Nero Claudius Cæsar Augustus Germanicus

Reign	October 13, 54 – June 9, 68
Predecessor	Claudius
Successor	Galba
Claudia Octavia, Poppaea Sabina
Issue	Claudia Augusta
Dynasty	Julio-Claudian (end of dynasty)
Father	Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus
Mother	Agrippina the Younger
Born	December 15, 37, at Antium
Died	June 9, 68
Consulships etc	51, proconsul

Nero Claudius Cæsar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37 – June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (54–68). Nero became heir to the then Emperor, his grand-uncle and adoptive father Claudius. As Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus he succeeded to the throne on October 13, 54 following Claudius' death. In 66, he added the prefix Imperator to his name. In 68, Nero was deposed. His subsequent death was reportedly the result of suicide assisted by his scribe Epaphroditos. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (588x795, 39 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Nero Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... Events October 13 - Roman Empire emperor Claudius dies after being poisoned by Agrippina, his wife and niece. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Centuries: 1st century BCE - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s - 60s - 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Years: 63 64 65 66 67 - 68 - 69 70 71 72 73 Events June 9 - Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide. ... For other uses, see Claudius (disambiguation). ... Head of Galba at the Louvre. ... Octavia was the name of three women of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty of ancient Rome: two were sisters of Augustus Caesar, and the younger was the daughter of Claudius and wife of Nero. ... Poppaea Poppaea Sabina (died 65) was the second wife of the Roman Emperor Nero. ... Claudia Augusta was the only daughter of the Roman Emperor Nero by his second wife Poppaea Sabina. ... The Julio-Claudian dynasty was the series of the first five Roman Emperors. ... Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (11 December 17 BC - January 40 AD) was a close relative to the Roman Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Agrippina the Younger, mother of Nero Julia Vispania Agrippina Minor (in latin: Iulia Agrippina, PIR2 I 641), most commonly known as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger (November 6, 15 – March 59), was the daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina Major. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 18 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius will and proclaims Caligula Roman Emperor. ... Anzio (2003 pop. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Centuries: 1st century BCE - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s - 60s - 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Years: 63 64 65 66 67 - 68 - 69 70 71 72 73 Events June 9 - Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide. ... This list of Republican Roman Consuls is based on the Varronian chronology, which intercalates four dictator years and has other peculiarities. ... // Events Roman Empire Caratacus, British resistance leader, is captured and taken to Rome. ... For the Miocene ape, see Proconsul (genus) Under the Roman Empire a proconsul was a promagistrate filling the office of a consul. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 18 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius will and proclaims Caligula Roman Emperor. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Centuries: 1st century BCE - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s - 60s - 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Years: 63 64 65 66 67 - 68 - 69 70 71 72 73 Events June 9 - Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide. ... Roman Emperor is the term historians use to refer to rulers of the Roman Empire, after the epoch conventionally named the Roman Republic. ... The Julio-Claudian dynasty was the series of the first five Roman Emperors. ... Events October 13 - Roman Empire emperor Claudius dies after being poisoned by Agrippina, his wife and niece. ... Centuries: 1st century BCE - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s - 60s - 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Years: 63 64 65 66 67 - 68 - 69 70 71 72 73 Events June 9 - Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide. ... For other uses, see Claudius (disambiguation). ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... Events October 13 - Roman Empire emperor Claudius dies after being poisoned by Agrippina, his wife and niece. ... The Latin word imperator was a title originally roughly equivalent to commander during the period of the Roman Republic. ... Suicide (from Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of willfully ending ones own life. ... Illustration of a 15th century scribe This is about scribe, the profession. ... Epaphroditos was the scribe of Nero, who reportedly assisted in his suicide on June 9, 68. ...

He has been widely and proverbially believed to have been insane, however, it is worth noting that these assumptions of his behaviour are based entirely on hostile sources; namely Suetonius and Tacitus. INSANE is a proprietary INteractive Streaming ANimation Engine developped by LucasArts. ... This article is about the Roman historian. ... Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Publius (or: Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (c. ...

Life

Overview

The documented life of Nero is augmented with legend, with the common theme of his insanity. It is probable that Nero's reputation was also darkened with posthumous slander. The Julio-Claudian dynasty was the series of the first five Roman Emperors. ... Augustus (Latin:IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI FILIVS AVGVSTVS[1]; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), known to modern historians as Octavian in English for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, was the first and one of the most important of the Roman Emperors, though he downplayed... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and to make a clear distinction between fact and fiction, this article may require cleanup. ... Several notable individuals of the Roman Empire were commonly called Gaius Caesar: Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator Gaius Julius Caesar Vipsanianus was the son of Agrippa and Julia Caesaris, and the heir apparent to Augustus Caesar, but died in AD 4. ... Lucius Caesar (17 BC-2, born Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa and adopted as Lucius Julius Caesar Vipsanianus) was the second son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia Caesaris. ... Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus, (12 BC-14 AD) also known as Agrippa Postumus or Postumus Agrippa, was a son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder. ... Tiberius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC – March 16 AD 37), was the second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in AD 14 until his own death in 37. ... Tiberius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC – March 16 AD 37), was the second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in AD 14 until his own death in 37. ... Drusus the Younger, son of Tiberius. ... Bust of Germanicus. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ... Julia Drusilla (39 AD-41 AD) was the only child and daughter of Roman Emperor Gaius (Caligula) and his fourth and last wife Caesonia. ... Tiberius Gemellus, son of Drusus the Younger and Livilla Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero , known as Tiberius Gemellus, (10 October AD 19–AD 37 or 38) was the son of Drusus and Livilla, the grandson of Tiberius, and the cousin of Gaius Caligula. ... For other uses, see Claudius (disambiguation). ... Antonia (30–66 AD) was Claudius only child from his second marriage to Aelia Paetina. ... Octavia was the name of three women of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty of ancient Rome: two were sisters of Augustus Caesar, and the younger was the daughter of Claudius and wife of Nero. ... Britannicus (41 - 55 A.D.) was the son of the Roman emperor Claudius and his third wife Messalina. ... Claudia Augusta was the only daughter of the Roman Emperor Nero by his second wife Poppaea Sabina. ... For the linguistic concept, see augment (linguistics). ...

Nero ruled from 54 to 68. During his rule, he focused much of his attention on diplomacy and increasing the cultural capital of the empire. He ordered the building of theatres and promoted athletic games. He also banned the killing of gladiators.

His reign had a number of successes including the war and negotiated peace with the Parthian Empire (58–63), the putting down of the British revolt (60–61), the putting down of a revolt in Gaul (68) and improving diplomatic ties with Greece. Parthian Empire at its greatest extent, c60 BCE. The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Parthia was the arch-enemy of the Roman Empire in the east and...

His failures included the Roman fire of 64, the Spanish revolt of 68 that led to his suicide and the civil war that ensued from his death.

Family

Born in Antium, near Rome, on December 15, 37, he was the only son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the younger, sister and reputed lover of Caligula. Anzio (2003 pop. ... December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 18 - The Roman Senate annuls Tiberius will and proclaims Caligula Roman Emperor. ... Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (11 December 17 BC - January 40 AD) was a close relative to the Roman Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Agrippina the Younger, mother of Nero Julia Vispania Agrippina Minor (in latin: Iulia Agrippina, PIR2 I 641), most commonly known as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger (November 6, 15 – March 59), was the daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina Major. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ...

