Flavia Domitilla, daughter of Domitilla the Younger by an unknown father. She married her cousin, the consul Titus Flavius Clemens. Denarius depicting Flavia Domitilla the Younger Another denarius depicting Flavia Domitilla the Younger Flavia Domitilla the Younger or Flavia Domitilla Minor (Minor, Latin for the younger) was the only daughter to future Roman Emperor Vespasian by his wife Domitilla the Elder. ... Consul (abbrev. ... Titus Flavius Clemens was a great-nephew of the Roman Emperor Vespasian and brother to Titus Flavius Sabinus IV. Flavius married Vespasians granddaughter Flavia Domitilla. ...

In Roman literature

Quintilian ^[1] reports that he had been entrusted with the tutelage of two of Domitian's grandsons. These should be the children of this Domitilla and Clemens. Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (c. ...

Suetonius states that Domitian designated Clemens' children his successors whilst they were still very young, before their parents' fall, and renamed them Titus and Vespasian.^[2]

Dio reports^[3]:

Domitian slew, along with many others, Flavius Clemens the consul, although he was a cousin and married to Flavia Domitilla, who was also a relative of the emperor's. The charge brought against them both was that of atheism (αθεοτση), a charge on which many others who drifted into Jewish ways were condemned. Some of these were put to death, and the rest were at least deprived of their property. Domitilla was merely banished to Pandateria.

Suetonius also states that Domitilla's steward Stephanus was involved in the final, successful plot against Domitian.^[4] Ventotene and the Pontine Islands. ...

In Jewish tradition

According to the Talmud, both she and her husband converted to Judaism, after having contact with the great Rabbincal Sage Rabbi Akiva. This may integrate with the tradition of her as a Christian (see below). The first page of the Vilna Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a The Talmud (Hebrew: תלמוד) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... Akiba ben Joseph (or Rabbi Akiva, Rebbi Akiva, c. ...

As a Christian saint

Flavia Domitilla is considered a saint of Roman Catholic Church, and her relics are housed in the church of Santi Nereo e Achilleo in Rome. Domitilla is also a saint in the Greek Orthodox Church and her feast day is 12 May. The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus of Nazareth, with its traditions first established by the Twelve Apostles and... Santi Nereo e Achilleo is a 4th century church in Rome. ... Greek Orthodox Church can refer to any of several hierarchical churches within the larger group of mutually recognizing Eastern Orthodox churches. ...

Eusebius (H.E., III, 18; Chron. ad an. Abrahami, 2110), the spurious acts of Nereus and Achilles, and St. Jerome (Ep., CVIII, 7) represent Flavia Domitilla as the niece, not the wife of the consul Flavius Clemens, and say that her place of exile was Pontia, an island also situated in the Tyrrrhenian Sea. These statements have given rise to the opinion that there were two Domitillas (aunt and niece) who were Christians, and latter generally referred to as Flavia Domitilla the Younger. Lightfoot has shown that this opinion, adopted by Tillemont and De Rossi and still maintained by many writers (among them Allard and Duchesne), is derived entirely from Eusebius who was led into this error by mistakes in transcription, or ambiguity of expression, in the sources which he used. He mentions only the conversion of Domitilla, saying that she was the daughter of Clemens' sister, and that she was deported to the island of Pontia (compare also his "Chronicle," year 98). Eusebius must refer to some other Flavia Domitilla. Eusebius is the name of several significant historical people: Pope Eusebius - Pope in AD 309 - 310. ...

When Domitian had decreed that in 30 days, the Senate would confirm an edict to kill all Jews and Christians in the Roman Empire, Domitilla convinced her husband to stand up for the Jews. When there were 5 days left until the edict would be voted on by the Senate, she convinced him to commit suicide in order to postpone the Senate vote, in hopes that God would bring a miracle in the extra time. Since Clemens was the Roman Consul, if he were to die, another Consul would have to be elected before the Senate could pass any decisions. It took a long time to elect a new Consul, so this was one way he could help save the Jews. Domitian executed Titus Flavius Clemens the next day. She had two sons by him, whom Domitian made his own heirs, but they died as young teenagers. The plan worked, and her steward Stephanus was able to assassinate Domitian before the decree was finalized. She was banished by her uncle Domitian to the island Pandataria, where she died mourning her husband. This article is about the religous people known as Christians. ... Consul (abbrev. ... Consul (abbrev. ... Domitian bust in the Louvre Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman emperor of the gens Flavia. ... Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ... Domitian bust in the Louvre Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman emperor of the gens Flavia. ... Domitian bust in the Louvre Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman emperor of the gens Flavia. ...

References

1. ^ Quintilian, "Institutio Oratoria," iv. 1, § 2
2. ^ Suetonius, Life of Domitian, 12
3. ^ Epitome of Cassius Dio, 67.4
4. ^ Domitian, 17

Bibliography

• Grätz, Die, Jüdischen Proselyten im, Römerreiche, pp. 28 et seq.
• idem, Gesch. 3d ed., iv. 403
• Lebrecht, in Geiger's Jüd. Zeit. xi. 273
• Berliner, Gesch. der Juden in Rom, p. 39
• Kraus, Roma Sotterranea, p. 41, Freiburg-in-Breisgau, 1873
• Reinach, Fontes Rerum, Judaicaram, i. 195
• Prosopographia Imperii Romani, ii. 81.G. S. Kr.

External links

• Jewish Encyclopaedia
• Catholic Encyclopaedia

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in 1913 by The Encyclopedia Press. ...