Titus Flavius

## Titus Flavius Publicola

Bust of Titus Flavius on display in Monty King's Collection of Histories.

### Burial

Hidden Tomb of the Publicolas on Mount HasmiTabawa, Nabataea (modern day Tabuk, Saudi Arabia)

### Issue

Marcus FlaviusFlavia Maior

Flavia Minor

Decius Flavius

### Religion

Zoroastrianism

**Titus Flavius Publicola** (12 June AD 23 – 19 June AD 101) was a Romano-Syrian writer, legal scholar, and the fourth Publicola of the Order of Rome. He established the Flavian Code, which dictated the conduct of future Publicolas, as well as all members of the Order, and codified the precedents set by Malichus of Bostra.

Titus Flavius was a poor merchant from Syria, whose family, under leadership of his great-grandfather, initially came to Damascus from northern Italia but migrated following the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. Titus' immediate and slightly extended family had been impoverished due to the dictatorship and subsequent principate set up by the Julia. Titus' father, while in Syria, married a Zoroastrian Persian woman named Anoys.

While learning in Damascus, he encountered Malichus of Bostra, who was developing his network of connections under the guise of being a travelling fisherman. After doing business more than a few times, Malichus took the young man under his wing. Preying off Titus' discontent with the established order in Rome, Malichus began to breed Titus for the Order. As Malichus began spreading into Asia Minor and Greece around AD 45, he brought Titus along with him. Upon reaching Greece, Titus chose to remain in Byzantium, where he chose to settle down with Publicola the Younger's granddaughter, Valeria Prima. After leaving for his journeys to Gaul, Malichus left Titus in charge of the Order of Rome in the east.

Malichus would return to Byzantium only once more after his Journey to Gaul to transfer the reins of the Order to Titus as he retired with his family in Corinth. Malichus still being alive gave Titus a turbulent start to his reign, but after Malichus' passing later the same year, Titus took full command of the Order of Rome, making some swift changes and codifying the precedent set by his mentor, Malichus. He passed a number of reforms, including the *Rules of Titus*, the *Flavian Doctrine*, and the *Malichan Precedents* all of which are referred to in a group as the Flavian Constitution.

While Titus deep into his leadership with the Order, his family was granted the named Flavia from Emperor Vespasian. As a result, he went from being called **Titus of Antioch**, or **Titus Antiochus**, to **Titus Flavius**. Dozens of records were retained by the Order of Rome of Titus' reign. His reforms set the hard foundation for the organizational and operational structure of the Order of Rome. He was also a legal man and writer, which led to his selection of Alexander of the Piraeus as his successor. After his death in 101, Alexander continued his dedication to codifying rules and regulations to keep the order in check. He followed up by enlisting contacts instead of allowing them to casually enter and leave contact with the Order.

Titus Flavius is remembered as the Second Founder of the Order of Rome, along with Malichus of Bostra. His Constitution is still in practice today, with little amendments and changes made to it. His name "Flavius" and the use of the Flavia gens in the titles of Publicolae was used by almost every successor to the modern day, both due to the legacy of Titus Flavius as well as legal gens of several of his successors all being Flavia.