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Titus Flavius Vespasianus, also rendered as Titus Flavius Vespasian (GAME: The Legions of Death [+]Loading...["The Legions of Death (game)"]) or simply Vespasian, (GAME: The Legions of Death [+]Loading...["The Legions of Death (game)"], PROSE: The Romans [+]Loading...["The Romans (novelisation)"]) was an Emperor of Rome at some point after Nero. (PROSE: The Romans [+]Loading...["The Romans (novelisation)"])
Biography
Born in 9 AD in Falacrina, Italy, Vespasian was the scion of an "obscure family". Ruthlessly ambitious, he accrued considerable influence through service in various military and civilian posts around the Roman Empire. He lived through Caligula's tyrannical rein, but managed to please the mad Emperor and his courtier, coming out of the period with more influence than before. After Claudius became Emperor, he used his influence with Imperial minister Narcissus to gain command of the Second Legion. In this capacity of Legate, he served first on the Rhine frontier, and then in the Roman conquest of Britain (GAME: "Non-Player Characters" [+]Part of The Legions of Death, Loading...{"namedpart":"Non-Player Characters","1":"The Legions of Death (game)"}) under Aulus Plautius, Claudius's army commander. In this capacity, he acted as a mentor to the Tribune Marcus Cornelius Falco, who came to see him as a surrogate father. (GAME: "Falco's Story" [+]Part of The Legions of Death, Loading...{"namedep":"Falco's Story","1":"The Legions of Death (game)"}) By that time, Vespasian already had an actual young son, Titus.
The Roman conquest was meant to be decided after the defeat of Caractacus and Cattigern, but the conflict was interfered with by a Time Lord, the War Chief, who set his TARDIS up in the Sacred Wood which lay between Londinium and Camulodunum and began abducting Romans and Britons alike and brainwashing them. His ultimate aim was to lure Claudius himself into a trap, hypnotise them, and then use him as a puppet to take control of the Roman Empire. When Vespasian personally led a small scouting cohort through the Sacred Wood, however, he ended up being captured as well; the "god" recognised him and was overjoyed to have a "backup Emperor" should the scheme to abduct Claudius fail. (GAME: "Introductory Story" [+]Part of The Legions of Death, Loading...{"namedep":"Introductory Story","1":"The Legions of Death (game)"})
However, Vespasian's "tough, disciplined mind" rejected the hypnotic conditioning twice over. Intending to personally break his will at a later date, the War Chief placed him in a holding cell in his TARDIS, where he was subsequently found by a group of time-travellers who had detected the War Chief's TARDIS's energy-signature and begun investigating — which may have included any of the Third Doctor, the Colonel, Leora, and their various human companions. Eventually, with the help of the Briton Princess Branimandua, Vespasian and the other prisoners were rescued, (GAME: "Escape" [+]Part of The Legions of Death, Loading...{"namedep":"Escape","1":"The Legions of Death (game)"}) and the War Chief's plan was foiled when his hypnotic machines were destroyed, though he himself managed to escape. Vespasian was then safely returned to the Roman camp, allowing history to go back on track. (GAME: "Ending the Adventure" [+]Part of The Legions of Death, Loading...{"namedep":"Ending the Adventure","1":"The Legions of Death (game)"})
Physical appearance
Vespasian was "a heavy-set man with broad, coarse features", and "most noticeable for a habitual strained facial expression" bespeaking his inner uncertainties and seriousness. He was, nevertheless, physically accomplished to match his strength of will. (GAME: "Non-Player Characters" [+]Part of The Legions of Death, Loading...{"namedpart":"Non-Player Characters","1":"The Legions of Death (game)"})