude towards Stoic philosophers and Jews. He murdered all the Jews who claimed descent from King David. Although he was a cruel ruler, Domitian paid meticulous interest to the way every department of administration works. In addition he was passionate about art and was the one to finish the Colosseum, built a number of temples and the Imperial palace.
He set a detailed record on soldiers from the Roman army. In 83 AD his forces defeated Chatti, thus enlarging the empire's territory to the rivers Lahn and Main.
Domitian loved women and in 70 married Domitia Longina, the daughter of a famous general Corbulo. Apart from his wife, the emperor had several mistresses, one of whom was his niece Julia Flavia. When she became pregnant, Domitian forced her to have an abortion and she died. Later he had her deified.
He hoped to outdo Vespasian and Titus in splendor. This is why he constructed a huge arena for 30,000 spectators and had costly public shows. Roman aristocracy did not like the emperor, because he was autocratic and pretentious. After in 89 AD a revolt broke in the Upper Germany, Dominitian turned into an even more autocratic leader.
In 93 AD he established a reign of terror. With the fear that conspiracies are everywhere around him, he started executing senators along with Imperial officials who did not obey his policies. In addition he confiscated their properties. His niece, Flavia Domitilla the Younger, got married to his cousin, Flavius Clemens. The sons of the couple were to be Domitian's heirs. In 95 AD the emperor accused both of sympathizing with the Christians and the Jews, which is why he killed Flavius Clemens and his niece was expelled.
His death was soon to come as he replaced his Praetorian Prefects. Due to the fact that the new prefects worried about their short carrier they hired a former slave of Flavian Domitilla the Younger to kill Domitilian. The emperor's wife was also one of the conspirators. In the end, while struggling hand-to-hand, Domitilian was killed.