Italian scooters I associated with an emperor (9)

I believe the answer is:

vespasian

'emperor' is the definition.
(I know that Vespasian is a Roman emperor)

'italian scooters i associated with an' is the wordplay.
'italian scooters' becomes 'Vespas' (Vespa is an Italian scooter make).
'associated with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'vespas'+'i'+'an'='VESPASIAN'

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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