His father was grandson to an elder Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Aemilia Lepida through their son Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. He was also great-grandson to Mark Antony and Octavia Minor through their daughter Antonia Major. Also, through Octavia, he was the great-nephew of Caesar Augustus. Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, a member of the noble Ahenobarbus family, accompanied his father at Corfinium and Pharsalus, and, having been pardoned by Julius Caesar, returned to Rome in 46 BC. After Caesars assassination he attached himself to Marcus Junius Brutus and Cassius, and in 43 BC was condemned by... Aemilia Lepida I (4/3 BC - 53) was the eldest daughter to Vipsania Julia and her father Lucius Aemilius Paullus. ... Ahenobarbus (brazen-bearded or red-haired) is the name of a plebeian Roman family of the gens Domitia. ... For his relatives, see Marcus Antonius (disambiguation). ... For other Roman noble women of this name see Octavia (69 - 11 BC.) Octavia Thurina Minor was one of the most prominent women in Roman history, respected and admired by contemporaries for her loyalty, nobility and humanity and for maintaining traditional Roman feminine virtues. ... Julia Antonia Cretica Major (Latin for “the elder”) (b. ...

His mother was the namesake of her own mother Agrippina the elder who was granddaughter to Octavia's brother Caesar Augustus and his wife Scribonia through their daughter Julia the Elder and her husband Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. His maternal grandfather Germanicus was himself grandson to Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia, adoptive grandson to her second husband Caesar Augustus, nephew and adoptive son of Tiberius, son of Drusus through his wife Antonia Minor (sister to Antonia Major), and brother to Claudius. Agrippina the Elder, wife of Germanicus (Vipsania) Agrippina (PIR1 V 463) 14 BC – 18 October AD 33), most commonly known as Agrippina Major or Agrippina the Elder, was one of the most prominent women in the Roman Empire in the early 1st century AD. She was the daughter of Marcus... The famous statue of Octavian at the Prima Porta Caesar Augustus (Latin:IMP·CAESAR·DIVI·F·AVGVSTVS) ¹ (23 September 63 BC–19 August AD 14), known to modern historians as Octavian for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, is considered the first and one of the most... Scribonia (d. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and to make a clear distinction between fact and fiction, this article may require cleanup. ... Marcus Agrippa Agrippa redirects here. ... Bust of Germanicus. ... Tiberius Claudius Nero may refer to several individuals of the Roman Empire: Tiberius Nero, first husband to Livia and lieutenant of Julius Caesar Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar aka Emperor Tiberius, son of Tiberius and Livia Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar Drusus, aka Emperor Claudius, nephew of Tiberius and grandson of Tiberius... A cult statue of Livia represented as Ops, with sheaf of wheat and cornucopia, 1st century. ... The famous statue of Octavian at the Prima Porta Caesar Augustus (Latin:IMP·CAESAR·DIVI·F·AVGVSTVS) ¹ (23 September 63 BC–19 August AD 14), known to modern historians as Octavian for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, is considered the first and one of the most... Tiberius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC – March 16 AD 37), was the second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in AD 14 until his own death in 37. ... Bust of Nero Claudius Drusus, in the Musée du Cinquantinaire, Brussels Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, born Decimus Claudius Drusus and variously called Drusus, Drusus I or Drusus the Elder (14 January 38 - 9 BC) was the younger son of Livia, wife of Augustus Caesar, and her first husband, Tiberius... Julia Antonia Cretica Minor (the younger) (31 January 36 BC - September/October 37 AD) or Antonia the Younger or simply known as Antonia. ... For other uses, see Claudius (disambiguation). ...

Rise to power

Birth under Caligula

When born, he was not expected ever to become Augustus. His maternal uncle Caligula had only started his own reign on March 16 of that year at the age of twenty-four. His predecessors Augustus and Tiberius had lived to become seventy-six and seventy-nine respectively. Presumably Caligula would produce his own heirs. Augustus (plural augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. The feminine form is Augusta. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (76th in Leap years). ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ...

Lucius would come to the attention of his uncle soon after his birth. Agrippina reportedly asked her brother to name the child. This would be an act of favor and would mark the child as a possible heir to his uncle. However, Caligula only offered to name his nephew Claudius, after their lame and stuttering uncle, apparently implying that he was as unlikely to become Augustus as Claudius. For other uses, see Claudius (disambiguation). ...

The relationship between brother and sister would soon apparently improve. A prominent scandal early in the new reign was Caligula's particularly close relationship to his three sisters Drusilla, Julia Livilla, and Agrippina. All three are featured with their brother in Roman currency of the time. The three women seem to have gained his favor and likely some amount of influence. The writings of Josephus, Suetonius, and Dio Cassius report on their reputed sexual relationship with their brother. Drusilla's sudden death in 38 would apparently only serve to ensure this belief: she was reportedly Caligula's favorite and was consequently buried with the honors of an Augusta. Caligula proceeded in having her deified, the first woman in Roman history to achieve this honor. Julia Drusilla (September 16, 7 - June 10, 38) was a daughter to Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder. ... Julia Livilla, daughter of Germanicus Julia Livilla or Julia Germanici filia (Lesbos, early 18 AD-Pandateria (?) late 41 or early 42 AD) was the youngest child of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder and one of Caligulas sisters. ... The main Roman currency during most of the Roman Republic and the western half of the Roman Empire consisted of coins including: the aureus (gold), the denarius (silver), the sestertius (bronze), the dupondius (bronze), and the as (copper). ... Josephus (c. ... The Twelve Caesars (also known as Lives of the Caesars), which was written in 121, under Hadrian, was the most popular work of Suetonius and bulks largest among his surviving writings. ... Dio Cassius Cocceianus (155–after 229), known in English as Dio Cassius or Cassius Dio, was a noted Roman historian and public servant. ... Augustus (plural augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. The feminin form is Augusta. ...

Lucius had then become the son of an influential and notorious woman, who would soon lose her position by her brother. Caligula had remained childless. His closest male relatives at the time were his brothers-in-law Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (husband of Drusilla), Marcus Vinicius (husband of Livilla), and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (husband of Agrippina). They were the likely heirs should Caligula die early. However, after the death of his wife, Lepidus apparently lost his chances, though not his ambitions, to succeed his brother-in-law. Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was a common name for several successive generations of a family in ancient Rome: Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (187 BC) Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (120-77 BC) Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (triumvir) (49 BC) Lepidus the Younger Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (consul AD 6) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational...

Conspiracies

In September 39 Caligula left Rome with his escort, heading north to join his legions in a campaign against the Germanic tribes. The campaign had to be postponed for the following year due to Caligula's preoccupation with a conspiracy against him. Reportedly Lepidus had managed to become lover to both Agrippina and Livilla, apparently seeking their help in gaining the throne. Consequently, he was immediately executed. Caligula also ordered the execution of Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus, the popular Legate of Germania Superior, and his replacement with Servius Sulpicius Galba. However, it remains uncertain whether he was connected to Lepidus' conspiracy. Agrippina and Livilla were soon exiled to the Pontian islands. Lucius was presumably separated from his mother at this point. City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC (mythical), early 1st millennium BC (archaeological) Region Latium Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,553,873 almost 4,300,000 1. ... A modern reconstruction of a roman centurion around 70 AD The Roman legion (from Latin , from lego, legere, legi, lectus — to collect) was the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army. ... The term Germanic tribes (or Teutonic tribes) applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. ... A legatus (often anglicized as legate) was equivalent to a modern general officer in the Roman army. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Ancient Roman provinces | German history | Germany | History of the Germanic peoples ... Servius Sulpicius Galba (December 24, 3 BC - January 15, 69) was Roman Emperor from June AD 68 until his death. ... Pontian also refers to a group of Greek people that formerly inhabited the north part of present day Turkey. ...

