Sabinus is first mentioned in the reign of
Claudius, in AD 45, when he served as a
legate under
Aulus Plautius in
Britain, along with his brother, Vespasian. He afterwards
governed Moesia for seven years. Sabinus was
consul suffectus with
Gnaeus Hosidius Geta in AD 47, and was
praefectus urbi for the last eleven years of
Nero's reign. Upon the ascension of
Galba in the year 68, he was replaced as urban prefect by
Aulus Ducenius Geminus. However, with the death of Galba, and ascension of
Otho in January of 69, Sabinus was reinstated. Sabinus may have been part of the
Pisonian conspiracy against Nero, but if so he was never arrested. Sabinus was an important supporter of his brother; when Vespasian found himself in financial difficulties while governor of
Africa, Sabinus lent him the money to continue, although he did demand a mortgage of Vespasian's house and land in return for this assistance. After the death of Otho, Sabinus directed the
urban cohorts to swear allegiance to
Vitellius, evidently an attempt to preclude further bloodshed. At the same time, the consul
Titus Flavius Sabinus, Sabinus' son, directed his troops in northern Italy to submit to the generals of Vitellius. Sabinus continued to retain the dignity of
praefectus urbi under Vitellius. Soon afterward, the
legions in the East declared for Vespasian, who then advanced toward Rome, supported by
Marcus Antonius Primus. After Vitellius' troops were defeated, the emperor, despairing of success, offered to surrender the empire into the hands of Sabinus, until his brother arrived. However, Vitellius' German soldiers refused this arrangement, and Sabinus was besieged in the Capitol, together with his family members, one of whom was his nephew
Domitian. The capitol was burnt by Vitellius' forces, and in the confusion Sabinus' family made their escape, but Sabinus himself was captured and dragged before the emperor, who attempted in vain to save him from the fury of the soldiers. Sabinus was brutally murdered, and his remains thrown down the
Gemonian Steps, where the corpses of malefactors and criminals were exposed and disgraced before being thrown into the Tiber river. When the generals of Vespasian obtained possession of the city, Sabinus was interred with the honour of a
censor's funeral. ==Character==