Age of Vespasian 1st century (9 - 79 / ruled 69 - 79) worked hard to restore law, order and self-respect to Rome after the civil war. He established the new, Flavian dynasty.
The Blind Man of Bethsaida and the Blind Man of Alexandria
The account of Vespasian's use of spittle to heal a blind man at Alexandria has long been noted as a parallel to the use of spittle in Mark's healing of the Blind Man of Bethsaida, but little has been made of the temporal proximity of these two stories. Vespasian's healings formed part of the wider Flavian propaganda campaign to legitimate the new claimant to the imperial throne; to many Jewish ears this propaganda would have sounded like a usurpation of traditional messianic hopes. This article argues that Mark introduced spittle into his story of the Blind Man of Bethsaida to create an allusion to the Vespasian story as part of a wider concern to contrast the messiahship of Jesus with such Roman imperial ‘messianism’.
"Vespasian, the new emperor, having been raised unexpectedly from a low estate, wanted something which might clothe him with divine majesty and authority. This, likewise, was now added. A poor man who was blind, and another who was lame, came both together before him, when he was seated on the tribunal, imploring him to heal them, and saying that they were admonished in a dream by the god Serapis to seek his aid, who assured them that he would restore sight to the one by anointing his eyes with his spittle, and give strength to the leg of the other, if he vouchsafed but to touch it with his heel."
C. Suetonius Tranquillus, Divus Vespasianus
According to numerous ancient Roman historians, Emperor Vespasian was widely believed to be able to perform holy miracles. Three ancient scholars-Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio (the first two lived during the reign of Vespasian)-specifically mentioned two instances of miracle healings that Vespasian allegedly performed. The healings were both said to have occurred in Alexandria around June or July of the year 70. As the story goes, two debilitated men approached Emperor Vespasian together and threw themselves to the ground before him. One of the men was blind and the other had an unresponsive hand. Vespasian decided to let the supplicants speak. The result of their interaction would become one of the most talked-about events in the reign of the new emperor.
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Born to a Roman knight and tax-collector, Vespasian was a man of relatively humble origins and played on these roots to great political advantage.Out of AfricaFour years later, in 67 AD, Nero appointed Vespasian to put down the Jewish rebellion in Judaea. His success here, where others had failed, meant that, by 68 AD, Vespasian was one of Rome’s most successful generals. His humble origins had led Nero to believe that he was no threat. While Nero was alive, this was true.
When Nero died. After the murder of Galba, civil war was inevitable. What’s more, Vespasian had as good a claim to the throne as his two main rivals, Otho and Vitellius.In July 69 AD, Vespasian was proclaimed emperor by his troops, as well as legions in Egypt and Syria. He marched on Rome. Once in Italy, they found themselves facing Vitellius’ army: for the first time in 100 years, their enemy was Roman.
By morning, Vespasian’s army had won the battle. They ransacked a nearby town and marched on, reaching Rome in December. The city became a battleground, with its citizens caught in the crossfire.Around 50,000 people were killed before the battle was over. Vespasian had won and, with no one left to fight, he was proclaimed emperor by the Senate.
Might equals right
Vespasian was honest about the source of his power - military strength. Using his new position to grant himself more powers, Vespasian immediately began talking up his humble origins and publishing the divine omens he claimed had predicted his spectacular rise. Finally, he wasted no time establishing his dynasty, insisting that his two sons - Titus and Domitian - would succeed him.More importantly, he provided the first real stability since Claudius, 20 years earlier. Although he had gained his position through violence and was still a military dictator, he legitimized himself and his dynasty by offering Rome a stable, peaceful future.Becoming a godBy 79 AD, Vespasian was dying, but his sense of humor remained intact. "Oh dear!" he joked, mocking the Roman tendency to turn dead emperors into gods, "I think I'm becoming a god."Vespasian had brought Rome through bitter civil war and left the empire stronger than ever. But by declaring, "My sons will succeed me, or no one will”, Vespasian had ignored history and his own experience. Like his predecessors, he insisted on tying Rome to the lottery of hereditary rule.
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During and after Vespasian's reign is when the gospel writers were busy with their counter narratives of Jesus as the Messiah and Savior.
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