Lucius' father died of edema in 40. Lucius was now effectively an orphan with an uncertain fate under the increasingly erratic Caligula. His luck would change again the following year. On January 24, 41 Caligula, his wife Caesonia, and their infant daughter Julia Drusilla were murdered by a conspiracy under Cassius Chaera. The Praetorian Guard helped Claudius gain the throne. Among Claudius' first decisions was the recalling of his nieces from exile. Edema (BE: oedema, formerly known as dropsy) is swelling of any organ or tissue due to accumulation of excess fluid. ... Orphans, by Thomas Kennington An orphan (from the Greek ορφανός) is a person (or animal), who has lost one or both parents, often through death. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 24 - Roman Emperor Gaius Caesar (Caligula), known for his eccentricity and cruel despotism, is assassinated by his disgruntled Praetorian Guards. ... Milonia Caesonia (6 - 41 AD), Roman Empress, was a former courtesan with a notorious reputation. ... Julia Drusilla (39 AD-41 AD) was the only child and daughter of Roman Emperor Gaius (Caligula) and his fourth and last wife Caesonia. ... Cassius Chaerea (fl. ... The Praetorian Guard of Caesar Augustus - 1st century. ...

Agrippina was soon remarried to the wealthy Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus. He died between 44 and 47, and Agrippina was reportedly suspected of poisoning him in order to inherit his fortune. Lucius was the only heir to his now-wealthy mother. Gaius Sallustius Passienus Crispus was a prominent figure in the Roman Empire during the first century AD. He was the adopted grandson and biological great, great nephew of the historian Sallust. ...

Adoption by Claudius

Ten-year-old Lucius was still considered unlikely to ever gain the throne. Claudius, fifty-seven years old at this point, had reigned longer than his predecessor and arguably more effectively. Claudius had already had three marriages. He had married Plautia Urgulanilla and Aelia Paetina as a private citizen. He was married to Valeria Messalina at the time of his accession. They had two children, Claudia Octavia (b. 40) and Britannicus (b. 41). Messalina was still likely to produce more heirs. Plautia Urgulanilla (fl. ... Aelia Paetina (flourished first century) was the second wife of the future emperor Claudius. ... Valeria Messalina Valeria Messalina or Messalina (About 18 AD - 48 AD) was a Roman Empress and third wife to Roman Emperor Claudius. ... Octavia was the name of three women of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty of ancient Rome: two were sisters of Augustus Caesar, and the younger was the daughter of Claudius and wife of Nero. ... Britannicus (41 - 55 A.D.) was the son of the Roman emperor Claudius and his third wife Messalina. ...

Messalina, however, was executed in 48, accused of conspiring against her husband. The ambitious Agrippina soon set her sights upon replacing her deceased aunt. On January 1, 49 she became the fourth wife of Claudius. The marriage would last for five years. January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... Events Rome Emperor Claudius marries his niece Agrippina the younger (approximate date). ...

Early in the year 50 the Roman Senate offered Agrippina the honorable title of Augusta, previously only held by Livia (14–29). On February 25, 50 Lucius was officially adopted by Claudius as Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus (see adoption in Rome). Nero was older than his adoptive brother Britannicus and effectively became heir to the throne at the time of his adoption. The Roman Senate (Latin, Senatus) was a deliberative body which was important in the government of both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. ... A cult statue of Livia represented as Ops, with sheaf of wheat and cornucopia, 1st century. ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events Roman Empire Londinium is founded by the Romans, taking over as capital of the local Roman province, from Colchester (approximate date) Roman Emperor Claudius appoints Agrippa II governor of Chalcis. ... Possibly the most famous Roman adoptee, Augustus Caesar In ancient Rome, adoption of boys was a fairly common procedure, particularly in the upper senatorial class. ...

Claudius honored his adoptive son in several ways. Nero was proclaimed an adult in 51 at the age of fourteen. He was appointed proconsul, entered and first addressed the Senate, made joint public appearances with Claudius, and was featured in coinage. In 53 he married his adoptive sister Claudia Octavia. For the Miocene ape, see Proconsul (genus) Under the Roman Empire a proconsul was a promagistrate filling the office of a consul. ... Octavia was the name of three women of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty of ancient Rome: two were sisters of Augustus Caesar, and the younger was the daughter of Claudius and wife of Nero. ...

Emperor

Becoming Augustus

Claudius died on October 13, 54, and Nero was soon established as Augustus in his place. It is not known how much Nero knew or was involved with the death of Claudius, but Suetonius, a relatively well-respected Roman historian, wrote that: October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... Events October 13 - Roman Empire emperor Claudius dies after being poisoned by Agrippina, his wife and niece. ... This article is about the Roman historian. ...

...even if [Nero] was not the instigator of the emperor's death, he was at least privy to it, as he openly admitted; for he used afterwards to laud mushrooms, the vehicle in which the poison was administered to Claudius, as "the food of the gods, as the Greek proverb has it." At any rate, after Claudius' death he vented on him every kind of insult, in act and word, charging him now with folly and now with cruelty; for it was a favorite joke of his to say that Claudius had ceased "to play the fool among mortals,". Nero disregarded many of [Claudius's] decrees and acts as the work of a madman and a dotard.

Nero was seventeen years old, the youngest Emperor yet. Historians generally consider Nero to have acted as a figurehead early in his reign. Actual decisions were likely to have been left to the more capable hands of his mother Agrippina the younger (who Tacitus claims poisoned Claudius), his tutor Seneca, and the praefectus praetorianus Burrus. The first five years under Nero became known as examples of fine administration, even resulting in the coinage of the term "Quinquennium Neronis". Agrippina the Younger, mother of Nero Julia Vispania Agrippina Minor (in latin: Iulia Agrippina, PIR2 I 641), most commonly known as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger (November 6, 15 – March 59), was the daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina Major. ... Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca, or Seneca the Younger) (c. ... Sextus Afranius Burrus , Pretorian Prefect, was Neros tutor and later advisor. ...

The matters of the Empire were handled effectively and the Senate enjoyed a period of renewed influence in state affairs. Problems, however, would soon arise from Nero's personal life and the increasing competition for influence among Agrippina and the two male advisers. Nero was reportedly unsatisfied with his marriage and tended to neglect Octavia. He entered an affair with Claudia Acte, a former slave. In 55, Agrippina attempted to intervene in favor of Octavia and demanded that her son dismiss Acte. Burrus and Seneca, on the other hand, chose to support their charge's decision. Claudia Acte was a freedwoman of ancient Rome who was the mistress of the emperor Nero. ... For other uses, see number 55. ...

Nero resisted the intervention of his mother in his personal affairs. Her influence over her son declining, Agrippina turned to a younger candidate for the throne. Fifteen-year-old Britannicus was still legally a minor under the charge of Nero but was approaching legal adulthood. Britannicus was a likely heir to Nero and ensuring her influence over him could strengthen her position. However, the youth died suddenly and suspiciously on February 12, 55, the very day before his proclamation as an adult had been set for. According to Suetonius, February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

[Nero] attempted the life of Britannicus by poison, not less from jealousy of his voice (for it was more agreeable than his own) than from fear that he might sometime win a higher place than himself in the people's regard because of the memory of his father. He procured the potion from an arch-poisoner, one Locusta, and when the effect was slower than he anticipated, merely physicking Britannicus, he called the woman to him and flogged her with his own hand, charging that she had administered a medicine instead of a poison; and when she said in excuse that she had given a smaller dose to shield him from the odium of the crime, he replied: "It's likely that I am afraid of the Julian law;" and he forced her to mix as swift and instant a potion as she knew how in his own room before his very eyes. Then he tried it on a kid, and as the animal lingered for five hours, had the mixture steeped again and again and threw some of it before a pig. The beast instantly fell dead, whereupon he ordered that the poison be taken to the dining-room and given to Britannicus. The boy dropped dead at the very first taste, but Nero lied to his guests and declared that he was seized with the falling sickness, to which he was subject, and the next day had him hastily and unceremoniously buried in a pouring rain.

Matricide

Agrippina's power soon further declined while Burrus and Seneca jointly became the most influential men in Rome. While his advisers took care of affairs of state, Nero surrounded himself with a circle of favorites. Roman historians report nights of drunken revelry and violence while more mundane matters of politics were neglected. Among his new favorites was Marcus Salvius Otho. By all accounts Otho was as dissolute as Nero but served as a good and intimate friend to him. Some sources even consider them to be lovers. Otho early introduced Nero to one particular woman who would marry first the favorite (Otho) and then the Emperor: Poppaea Sabina, described as a woman of great beauty, charm, and wit. Gossip of Nero, Otho, and Poppaea each forming parts of a love triangle can be found in numerous sources (Plutarch Galba 19.2–20.2; Suetonius Otho iii.1-2; Tacitus two versions: Histories 1.13.3-4; Annals xiii.45-46; and Dio Cassius lxi.11.2-4). Emperor Otho. ... Poppaea Poppaea Sabina (died 65) was the second wife of the Roman Emperor Nero. ... Plutarch Mestrius Plutarchus (c. ... The Twelve Caesars (also known as Lives of the Caesars), which was written in 121, under Hadrian, was the most popular work of Suetonius and bulks largest among his surviving writings. ... Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Publius (or: Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (c. ... The Histories (Latin: Historiae) is a book by Tacitus, written c. ... The Annals, or, in Latin, Annales, is a history book by Tacitus covering the reign of the 4 Roman Emperors succeeding to Caesar Augustus. ... Dio Cassius Cocceianus (155–after 229), known in English as Dio Cassius or Cassius Dio, was a noted Roman historian and public servant. ...

By 58, Poppaea had become established in her position as Nero's favorite mistress. But Agrippina was an enemy of her son's new female favorite. The following year (59) would mark a turning point in the emperor's reign. Nero and/or Poppaea reportedly machinated the murder of Agrippina.

The Remorse of Nero after killing his mother, by John William Waterhouse, 1878.

Then depriving her of all her honors and of her guard of Roman and German soldiers, [Nero] even forbade her to live with him and drove her from the Palace. After that he passed all bounds in harrying her, bribing men to annoy her with lawsuits while she remained in the city, and after she had retired to the country, to pass her house by land and sea and break her rest with abuse and mockery. At last terrified by her violence and threats, he determined to have her life, and after thrice attempting it by poison and finding that she had made herself immune by antidotes, he tampered with the ceiling of her bedroom, contriving a mechanical device for loosening its panels and dropping them upon her while she slept. When this leaked out through some of those connected with the plot, he devised a collapsible boat to destroy her by shipwreck or by the falling in of its cabin. Then he pretended a reconciliation and invited her in a most cordial letter to come to Baiae and celebrate the feast of Minerva with him. On her arrival, instructing his captains to wreck the galley in which she had come, by running into it as if by accident, he detained her at a banquet, and when she would return to Bauli, offered her his contrivance in place of the craft which had been damaged, escorting her to it in high spirits and even kissing her breasts as they parted. The rest of the night he passed sleepless in intense anxiety, awaiting the outcome of his design. On learning that everything had gone wrong and that she had escaped by swimming, driven to desperation he secretly had a dagger thrown down beside her freedman Lucius Agelmus, when he joyfully brought word that she was safe and sound, and then ordered that the freedman be seized and bound, on the charge of being hired to kill the emperor; that his mother be put to death, and the pretense made that she had escaped the consequences of her detected guilt by suicide — Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum

Seneca attempted to convince the Senate that she was orchestrating a conspiracy against her son, but the reputation of the Emperor was damaged beyond repair by this case of matricide. Nero later said that he was haunted by his mother's ghost in the wisp of torch lights. Otho was soon also removed from the imperial court, and sent to Lusitania as governor. Image File history File links Remorse_of_Nero. ... Image File history File links Remorse_of_Nero. ... Magic Circle (1886) A Hamadryad The Lady of Shalott Hylas and the Nymphs Ophelia John William Waterhouse (April 6, 1849 – February 10, 1917) was a British neo-classical and Pre-Raphaelite painter most famous for his paintings of female characters from mythology and literature. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Freedman can refer to a former slave who has been manumitted or emancipated before or during the American Civil War. ... Matricide is the act of killing ones mother. ... Roman province of Lusitania, 120 AD Lusitania, an ancient Roman province approximately including current Portugal (except for the area between the rivers Douro and Minho) and part of modern day western Spain (specifically the present autonomous community Extremadura), named after the Lusitani or Lusitanian people. ...

Nero was not quite done yet however, and to complete the matricide Nero murdered his aunt Domitia Lepida Major. Nero visited his aunt while she was sick and she commented that when he shaves his beard (A Roman symbolic act, usually performed during a ceremony at the age of twenty-one), she will gladly die peacefully. Nero turned to those with him and joked, "I'll take it off at once." He then ordered his doctors to overdose his aunt with medicine and seized her property while she was dying. Matricide is the act of killing ones mother. ... Domitia Lepida Major (19 BC – June 59 AD) was the oldest child to Antonia Major and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. ...

A series of scandals

The next turning point would be the year 62, for several reasons. Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s - 60s - 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Years: 57 58 59 60 61 - 62 - 63 64 65 66 67 Events A great earthquake damages cities in Calabria including Pompeii. ...

The first would be a change of guard amongst Nero's advisers. Burrus died and Seneca asked Nero for permission to retire from public affairs. Their replacement as praetorian praefect and counselor was Gaius Ofonius Tigellinus. Tigellinus had been exiled in 39 by Caligula on charges of adultery with both Agrippina and Livilla, only to be recalled from exile by Claudius. Ambitious, Tigellinus managed to become a favorite of Nero (and, reputedly, his lover). Along with Poppaea he was considered to hold greater influence with the Augustus than Seneca ever could. One theory suggests that Poppaea attempted, in the four years prior (58–62), to separate Nero from his counselors and friends; in this case, what happened to Burrus and Seneca may not have been casual. Gaius Ophonius Tigellinus, also known as Sophonius Tigellinus, was a minister and favourite of the emperor Nero. ...

The second significant event of the year was the divorce of the Emperor. Nero was now twenty-five years old, had reigned for eight years, and had yet to produce an heir. When Poppaea became pregnant, Nero finally decided to marry his mistress, but his marriage to Octavia had to be dissolved before doing so. At first he resorted to accusing her of adultery. However, Nero had already gained a reputation for this offense while Octavia was reputed to be an example of virtue. Some testimony was needed against her, but torturing one of her slaves only produced the famous declaration of Pythias reporting the genitalia of Octavia to be cleaner than the mouth of Tigellinus. Nero proceeded to declare the divorce on grounds of infertility, leaving him free to marry Poppaea and wait for her to give birth. However, the sudden death of Octavia on June 9, 62 resulted in incidents of public protest. One of the earliest effects of Tigellinus' advancement was the introduction of a series of treason laws; numerous capital sentences were carried out. During the same year, Nero executed two of his few remaining relatives: Pythias was a Roman slave bound to Octavia, the wife of Nero until 62 A.D. He was tortured and famously proclaimed that Octavias genitalia was cleaner than Tigellinus mouth. ... Infertility is the inability to naturally conceive a child or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term. ... June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to ones nation or state. ...

• Gaius Rubellius Plautus - his mother Julia Drusi Caesaris was granddaughter to Tiberius and Vipsania Agrippina through their son Julius Caesar Drusus. She was also granddaughter to Drusus and Antonia Minor through their daughter Livilla.
• Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix - grandson to Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and Antonia Major through their daughter Domitia Lepida. He was also maternal half-brother to Messalina. He had married Claudia Antonia, only daughter of Claudius and Aelia Paetina.

Disturbed peace and major rebellions

In 61 a major rebellion broke out in the new province of Britannia, centered upon the native tribal leader Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, who had been flogged and whose daughters had been raped by the Romans. The rebellion was eventually crushed, but the military and civilian casualties and the total destruction of three cities were a heavy toll to pay. The fault of Nero in this rebellion is debatable but there was certainly an impact (both positive and negative) upon the prestige of his regime. Gaius Rubellius Plautus (33–62 AD), through his mother Claudia Julia, was a relative to the Julio-Claudian dynasty. ... Bust of Julia, daughter of Drusus the Younger (From the Musée dArchéologie of Neuchâtel, Switzerland) Julia (Iulia Drusi Caesaris filia) (c. ... Vipsania Agrippina, daughter of Agrippa and first wife of Tiberius Vipsania Agrippina (36 BC-20 AD) was the daughter of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa from his first wife Pomponia Caecilia Attica, granddaughter of Ciceros friend and knight Titus Pomponius Atticus. ... Drusus the Younger, son of Tiberius. ... Bust of Nero Claudius Drusus, in the Musée du Cinquantinaire, Brussels Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, born Decimus Claudius Drusus and variously called Drusus, Drusus I or Drusus the Elder (14 January 38 - 9 BC) was the younger son of Livia, wife of Augustus Caesar, and her first husband, Tiberius... Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix ( 22 - 62 AD) was one of the lesser known figures of the Julio-Claudian dynasty of ancient Rome. ... Ahenobarbus (brazen-bearded or red-haired) is the name of a plebeian Roman family of the gens Domitia. ... Julia Antonia Cretica Major (Latin for “the elder”) (b. ... Bust of Domitia Lepida (?), mother of Messalina Domitia Lepida (PIR2 D 180), sometimes known simply as Lepida (c. ... Antonia (30–66 AD) was Claudius only child from his second marriage to Aelia Paetina. ... Aelia Paetina (flourished first century) was the second wife of the future emperor Claudius. ... Britannia, the British national personification. ... Statue of Boudica near Westminster Pier Boudica (also Boudicca, Boadicea, Buduica, Bonduca) (d. ... The Iceni or Eceni were a Brythonic tribe who inhabited an area of Britain corresponding roughly to the modern-day county of Norfolk between the 1st century BCE and 1st century CE. The Iceni are mentioned in Tacituss Annals, which were written c. ...

Great Fire of Rome

On the night July 18 to July 19, 64 the Great Fire of Rome erupted. The fire started in densely populated areas like the Suburra, in which had been built the insulae, wooden dwellings, built on three or four floors. The fire burned for a week. July 18 is the 199th day (200th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 166 days remaining. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s - 60s - 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Years: 59 60 61 62 63 - 64 - 65 66 67 68 69 Events In Rome, persecution of early Christians begins under Roman Emperor Nero. ... The Great Fire of Rome erupted on the night of 18 July, in the year AD 64 , among the shops clustered around the Circus Maximus. ... The Suburra is the modern Italian name for a neighborhood of Rome; in Antiquity, the word was usually spelled Subura. ... Insula is the Latin word for island. It has other meanings: A Roman building with several stories. ...

It was said that Nero viewed the fire from the tower of Maecenas, and exulting, as Nero said, "with the beauty of the flames," he sang the whole time the "Sack of Ilium," in his regular stage costume. Rumours circulated that Nero had played his lyre and sang, on top of Quirinal Hill, while the city burned. (Tacitus, Ann. xv; Suetonius, Nero xxxvii; Dio Cassius, R.H. lxii.) Over the years, this turned to a legend that Nero had fiddled as Rome burned, an impossible act as the fiddle had not yet been invented. These and other accounts also depict him as not being in the city at the time (instead he was vacationing in his native Antium), rushing back on hearing news of the fire, and then organizing a relief effort (opening his palaces to provide shelter for the homeless and arranging for food supplies to be delivered in order to prevent starvation among the survivors). Gaius or Cilnius Maecenas (70 - 8 BC) was a confidant and political advisor to Augustus Caesar, as well as an important sponsor of young poets. ... The Iliou persis (English: Sack of Ilion; Greek: Ἰλίου πέρσις; also known as Iliupersis, esp. ... A lyre is a stringed musical instrument well known for its use in Classical Antiquity. ... An etching of the Hill, crowned by the mass of the Palazzo del Quirinale, from a series I Sette Colli di Roma antica e moderna published in 1827 by Luigi Rossini (1790 - 1857): his view, from the roof of the palazzo near the Trevi Fountain that now houes the Accademia... A violin The violin is a bowed stringed musical instrument that has four strings tuned a perfect fifth apart. ... A homeless man pushes a cart down the street. ... A female child during the Nigerian-Biafran war of the late 1960s, shown suffering the effects of severe hunger and malnutrition. ...

It is entirely unknown who or what actually was the cause of the fire. Ancient sources and scholars favor Nero as the arsonist, but massive accidentally started fires were common in ancient Rome and this is probably no exception.

At the time, the confused population searched for a scapegoat and soon rumors held Nero responsible. The motivation attributed to him was intending to immortalize his name by renaming Rome to "Neropolis". Nero had to engage in scapegoating of his own and chose for his target a small Eastern sect called Christianity. He ordered known Christians to be thrown to the lions in arenas, while others were crucified in large numbers. The scapegoat was a goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in Judaism during the times of the Temple in Jerusalem. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recounted in the New Testament. ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ... An arena is a circular or oval shaped (or sometimes rectangular) public space (akin to a classical amphitheatre), designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. ... Crucifixion is an ancient method of execution, where the victim was tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang there until dead. ...

Gaius Cornelius Tacitus described the event: Gaius Cornelius Tacitus Publius or Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (c. ... The Roman historian Tacitus wrote concerning the Great Fire of Rome, in his Annals (c. ...

"And so, to get rid of this rumor, Nero set up [i.e., falsely accused] as the culprits and punished with the utmost refinement of cruelty a class hated for their abominations, who are commonly called Christians. Nero’s scapegoats were the perfect choice because it temporarily relieved pressure of the various rumors going around Rome. Christus, from whom their name is derived, was executed at the hands of the procurator Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius. Checked for a moment, this pernicious superstition again broke out, not only in Iudaea, the source of the evil, but even in Rome... Accordingly, arrest was first made of those who confessed; then, on their evidence, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much on the charge of arson as because of [their] hatred for the human race. Besides being put to death they were made to serve as objects of amusement; they were clothed in the hides of beasts and torn to death by dogs; others were crucified, others set on fire to serve to illuminate the night when daylight failed. Nero had thrown open his grounds for the display, and was putting on a show in the circus, where he mingled with the people in the dress of charioteer or drove about in his chariot. All this gave rise to a feeling of pity, even towards men whose guilt merited the most exemplary punishment; for it was felt that they were being destroyed not for the public good but to gratify the cruelty of an individual." - Tacitus, Annales, xv.44

The last sentence may be a rhetorical construct of the author designed to further damn Nero, rather than reportage of actual Roman sympathy for the Christians, which seems unlikely to many historians. Whichever is the case, Nero lost his chances at redeeming his reputation and fully quashing the rumours of his starting the fire when he immediately produced plans of rebuilding Rome in a monumental – and less flammable – style; his famous Domus Aurea ("Golden House") was part of his rebuilding plan. A promagistrate is a person who acts in and with the authority and capacity of a magistrate, but without holding a magisterial office. ... Ecce Homo (Behold the Man!), Antonio Ciseris depiction of Pontius Pilate presenting a scourged Jesus of Nazareth to the people of Jerusalem Pontius Pilate (Latin Pontius Pilatus) was the governor of the Roman province of Judea and Roman general from AD 26 until around AD 36, who is best... Iudaea was the name of a Roman province, which extended over Judaea (Palestine). ... this Arsonists redirects here. ... The Circus Maximus is a park today. ... For the torpedo-shaped underwater vehicle ridden by two frogmen, sometimes referred to as a chariot, see Human torpedo. ... The style of wall paintings in Domus Aurea inspired Raphaels Vatican Stanze and 18th-century Neoclassicism alike. ...

