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Roman Empire · 9–79
Vespasian
Vespasianus · Italy
Roman emperor, founder of the Flavian dynasty
From the equestrian class, he rose through military service: he took part in the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 and later led the suppression of the Jewish revolt. After Nero's suicide, Rome fell into the civil wars of the 'Year of the Four Emperors'; in 69 he was proclaimed emperor by the legions of Egypt and Judaea, the last to prevail that year. He founded the Flavian dynasty, stabilised the empire through financial reforms, and began building the Colosseum.
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History · Colosseum
Giving Nero's private lake back to the people of Rome
Emperor Vespasian began building the Colosseum around AD 70–72 on the site of an artificial lake that Nero had appropriated for himself; filling in the lake to build the arena was seen as a gesture of returning the land to the people. According to a reconstructed inscription, the work was funded by the emperor's share of war spoils as commander. When Vespasian died in 79 it had reached the third storey; his son Titus completed it in 80 and held inaugural games, and Domitian later added the underground passages for holding animals and slaves.
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