(EMAILWIRE.COM, March 31, 2009 ) Rome, Italy - The city of Rome celebrates 2000 years since the birth of the Emperor Vespasian, father of the Colosseum, the city’s best known landmark and ruler of Rome for ten years – TheMoveChannel.com takes a look at his life and legacy – part of which is the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire...

In honour of the Emperor, an exhibition, Dives Vespasianus, opened in Rome on Saturday March 27th and runs until January 10th 2010.

It sheds light on Vespasian’s life and times and his architectural achievements, of which there were many, including the Colosseum. There are also a host of recent archaeological artifacts and busts of the Flavian emperors.

Vespasian, who was born in the year 9 AD, ruled over the city of Rome immediately after Nero.

Previously a military commander, he introduced stability to the city when he started his rule in 69 AD aged 60, after years of high jinks from the previous Emperor Nero. Today, Vespasian’s rule is best remembered for the institutional and economic change he introduced.

But, he is also well known for destroying Jerusalem’s enormous temple (AD 66 and 67) to such an extent that Josephus wrote in The Jewish War, “You would not have known that a city had ever existed here, as you stood on the site."

His sons, Titus and Domitian went on to rule over Rome for a combined total of 17 years after their father’s death in 79 AD.

As well as being the founder of the Flavian dynasty, Vespasian was also the man behind Rome’s most famous landmark, the Colosseum. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, construction on the Colosseum began around 71 AD and was completed ten years later.

It was located close to the heart of the grounds of Domus Aurea, the ‘House of Gold’ which was built for the Emperor Nero.

The building was just one of many highly ambitious construction projects Vespasian embarked upon during his time as ruler of Rome. Considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering, it was the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire.

When it was inaugurated, whilst Vespasian’s son Titus was in power, more than 5,000 animals were slaughtered for the crowd’s entertainment and this gladiatorial combat remained one of the main forms of ‘amusement’ at the Colosseum until it was banned in the fifth Century.

Vespasian is also said to have played a key role in reconstructing the city in the wake of the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. He took on the role of Emperor when the city was still in ruins following the fire.

The ten-month long Dives Vespasianus exhibition will be held in the Colosseum itself, as well as in two other locations – the Curia building where the Senate met, which has been reopened to the public for this occasion and the Cryptoporticus of Nero on the Palatine Hill.

Visitors will also see Flavian monuments, including the Arch of Titus, the Flavian Palace, the Temple of Vespasian and the Temple of Peace.

Let’s hope this celebration of his achievements will help to gloss over the fact that, in modern Italian, his name is immortalised as the word for a public urinal…

For more information on Italian properties and the market in general, please visit http://italy.themovechannel.com/

-ENDS-

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