Nero the artist and the Olympic Games

Nero coin, ca. 66. Ara Pacis on the reverse.

Nero considered himself a great artist and performer, and did not hesitate to show off his "gifts". It was considered shameful for a Roman emperor to appear as a public entertainer, acting, singing, and playing his lyre. Nero, however, loved to perform before a crowd and craved the attention and applause. When he was performing, he insisted that all attention be on him during his entire performance. Nero Æ As. ... Nero Æ As. ... Sculpture on the Ara Pacis The Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin for Altar of Augustan Peace, and commonly shortened to Ara Pacis) is an altar to peace envisioned as a Roman goddess. ... An entertainer is someone who is hired to entertain people. ...

While he was singing no one was allowed to leave the theater even for the most urgent reasons. And so it is said that some women gave birth to children there, while many who were worn out with listening and applauding, secretly leaped from the wall, since the gates at the entrance were closed, or feigned death and were carried out as if for burial. - Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum

Hated by many citizens, with an increasing list of political enemies, Nero started to appreciate his loneliness, when in 65 he discovered the Pisonian conspiracy (named after Gaius Calpurnius Piso, who intended to take his place) and the involvement of old friends like Seneca in the plot. Conspirators were forced into suicide. The Twelve Caesars (also known as Lives of the Caesars), which was written in 121, under Hadrian, was the most popular work of Suetonius and bulks largest among his surviving writings. ... The conspiracy of Gaius Calpurnius Piso (65 CE) represented one of the major turning points in the reign of Nero (54-68 CE). ... Gaius Calpurnius Piso, Roman statesman, orator and patron of literature in the 1st century AD, is known chiefly for his share in the conspiracy of AD 65 against Nero. ... Forced suicide is a method of execution where the victim is given the choice of committing suicide or facing an alternative they perceive as worse, such as suffering torture; having friends or family members imprisoned, tortured or killed; or losing honor, position or means. ...

In addition, Nero ordered that Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo, a popular and valuable general, commit suicide because of the mere suspicion of new threats. This decision moved military commanders, locally and in the provinces, to start planning a revolution. Also at about this time, according to tradition, Nero personally ordered the crucifixion of Saint Peter and, later, the beheading of Paul of Tarsus. Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo (around AD 7 - AD 67) was a Roman general. ... It has been suggested that Revolutionary be merged into this article or section. ... Saint Peter, also known as Peter, Simon ben Jonah/BarJonah, Simon Peter, Cephas and Kepha—original name Simon or Simeon (Acts 15:14)—was one of the twelve original disciples or apostles of Jesus. ... Saul, also known as Paul, Paulus, and Saint Paul the Apostle, (AD 3 – 67) is widely considered to be central to the early development and spread of Christianity, particularly westward from Judea. ...

In 66, though Nero doted on Poppaea, he reportedly kicked her to death while she was pregnant and ill, because she complained that he came home late from the races. Poppaea had previously borne him a daughter, Claudia Augusta, who died of illness after four months. Nero still lacked an heir. Claudia Augusta was the only daughter of the Roman Emperor Nero by his second wife Poppaea Sabina. ...

The emperor left for Greece in 67, where he participated in the Olympic Games and performed as a singer while in Rome Nymphidius (a colleague of Tigellinus, taking the place of one of the Pisonian conspirators) was collecting the support of praetorians and Senators. Nero's participation went along with huge sums of bribery; the Greeks postponed the Games upon Nero's wish and furthermore introduced the chariot race. A magnificent villa in Olympia was erected for Nero's stay (and can be visited at the archaelogical site). Even though Nero proved to be an unworthy competitor, he won the Games nevertheless due to his bribes and cheating. For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ... Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek and Roman sports. ...

When performing, Nero was said to have had a keen rivalry with his opponents:

As if his rivals were of quite the same station as himself, he used to show respect to them and try to gain their favor, while he slandered them behind their backs, sometimes assailed them with abuse when he met them, and even bribed those who were especially proficient. When the victory was won, he made the announcement himself; and for that reason he always took part in the contests of the heralds. To obliterate the memory of all other victors in the games and leave no trace of them, their statues and busts were all thrown down by his order, dragged off with hooks, and cast into [sewers] - Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum

Suicide

Back in Rome after a year, Nero found quite a cold atmosphere; Gaius Julius Vindex, the governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, revolted, and this brought Nero to a paranoid hunt for eventual threats; in this state of mind he ordered the elimination of any patrician with suspect ideas. His once faithful servant Galba, governor of Iberia, was one of those dangerous nobles, so he ordered his death. Galba, lacking an alternative choice, declared his loyalty to the Senate and the People of Rome, no longer recognizing Nero's power. Moreover, he started organizing his own campaign for the empire. The Twelve Caesars (also known as Lives of the Caesars), which was written in 121, under Hadrian, was the most popular work of Suetonius and bulks largest among his surviving writings. ... The forced suicide of emperor Nero, in 68 AD, was followed by a brief period of civil war (the first Roman civil war since Antonys death in 31 BC) known as the Year of the four emperors. ... The Batavian rebellion took place in the Roman province of Germania Inferior between 69 and 70 AD. The rebels led by Civilis managed to destroy four legions and inflicted humiliating defeats on the Roman army. ... In the Year of the four emperors (69 C.E.), Marcus Salvius Otho, with the support and aid of the Praetorian Guard, had his predecessor Galba murdered in January and claimed the throne for himself. ... Gaius Julius Vindex was a Roman governor in the province of Gallia Lugdunensis (modern Brittany, Normandy and the area around Paris) who rebelled against the Emperor Nero in 67 AD. Although he was defeated and killed by the loyal general Lucius Verginius Rufus in 68, Vindex rebellion was the start... Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis, 120 AD Gallia Lugdunensis was a province of the Roman Empire roughly encompassing the regions of Brittany, Normandy and the area around Lutetia Parisiorum (Paris) in what is now the modern country of France. ... Patricians were originally the elite caste in ancient Rome. ... Head of Galba at the Louvre. ... Hispania was the name given by the Romans to the Iberian Peninsula, and to two of the three provinces they created there: Hispania Baetica and Hispania Tarraconensis (the third being Lusitania). ... See also the SPQR series of murder mystery novels and the SPQR board game. ...

As a result, Lucius Clodius Macer, legate of the legion III Augusta in Africa, revolted and stopped sending grain to Rome. Nymphidius corrupted the imperial guard, which turned against Nero on the promise of financial reward by Galba. Lucius Clodius Macer was a legatus of the Roman Empire in Africa in the time of Nero. ... Legio III Augusta was a Roman legion levied by Augustus in 43 BC. Activity of this legion in the African Roman provinces, its principal theatre of operations, is still mentioned in late 4th century, early 5th century. ... This article is about grains in general. ...

The Senate deposed Nero, who committed suicide on June 9, 68. It is said that he uttered these last words before slitting his throat: "Qualis artifex pereo; What an artist dies in me!" With his death, the Julio-Claudian dynasty came to an end. Chaos ensued in the Year of the four emperors. June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... Centuries: 1st century BCE - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s - 60s - 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s Years: 63 64 65 66 67 - 68 - 69 70 71 72 73 Events June 9 - Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide. ... The Julio-Claudian dynasty was the series of the first five Roman Emperors. ... The forced suicide of emperor Nero, in 68 AD, was followed by a brief period of civil war (the first Roman civil war since Antonys death in 31 BC) known as the Year of the four emperors. ...

Mad or misunderstood?

