Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did Vespasian and Titus change the membership of the Roman Senate as censors?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Vespasian
Bust of Vespasian, found at Ostia; in the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome.
In 73 CE, Vespasian and his son Titus served as censors, a position that granted them authority over the Senate rolls. During their tenure, they significantly altered the composition of the Senate by recruiting many new members from both Italy and the provinces.12
This expansion was part of a broader effort to stabilize the state following the civil wars of 68–69 CE. By incorporating provincial members, they continued a trend of increasing the representation of non-Italian elites within the Roman governing body, a process that had been evolving since the time of Julius Caesar.13