Titus Flavius Domitianus Augustus (ca. CE 51-96)  Roman emperor CE 81-96 known as Domitian. The second son of the Roman emperor Vespasian and Flavia Domitilla. While his policies and administration maintained the territorial integrity of the empire he became increasingly cruel and ostentatious in civil affairs. Among other things his instance on being addressed as dominus et deus (master and god), and his autocratic rule distanced him from the Roman aristocracy. The latter hated him, a fact of which he was quite aware.

Following the suppression of a rebellion led by Antonius Saturninus, governor of Upper Germany, Domitian became increasingly suspicious and more and more ruthless. His paranoia led to a reign of terror against senators during his last three years. Finally, in a plot that included his wife Domitia Longina, opponents succeeded in murdering him on September 18, 96.