Nero

  • Nero (54-68 CE) was the fifth Roman Emperor and the first Emperor to commit suicide.
  • He was also the first Emperor to devalue the coinage in Roman History and the first to be condemned by the Roman Senate with a Damnatio Memoriae and not be deified.

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

  • NAME:
    • Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus
    • As Emperor: Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus
  • NERO’S DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
    • 13 October 54 CE – 9 June 68 CE
  • FAMILY DYNASTY:
  • NERO’S DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
    • Born 15 December 37 CE and Died 9 June 68 CE
  • NERO’S PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
    • Born in Antium, Italia and died near Rome.
  • NERO’S PREDECESSOR:
  • NERO’S SUCCESSOR:
  • NERO’s RIGHT HAND MAN:
  • NERO WAS HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
  • NERO’S FATHER:
    • Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus
  • NERO’S MOTHER:
  • NERO’S WIVES AND CHILDREN:
    • Claudia Octavia (9 June 53 CE – Divorced 62 CE)
    • Poppaea Sabina (62-65 CE)
      • Claudia Augusta (21 Jan 63 CE) died four months later.
    • Statilia Messalina (66-67 CE)
    • Sporus (67-68 CE)
  • DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
    • Nero was the first Roman Emperor to commit suicide on 9th June 68 CE.
  • BURIAL PLACE:
  • NERO WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
    • Nero was the first Roman Emperor to commit suicide.
    • Nero was described by Roman Historians as having started the Great Fire of Rome himself, so as to build his new palace.
    • Nero conducted Rome’s first Devaluation of the Currency in Roman History, the Silver Denarius and the Gold Aureus.
    • Nero’s Emerald: Nero watched the Gladiator Games by looking through a cut Emerald, according to Pliny the Elder.
    • Nero achieved a lasting Peace Treaty with the Parthian Empire, making him very popular in the eastern Roman Empire, to the extent they did not believe that he had died and thought he would return, known as the Nero Redivivus Legend.
    • Nero attempted to assassinate his own mother: In 59 CE he conspired to have a ship built in such a way that it would collapse and drown his mother, Agrippina the Younger. The plot was hatched with the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard. She survived and swam to the shore. Instead Nero had her executed and made it look like a suicide.
    • Nero was accused by later Roman historians of the Executions of St. Peter and St. Paul. The crucifixion of St. Peter upside down and the beheading of St. Paul may have taken place during Nero’s Reign, but it is not known whether Nero was involved.
    • Nero married Sporus, a palace eunuch, because he resembled his wife Poppaea.
    • Winner at the Olympic Games (67 CE). Here he raced a ten horse chariot from which he was thrown, almost fatally, and in another Race, he never finished. Despite this Nero won several Crowns allegedly by bribing the Judges, and brought them back to Rome.
    • Nero was the first Roman Emperor to be condemned after his death by a Damnatio Memoriae preventing him from being deified.

2. GOOD OR BAD EMPEROR

  • NERO’S CHARACTER:
    • In 54 CE Nero became Emperor at 17. He was popular at first, but later became cruel and homicidal.
  • NERO’S POPULARITY
    • At first he was popular because he was very young. He was Consul four times up until 60 CE and enacted much popular legislation.
    • As a result three people vied to influence him: His Mother Agrippina the Younger, The Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and his tutor Seneca the Younger. Finally, his Mother lost influence and started to support Britannicus instead. After this point, Britannicus died mysteriously and Nero banned his Mother from the Palace and eventually after a plot to assassinate her failed, had her executed.
    • Nero always attempted to be popular with the Roman Plebeian Class.
    • Interestingly, after his death and condemnation by the Senate, he was still very popular in the Eastern Roman Empire, where several Nero Impersonators attempted to achieve power.
  • NERO’S LIST OF ATTEMPTED MURDERS AND MURDERS
  • Nero Assassinated his own Mother:
    • In 59 CE Nero conspired to have a ship built in such a way that it would collapse and drown his Mother, Agrippina the Younger. The Plot was hatched with the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard. She survived and swam to the shore.
    • Instead Nero had her assassinated and made it look like a suicide.
  • Nero’s other Assassinations and Murders:
    • 55 CE 11 February. Nero is reputed to have used the Poisoner Locusta to poison his Stepbrother Britannicus at a Dinner Party. Britannicus was also designated co-heir to reign as Emperor. Britannicus died the day before his 14th birthday, upon which he would have become a man.
    • 62 CE Octavia, Nero’s wife. He divorced and banished her on the grounds of infertility. He was forced to bring her back by Public protests, but had her executed.
    • 65 CE He married Poppaea, but she died while she was pregnant and historians hold Nero responsible for her death. He used a year’s supply of imported Frankincense at her funeral.
    • 62-63 CE Nero’s Political Rivals, Pallas, Rubellius Plautus and Faustus Sulla, as well as others, were all murdered.
    • 65 CE Pisonian Conspiracy Gaius Calpurnius Piso organised a conspiracy in order to bring back the Republic. Nero had Piso and Lucan the Poet executed, amongst others. He also gave Seneca the Younger, his old Tutor, instructions to commit suicide, which he did by cutting his veins and bleeding to death in his Bath.

3. NERO’S EARLY LIFE

4. NERO’S REIGN

  • NERO’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ROMAN SENATE:
  • Plots
    • 54 CE Nero adopted a policy of withdrawing power from the Roman Senate leading to the complaint in 65 CE that the Senate had no power left. This led directly to Plots and finally a Conspiracy by Piso.
    • 62-63 CE Nero’s Political Rivals Pallas, Rubellius Plautus and Faustus Sulla, as well as others, were all murdered.
  • Pisonian Conspiracy (65 CE)
    • Gaius Calpurnius Piso organised a conspiracy in order to bring back the Roman Republic. Nero had Piso and Lucan the Poet executed, amongst others. He also gave Seneca the Younger, his old Tutor, instructions to commit suicide, which he did by cutting his veins and bleeding to death in his Bath.
  • NERO’S MILITARY CAMPAIGNS:
  • Parthian Empire:
    • 54 CE Tiridates replaced Rhadamistus, the Roman Client King of Armenia.
    • Nero immediately sent the Legions into Armenia under Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, without removing Tiridates. Parthia declined to fight and all remained quiet.
    • 58 CE Vologases I, the Parthian King invaded Armenia but was repelled by Corbulo, who ejected Tiridates and exerted effective control over most of Armenia.
    • Tigranes was appointed as the new Roman Client King, and Corbulo appointed as Governor of Syria.
    • 62 CE Tigranes invaded Adiabene, a Parthian Province, igniting war again with Parthia, who were set to invade Syria.
    • 63 CE Nero negotiated a very unusual Peace Treaty, guaranteeing peace and ending the war with Parthia for the next 50 years, up until the reign of Trajan. The eastern Roman Empire was overjoyed and as a result, Nero remained popular there long after his death.
    • Nero reinstalled the Parthian Prince Tiridates as King of Armenia, but on condition he went to Rome for the coronation ceremony. Future Kings of Armenia were to be Parthian Princes, but always crowned in Rome, meaning the appointment had been accepted by the Roman Senate and therefore Armenia was a Roman Vassal State.
  • NERO’S DOMESTIC POLICY:
  • The Freedmen:
    • Despite attempts to restrict the Freedman Class by the Senate who tried to revoke their Freedom, Nero supported and maintained their independence. The Patron was not allowed to revoke their Freedom.
  • Slaves:
    • A new Law making the punishment of the crime of one slave, applicable to all the slaves within that household, was supported by Nero. 400 slaves were executed under the new Law, and the ensuing Riots had to be suppressed by the Praetorian Guard.
  • Taxation:
    • The Tax Collectors, who had been accused of being too severe, were replaced by a new class of government Commissioners. Government Officials were frequently arrested for corruption.
    • Nero then had Taxes cut from 4.5% to 2.5%. Merchant vessels importing food were exempted from Tax to reduce the cost of food.
  • Devaluation of the Coinage:
    • NERO CONDUCTED THE FIRST DEVALUATION OF THE SILVER DENARIUS AND THE GOLD AUREUS IN ROMAN HISTORY:
    • The cost of rebuilding Rome after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE forced Nero to reduce the Silver content of the Denarius by 12% and the Gold Content of the Aureus by 6%.
  • NERO’S RELIGIOUS REFORMS:
  • Executions of St. Peter and St. Paul:
    • The Crucifixion of St. Peter upside down and the Beheading of St. Paul may have taken place during Nero’s Reign.
    • It is not known whether Nero was involved, although he was accused of this by later Roman historians.
  • NOTABLE EVENTS DURING NERO’S REIGN:
  • Great Fire of Rome
    • 64 CE 18 July. Nero is thought to have started the Great Fire of Rome himself in order to build his Palace. Nero built the Domus Aurea (Golden Villa), an opulent Palace on the ruins of burnt out Rome.
    • According to Suetonius and Cassius Dio, Nero sang ‘the Sack of Ilium’ in actor’s dress during the Fire. This has led to the popular expression today ‘Nero fiddled while Rome burned’.
    • Nero succeeded in getting a confession from the Christians that they had started the Fire deliberately.
    • Nero ordered the Christians to be torn apart by dogs, others crucified and some burnt as human torches in the gardens at night.
  • Winner at the Olympic Games (67 CE)
    • 67 CE Nero was advised to participate in the Olympic Games to further good relations amongst the Greeks. Here he raced a ten horse chariot from which he was thrown, almost fatally, and in another Race he never finished. Despite this Nero won several Crowns allegedly by bribing the Judges, and brought them back to Rome.

5. PERSONAL LIFE

  • CHILDHOOD:
    • Nero’s Father died in 39 CE whilst Nero was only two years old. Nero’s Father was a Praetor who traveled with Caligula. He was accused of Treason by Tiberius but Tiberius died, and the charges were dropped.
    • His Mother, Agrippina the Younger was extremely ambitious and did everything possible for Nero to become the Roman Emperor.
  • PERSONAL INTERESTS:
  • LANGUAGES SPOKEN:
    • Lain and Greek.

6. THE CONSEQUENCES OF NERO’S REIGN

  • ENRICHMENT OR BANKRUPTCY OF THE STATE
  • Bankruptcy:
    • There were a series of Financial Crises during Nero’s reign.
    • Nero Devalued the Currency, the Silver Denarius by 12% and the Gold Aureus by 6%.
    • Historians are divided as to whether the enormous Projects Nero undertook caused these Financial Crises, or whether his grand Projects were designed to alleviate them.
  • NERO’S MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS
    • A Peace Treaty with Parthia leading to a lasting Peace for the next fifty years.

7. THE SUCCESSION TO NERO

  • NERO’S DEMISE
  • Rebellion of Vindex:
    • March 68 CE March, Vindex, the Governor of Gallia Lugdunensis rebelled openly against Nero and requested support from Galba the Governor of Hispania Tarraconensis.
    • Nero ordered Verginius Rufus, Governor of Germania Superior to quell Vindex who was defeated and committed suicide at the Battle of Vesontio. However, the Legions wanted to overthrow Nero and support for Galba became stronger. Finally the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard declared for Galba. Nero went to Ostia but was unable to secure a ship and returned to Rome.
  • Nero’s Suicide:
    • 68 CE 9 June. Nero became the first Roman Emperor to commit suicide, avoiding assassination as his guards had deserted him.
  • The Year of the Four Emperors
    • Nero’s suicide collapsed the Julio-Claudian Dynasty encouraging a succession of hopeful candidates. The first was Galba who was already in the process of challenging Nero before he died. He was followed by Otho who assassinated Galba. The Commander of the Rhine Legions, Vitellius, then moved towards Rome, and Otho committed suicide. Lastly, Vespasian, the Commander of the Eastern Legions, marched on Rome and executed Vitellius.
  • Damnatio Memoriae:
    • This was the first time the Senate passed a Decree to condemn the memory of a Roman Emperor.
    • ‘Abolitio Nominis’: The Emperor’s name was then erased from inscriptions on Monuments. Statues and sculptures were changed to represent other figures and Portraits destroyed.
  • Nero Impersonators:
    • Despite the Damnatio, the Eastern Roman Empire still worshipped and believed in him, and several Nero Impersonators later arose claiming to be the deceased Nero.
  • The view of Roman Historians:
    • Nero’s Biography is based on the writings of Tacitus, Suetonius and Dio Cassius, however they may have been biased as they came from Senatorial families.

8. BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS

PALACES AND VILLAS: (no longer standing)

  • Domus Transitoria
    • This was Nero’s Palace first Palace which was destroyed in 64 CE by the Great Fire of Rome. It was named Transitoria because it connected all the properties of the Imperial House with the Palatine.
  • Domus Aurea
    • Nero built the ‘Golden Villa’ an opulent Palace on the burnt out houses of the Palatine Hill, Rome, using the ruins of the Domus Transitoria. Although it was built over and forgotten within 40 years, the wall paintings have survived.

MONUMENTS: (no longer standing)

  • Baths of Nero
    • Rebuilt in 227 CE and renamed Thermae Alexandrinae, were situated in the Campus Martius. They were the second Public Baths to be built in Rome.
  • Bridge of Nero.
    • The Ruined pillars are now underwater. The bridge was built over the Tiber to connect to Caligula’s Circus (Renamed Circus of Nero).
  • Circus of Nero
  • Horrea Galbae:
    • Thought to have been constructed by Nero, but dedicated by Galba. A Warehouse complex beside the Tiber for storing imported foodstuffs.
  • Temple of Divius Claudius:
    • Probably built by Claudius‘ widow, Agrippina the Younger. Then destroyed by Nero to create the Domus Aurea.

PLANNED MONUMENTS (54-68 CE)

  • Corinth Canal
    • Work was commenced in 67 CE but the Canal was never completed.
  • The Ostia to Puteoli Canal
    • Planned only.
  • The Ostia to Rome Canal
    • Planned only.

STATUES AND COINS:

  • The Colossus of Nero:
    • (64-68 CE) (No longer in existence)
    • This was a Statue of Nero 98 ft (30m) in height, made from Bronze, standing in front of the the Domus Aurea.
    • In 68 CE after Nero’s death, Vespasian had it altered to become the Sun God, Sol Invictus. It was last mentioned in 354 CE, and was either subsequently removed or melted down, possibly during the Sack of Rome in 410 CE.

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • CLASSICAL SOURCES:
    • Suetonius  The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Book VI: The Life of Nero

10. Film and DvD’s

 

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