Suetonius, while generally a high-quality historian, has sometimes been accused of favoring certain emperors over others in his biographies. Portions of his biography of Nero appear openly hostile, and while it might be possible that Nero's rule invited such hostility, some modern historians question the accuracy of his account. For example, the following quote, often taken as a sign of Nero's insanity, might simply be propaganda:

Although at first Nero's acts of wantonness, lust, extravagance, avarice and cruelty were gradual, some thought that they might be dismissed as senslessness of youth. However even then their nature was such that no one doubted that they were defects of his character and not due to his time of life.

While homosexual relations were not uncommon during this time, Nero allegedly took it a step further and castrated his lover, had a ceremony complete with a bridal veil and full dowry, and all while Nero "imitated the cries and lamentations of a maiden being deflowered" during the ceremony. The word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings over time. ... Castration, gelding, neutering, orchiectomy or orchidectomy is any action, surgical or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes. ... A dowry (also known as trousseau) is a gift of money or valuables given by the groomss family to that of the bride to permit their marriage. ...

He castrated the boy Sporus and actually tried to make a woman of him; and he married him with all the usual ceremonies, including a dowry and a bridal veil, took him to his home attended by a great throng, and treated him as his wife. And the witty jest that someone made is still current, that it would have been well for the world if Nero's father Domitius had had that kind of wife. This Sporus, decked out with the finery of the empresses and riding in a litter, he took with him to the courts and marts of Greece, and later at Rome through the Street of the Images, fondly kissing him from time to time. That he even desired illicit relations with his own mother, and was kept from it by her enemies, who feared that such a relationship might give the reckless and insolent woman too great influence, was notorious, especially after he added to his concubines a courtesan who was said to look very like Agrippina. Even before that, so they say, whenever he rode in a litter with his mother, he had incestuous relations with her, which were betrayed by the stains on his clothing. --Suetonius, Nero, XXVIII [1].

Nero in ancient literature

Classical sources

• Annals (Tacitus)
• Suetonius' Lives of the Twelve Caesars
• Dio Cassius (Books 61–63)
• Philostratus II Life of Apollonius Tyana (Books 4–5)

Talmud

A Jewish legend contained in the Talmud (tractate Gittin 56B) claims that Nero shot four arrows to the four corners of the earth, and they fell in Jerusalem. Thus he realized that the Lord had decided to allow the Temple to be destroyed. He also requested a Jewish religious student to show him the Bible verse most appropriate to that situation, and the young boy read to Nero Ezekiel's prophecy about God's revenge on the nation of Edom (Ezekiel 25) for their destruction of Jerusalem. Nero thus realized that the Lord would punish him for destroying his Temple, so he fled Rome and converted to Judaism, to avoid such retribution. In this telling, his descendant is Rabbi Meir, a prominent supporter of Bar Kokhba's rebellion against Roman rule. The Annals, or, in Latin, Annales, is a history book by Tacitus covering the reign of the 4 Roman Emperors succeeding to Caesar Augustus. ... The Twelve Caesars (also known as Lives of the Caesars), which was written in 121, under Hadrian, was the most popular work of Suetonius and bulks largest among his surviving writings. ... Dio Cassius Cocceianus (155–after 229), known in English as Dio Cassius or Cassius Dio, was a noted Roman historian and public servant. ... Life of Apollonius Tyana is the story of Apollonius of Tyana (170-247 CE), a sophist teacher of the school of Pythagoras, written by Philostratus. ... The Talmud (תלמוד) is a record of rabbinic discussions of Jewish law, ethics, customs, legends, and stories, which Jewish tradition considers authoritative. ... The lost key [The story from Middle East] One night a neighbor strolling by Nasrudins house found him outside under th street lamp brushing through the dust. ... Nashim (Women) is the third order of the Mishnah (also of the Tosefta and Talmud), containing the laws related to women and family life. ... Jerusalem (; Hebrew: Yerushalayim; Arabic: al-Quds; Greek Ιεροσόλυμα) is an ancient Middle Eastern city on the watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea at an elevation of 650-840 meters. ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the manifestations of the ultimate reality or God in Hinduism This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... The Temple in Jerusalem or the Holy Temple (Hebrew: בית המקדש, transliterated Bet HaMikdash) was built in ancient Jerusalem in c. ... The Gutenberg Bible owned by the United States Library of Congress (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hē biblos) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Work of God, The Word, The Good Book or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the name used by Jews and Christians for their differing (and... Ezekiel the Prophet of the Hebrew Scriptures is depicted on a 1510 Sistine Chapel fresco by Michelangelo. ... Edom (אֱדוֹם, Standard Hebrew Edom, Tiberian Hebrew ʾĔḏôm, Assyrian Udumi, Syriac ܐܕܘܡ), a Hebrew word meaning red, is a name given to Esau in the Hebrew Bible, as well as to the nation that purportedly traced their ancestry to him. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people with around 15 million followers as of 2006 [1]. It is the first[Monotheism|monotheistic]] faiths and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. ... Rabbi Meir was considered one of the greatest of the tannaim of the second generation. ... Simon bar Kokhba was a Jewish military leader who led a revolt against the Romans in AD 132. ...

New Testament

Some scholars^{[citations needed]} believe that the Number of the Beast, 666, featured in the Book of Revelation is a reference to the Roman Emperor Nero. Alternative spellings of Nero include Neron which calculates to 666. The name Nero without the last n calculates to 616 and some manuscripts of Revelation contain that number instead of 666^{[citation needed]}. The Number of the Beast is mentioned in the Book of Revelation of the Christian New Testament and has long been accepted to be 666. ... Visions of John the Evangelist, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ...

Later Christian writers

Main article: Number of the Beast

Sibylline Oracles, Book 3, allegedly written before Nero's time, prophesies anti-christ and identifies him with Nero. However, it was actually written long after him and this identification was in any case rejected by Irenaeus in Against Heresies, Book 5, 27–30. They represent the mid-point in the change between the New Testament's identification of the past (Nero) or current (Domitian) antichrist, and later Christian writers' concern with the future anti-christ. One of these later writers is Commodianus whose Institutes, 1.41, states that the future antichrist will be Nero returned from hell. The Number of the Beast is mentioned in the Book of Revelation of the Christian New Testament and has long been accepted to be 666 (or, in some cases, 616). ... The surviving Sibylline Oracles are not the famous Sibylline Books of Roman history, which were lost not once, but twice, and thus there is very little knowledge of the actual contents. ... An engraving of Saint Irenaeus (ca. ... (Redirected from Against Heresies) Case Closed on 12 January 2005 Please do not edit this page directly if you are not a participant in this case. ... Domitian bust in the Louvre Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman emperor of the gens Flavia. ... Commodianus was a Christian Latin poet, who flourished about A.D. 250. ...

Nero in medieval literature

Usually as a stock exemplar of vice or a bad ruler

• In the Golden Legend, and its apochryphal account of his forcing Seneca the Younger's suicide, where they meet face to face on this occasion.
• In Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, The Monk's Prologue and Tale
• Giovanni Boccaccio's Concerning the Falls of Illustrious Men
• Surprisingly, he does not seem to appear in Dante Alighieri's Inferno

Nero in modern culture

Literature and film/TV adaptations

• Nero's rule is described in the novel Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz. In the 1951 version, Nero is played by actor Peter Ustinov.
• Nero is a major character in the play and film "The Sign of the Cross", which bears a strong resemblance to Quo Vadis.
• Nero appears in Robert Graves' books I, Claudius and Claudius the God (and the BBC miniseries adapted from the book, played by Christopher Biggins), which is a fictional autobiography of the Emperor Claudius.
• In the film version of Philip José Farmer's Riverworld series of novels, Nero takes the place of the book's principal villain King John of England. Nero was portrayed by English actor Jonathan Cake.
• Federico Fellini's film Satyricon portrays life in the time of the rule of Nero.

