Domitien at The Louvre, Paris

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Domitian dominated Roman politics from 81 to 96. He was the last emperor of the Flavian dynasty, ruling with an iron fist after the sudden death of his brother Titus in 81. Titus had spent years under their father Vespasian's rule, gaining military fame during the First Jewish-Roman War and holding various offices. Domitian, on the other hand, was left in the shadows, earning honors but no responsibilities. Vespasian died in 79, and after a brief interlude, Titus took over, only to meet an untimely demise due to illness. The next day, Domitian was declared emperor by the Praetorian Guard, starting a reign that would last for 15 years – longer than any other Roman ruler since Tiberius. As emperor, Domitian implemented policies to strengthen the economy by revaluating the Roman currency, expanded border defenses, and launched a massive building program to restore Rome. His military campaigns in Britain and Dacia were significant, with his general Agricola attempting to conquer Caledonia (Scotland) and Domitian struggling to secure a decisive victory against King Decebalus. Domitian's government displayed totalitarian tendencies; he saw himself as the new Augustus, an enlightened leader destined to guide Rome into a new era of glory. He fostered a cult of personality through propaganda, nominating himself perpetual censor to control public and private morals. This earned him popularity among the people and army but made him a tyrant in the eyes of the Roman Senate. Domitian's reign came to an abrupt end in 96 when he was assassinated by court officials. Nerva, his trusted advisor, took over as emperor on the same day. After Domitian's death, the Roman Senate condemned his memory to oblivion, while senatorial authors like Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, and Suetonius wrote histories portraying him as a cruel and paranoid tyrant. However, modern revisionists have reevaluated Domitian's legacy, characterizing him as a ruthless but efficient autocrat whose cultural, economic, and political programs laid the foundation for Rome's peaceful 2nd century. Albani Cardinal Alessandro was a renowned Roman collector of the eighteenth century. As the nephew of Pope Clement XI, he amassed an impressive collection that would become the subject of study at his villa in Porta Salaria, inaugurated in 1763. Winckelmann and Cavaceppi founded modern art history and restoration there. The Albani collection was seized by France in 1797 under the Treaty of Tolentino but was restored to its owner in 1815. During this time, Louis XVIII purchased twenty antique pieces while the Louvre retained other items through an exchange. This object is part of the "Scan The World" initiative, a non-profit project that aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. This object was scanned using photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan).