From the chaos that ripped through ancient Rome in the wake of the death of Nero – typified by a civil war during the so-called ‘Year of the Four Emperors’ – a man beyond the imperial establishment, an outsider of the city of Rome itself, emerged to bring stability back to the empire. His name was Vespasian, and he was the founder of a new dynasty, followed as emperor by his sons Titus and Domitian.

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His reign as emperor, from AD 69 to 79, looms large in Those About To Die, a new sword-and-sandals epic series on Prime Video set in the bloodthirsty world of gladiatorial bouts and chariot racing. The estimable Anthony Hopkins stars in the role, but who was the real Vespasian?

Authors

Jonny Wilkes
Jonny WilkesFreelance writer

Jonny Wilkes is a former staff writer for BBC History Revealed, and he continues to write for both the magazine and HistoryExtra. He has BA in History from the University of York.

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