Domitian vs Romulus Augustulus

Domitian's rise was sudden and uncontested. When Titus died of fever on September 13, 81 AD, Domitian was immediately hailed as emperor by the Praetorian Guard and the Senate. He had no military reputation and was untested in administration, but he was the only surviving Flavian male. His early reign focused on consolidating power, curbing senatorial influence, and promoting his own cult of personality. He assumed the title 'Dominus et Deus' (Lord and God) in official documents, signaling a shift toward autocracy. Romulus Augustulus was placed on the throne by his father Orestes in October 475 AD after Orestes overthrew Julius Nepos. The Western Roman Empire was already in terminal decline: it controlled only Italy and parts of Gaul. Romulus was a puppet emperor; Orestes ruled as the real power. The Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno refused to recognize Romulus, continuing to regard Nepos as the legitimate Western emperor. Romulus's reign lasted only ten months before Odoacer, a Germanic foederati leader, led a revolt against Orestes.

Domitian's triumphs include stabilizing the frontier through the Limes Germanicus and the successful campaign against the Chatti in 83 AD. He also secured the Danube frontier against the Dacians through a combination of diplomacy and military pressure. His administration was efficient, and he left a surplus in the treasury. However, his tragedy was his growing paranoia and persecution of the Senate, leading to executions and confiscations. He expelled philosophers from Rome in 93 AD and executed several senators, including the consul Titus Flavius Clemens. His autocratic style made him deeply unpopular among the elite, and he was assassinated in a palace conspiracy on September 18, 96 AD, ending the Flavian dynasty. His legacy was officially condemned by the Senate (damnatio memoriae), and his name was erased from many public records. Romulus Augustulus's only 'triumph' was being spared death after his deposition, a rare mercy in Roman politics. His tragedy is that he symbolizes the end of the Western Roman Empire. However, his deposition had little immediate impact: Roman institutions continued in Italy under Odoacer, who ruled as a patrician under Eastern Roman suzerainty. Romulus himself faded into obscurity; his later life is unknown, though he may have lived into the 6th century. His influence score of 42.4 reflects his symbolic role rather than any real power.

Domitian's legacy is mixed. His administrative reforms and frontier fortifications influenced later emperors, and his building projects left a physical mark on Rome. However, his autocratic style set a precedent for later 'bad emperors' and contributed to the Senate's diminished role. The Limes Germanicus became a lasting border, and his coinage reforms stabilized the economy temporarily. Yet his damnatio memoriae meant that his achievements were downplayed by later historians like Tacitus and Pliny the Younger, who were hostile to him. Romulus Augustulus's legacy is almost entirely symbolic: he is traditionally considered the last Western Roman emperor, and his deposition in 476 AD is often used as a marker for the fall of the Western Roman Empire. However, the empire had effectively collapsed earlier, and Romulus was merely the final puppet. His name is remembered only in the context of endings. He has no lasting institutions or policies attributed to him.