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| 79 |
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| An eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, on the Bay of Naples, buried the cities Pompeii and Herculaneum. In 80 a severe fire occurred in Rome. During this year, Titus dedicated magnificently the Colosseum (amphitheatrum Flavianum) and some elaborate public baths (thermae Titianae). | 1 |
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| 81–96 |
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| Titus Flavius DOMITIANUS (b. 51) succeeded on the premature death of Titus. Twelve years younger than Titus, and not as close to their father, Domitian had developed strong opinions on the nature of imperial power. He ruled as an autocrat, but unlike Caligula and Nero, who had exercised their power on trivial matters, Domitian took personal interest in the Empire's administration. Power was centralized, the senate ignored. Money was lavishly spent, not on private luxury, but on public displays of the majesty of an emperor who was addressed as lord and god. The result was a well-run empire, but disastrous relations with the senate, culminating in conspiracies and executions. | 2 |
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| 83 |
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| Domitian crossed the Rhine at Mainz to campaign against the Chatti. His victory allowed him to begin the construction of a series of forts connected by a road and later by an earth rampart surmounted by a wooden palisade, which served to prevent the infiltration of barbarians into Roman territory and as a base for offensive or defensive operations. | 3 |
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| 84 |
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| Through his election as consul for ten years and censor for life, Domitian openly subordinated the republican aspect of the state to the monarchical. By increasing the pay of the troops by one-third, he secured their loyalty. | 4 |
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| 85–89 |
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| Moesia was invaded by the Dacians who were recently organized into a powerful kingdom by Decebalus. The Roman campaign, led by Domitian, ended in defeat in 86. A second Dacian War in 88 was successful, but final victory was precluded by the revolt of the legate of upper Germany, L. Antonius Saturninus (in 89), and by the rebellion of the Quadi, Marcomanni, and Iazyges, client peoples north of the Danube. Domitian made peace with the Dacians. | 5 |
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| 89 |
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| After Saturninus's revolt was put down, Domitian ceased the quartering of more than one legion in one camp and proceeded bitterly against his senatorial opponents. | 6 |
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| 92 |
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| Using Dacia as a base of operations, Domitian waged war against the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Iazyges. The war was unfinished at Domitian's death in 96. | 7 |
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| 93–96 |
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| Returning to Rome, Domitian initiated a series of treason trials in the senate, whose members where forced to condemn their colleagues. | 8 |
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| 96 |
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| Assassination of Domitian. The execution of Domitian's cousin Flavius Clemens caused general insecurity, and the forty-five-year-old Domitian was killed in a palace plot, ending the Flavian dynasty. | 9 |
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