While he is not in the horrific class of Commodus, Nero, Caligula and Tiberius, Domitian was far from a saint. The last years of his reign were a period of terror hitherto unsurpassed, as he wiped out senators and other influential folks in opposition to him. He seems to have had some financial difficulties as well, for during this period he regularly confiscated the property of his victims. During the early stages of his reign he attempted some reforms, both domestic and colonial, all of which showed promise and none of which came to fruition. He was murdered by a conspiracy that likely included his wife (emperors had the worst track record with happy marriages) and while the Senate was overjoyed, the army quickly insisted on punishment of the responsible parties.
