Maximinus Thrax vs Vespasian

Maximinus led a campaign against the Alemanni tribe in Germania. He defeated them in battle and drove them back across the Rhine. He then devastated their territory, earning the title 'Germanicus Maximus' from the Senate.

Maximinus was proclaimed emperor by the Pannonian legions after the assassination of Severus Alexander. He was the first emperor to rise from the ranks of the army without any senatorial background, marking a shift in imperial power dynamics.

Maximinus marched on Italy to suppress a rebellion led by the Senate and the Gordians. He besieged the city of Aquileia, which resisted his army. The siege dragged on, and Maximinus's troops grew discontented with the lack of supplies and progress.

Maximinus was assassinated in his tent by soldiers of the Legio II Parthica during the siege of Aquileia. His death ended his three-year reign. The Praetorian Guard and the Senate then recognized the new emperors Pupienus and Balbinus.

Vespasian was proclaimed emperor by his troops in Egypt and later recognized by the Senate after the death of Vitellius. He founded the Flavian dynasty, ending the Year of the Four Emperors.

Vespasian's son Titus captured Jerusalem after a siege, destroying the Second Temple. The victory ended the First Jewish-Roman War and established the Flavian reputation.

Vespasian restored the empire's finances by increasing taxes, including a tax on urine collected from public latrines for use in fulling cloth. He also revalued the currency and reduced spending.

Vespasian began construction of the Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum) on the site of Nero's Domus Aurea. The project used spoils from the Jewish War and provided public entertainment.

Vespasian died of natural causes at age 69, the first Roman emperor to die in office since Vespasian. He was deified by the Senate, and his sons Titus and Domitian succeeded him.