Emperor Titus

Hello! My name is Titus, and I was an emperor of Rome a very long time ago. I was born on December 30th, 39 CE. My father, Vespasian, was also an emperor, and he taught me how to be a good leader. When I was a boy, I grew up in the palace and was good friends with the prince, a boy named Britannicus. We learned and played together, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to help the people of Rome.

Before I was an emperor, I was a soldier. It was my job to be brave and lead others. I served in faraway places like Germania and Britannia. My biggest job as a general was during a war that started around 66 CE. When my father became the emperor in 69 CE, he asked me to finish the job. In the year 70 CE, I led the Roman army in a great siege of the city of Jerusalem. It was a very difficult time, but leading the soldiers taught me how to be strong and make important decisions.

My father and I wanted to give a great gift to the people of Rome. He started building a giant stone amphitheater in 72 CE. You might know it today as the Colosseum! After my father's time as emperor, I made sure it was finished. In 80 CE, I opened the Colosseum with 100 days of exciting games and shows for everyone to watch. It was a happy time, and the people loved having a place to gather and cheer.

I became emperor in 79 CE, but my time as ruler was met with big challenges. Soon after I became emperor, the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in ash. I rushed to help the people who had lost their homes. The next year, in 80 CE, a terrible fire broke out in Rome. I used my own money to help rebuild the city. I always tried to be kind and generous, and people started calling me the 'delight of mankind' because I cared so much.

My time as emperor was short, and my life ended in the year 81 CE. I lived to be 41 years old. People remembered me for being a kind and helpful leader, especially during the big disasters. The Colosseum, which I finished, still stands in Rome today. It reminds everyone of my family and the great city we helped build. I hope my story shows that being kind and helping others is the most important job a leader can have.