Other TV and film

• Nero was depicted in one episode of the "Peabody's Improbable History" segments of the Rocky and Bullwinkle animated series.
• In the second-season Doctor Who episode The Romans, aired in 1965, the Doctor (played by William Hartnell) is seen accidentally giving Nero (played by Derek Francis) the idea of intentionally burning Rome in order to provide space for a new palace.
• Hans Matheson portrayed Nero in the second episode (Nerone) of the mini-series Imperium (2004).

Other literature

• Anthony Burgess' book The Kingdom of the Wicked covers a similar period including Nero's reign and his relationship with the early Christians.
• Nero and his contemporaries appear in the historical novel The Roman by Mika Waltari.
• In the fifth book of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, the evil school principal is called Nero. He is a harsh and uncompromising despot who forces his students to listen to his violin concerts, and continues to play as the school burns down, a clear allusion to the myth of the fiddle/lyre-playing emperor.

Other Popular Culture

• In the Bad Religion song, Materialist, it says: "Like Rome under Nero/Our future's one big zero/Recycling the past to meet immediate needs".
• Nero is also the name of a Belgian comic character by Marc Sleen. In his first appearance he was a character who thought he was the Roman Emperor after drinking a certain type of beer. Later, when he became the protagonist of the comic series, other characters started calling him Nero. He also wears laurel leaves behind his ears since his first appearance.
• A 1940s comic book title Leading Comics featured an anthropomorphic fox named "Nero Fox," who was shown playing a saxophone instead of a fiddle (as other fictional parodies of Nero often show). Nero Fox later appeared again in the 1980s comic series Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, when several members of the Zoo Crew superhero team were sent back in time to ancient Rome. Nero also played a prominent role in issue 2 of the DC comics "Armageddon The Alien Agenda" miniseries.
• Nero Burning ROM is a popular CD-RW burning program; the name is a play on the traditional idea that he burned Rome. One of the icons for the program shows the Colosseum in Rome with flames around it. It should be noted that this is historically inaccurate as the Colosseum was built by the emperors Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian on top of the razed Domus Aurea.
• In the 2005 movie "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", the demon that supposedly possesed Emily Rose had also possessed Nero.
• Nero is an avatar of the Eddorian Gharlane in E.E. (Doc) Smith's Lensman novel Triplanetary.
• He is mentioned, though in the wrong period, in Ivor Novello's song If you wonder what a duke should be, heard in the film Gosford Park:

In B.C. 33 Ah, me! That's a dash long time ago.

There lived a Roman hero who had shaken hands with Nero.

And the history you shall know.

He was introduced to the king of Gaul, whoever that might be.

And crossing in galley with a Norman wench got pally

They went and founded me.

• Also, as a convenient rhyme for hero, in a Satchmo song

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Nero

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Nero

Primary sources

• Life of Nero (Suetonius; English translation and Latin original)
• Cassius Dio, Books 61‑63

Suetonius. The Lives of the twelve Caesars: Nero The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine is a collection of fanciful hagiographies, lives of the saints, that became a late mediæval best seller. ... Bust, traditionally thought to be Seneca, now identified by some as Hesiod. ... Chaucer: Illustration from Cassells History of England, circa 1902. ... Canterbury Tales Woodcut 1484 The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century (two of them in prose, the rest in verse). ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Giovanni Boccaccio Giovanni Boccaccio (June 16, 1313 – December 21, 1375) was an Italian author and poet, a friend and correspondent of Petrarch, an important Renaissance humanist in his own right and author of a number of notable works including On Famous Women, the Decameron and his poems in the vernacular. ... Dante in a fresco series of famous men by Andrea del Castagno, ca. ... Dante shown holding a copy of The Divine Comedy, next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of Mount Purgatory and the city of Florence, in Michelinos fresco. ... Quo Vadis is a novel by a Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz, describing the introduction of Christianity into early A.D. Rome (while under Neros rule). ... Henryk Oszyk-Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Oszyk-Sienkiewicz (pronounce: ) (May 5, 1846 - November 15, 1916) was a Polish novelist, one of the outstanding writers of the second half of the 19th century. ... Quo Vadis (the title is Latin, meaning Where are you going?), is a 1951 Biblical epic film that tells the story of a Roman soldier, returning from the wars, who falls in love with a Christian and becomes intrigued by her religion. ... Ustinov as Hercule Poirot Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander von Ustinov) on April 16, 1921 - died March 28, 2004) was a British actor, writer, dramatist and raconteur. ... Meanings of Quo vadis: Quo vadis is a Latin phrase meaning Where do you go? or Who goes there?. It is used as a proverbial phrase from the Bible (John 16:5). ... Portrait of Robert Graves (circa 1974) by Rab Shiell Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was an English scholar, poet, and novelist. ... I, Claudius is a novel by Robert Graves, (ISBN 067972477X) first published in 1934, dealing sympathetically with the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius and the history of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty and Roman Empire, from Julius Caesars assassination in 44 BC to Caligulas assassination in 41 AD... I, Claudius is a novel by Robert Graves, (ISBN 067972477X) first published in 1934, dealing sympathetically with the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius and the history of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty and Roman Empire, from Julius Caesars assassination in 44 BC to Caligulas assassination in 41 AD... The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world. ... Christopher Biggins (born 16 December 1948 in Oldham Lancashire) is a British actor well recognised on British television. ... Philip José Farmer (born January 26, 1918) is an American author, principally known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. ... Riverworld is a fictional universe and the setting for a series of science fiction books written by Philip José Farmer. ... John (French: Jean) (December 24, c. ... British actor Jonathan Cake (b. ... Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (January 20, 1920 – October 31, 1993) was one of the most influential and widely revered Italian film-makers of the 20th century and is considered to be one of the finest film directors of all time. ... This article is about the film. ... Mr. ... Bullwinkle (left) and Rocky (right), the stars of Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show. ... An animated series or cartoon series is a television series produced by means of animation. ... Doctor Who is a long-running British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC about a mysterious time-travelling adventurer known only as The Doctor, who explores time and space with his companions, fighting evil. ... The Romans is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from January 16 to February 6, 1965. ... William Hartnell in a publicity still as the First Doctor William Henry Hartnell (January 8, 1908–April 23, 1975), a British actor, was the first actor to play the lead role of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1963 to 1966. ... Derek Francis was a British comedy and character actor, born 7 November 1923 in Brighton, England, and died of a heart attack in Wimbledon, London on 27 March 1984. ... Hans Matheson (born August 7, 1975 in Outer Hebrides, Scotland) is a Scottish-born actor who made his feature film debut as Johnny Silver in Jez Butterworths critically acclaimed directorial debut, Mojo. ... Anthony Burgess (February 25, 1917 – November 22, 1993) was an English novelist and critic. ... The Kingdom of the Wicked (ISBN 0749006722) is a 1985 historical novel by Anthony Burgess. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recounted in the New Testament. ... Mika Toimi Waltari (September 19, 1908 - August 26, 1979) was a Finnish author, best known for the historical novel The Egyptian. ... Lemony Snicket is a fictional character, the fictional author and narrator of the A Series of Unfortunate Events books, actually written by Daniel Handler. ... A Series of Unfortunate Events is a childrens book series, written by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket, and illustrated by Brett Helquist. ... Bad Religion is an influential punk rock band known for poignant, erudite lyrics, and biting social commentary. ... Marc Sleen is a Belgian comic book artist, best known for the Nero series. ... A selection of bottled beers A selection of cask beers Beer is the worlds oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage. ... The protagonist or main character is the central figure of a story. ... Laurel may refer to: // Botany Lauraceae, the botanical laurel family, including Bay laurel Laurus nobilis, the original true laurel that is the source of bay leaves used as a seasoning California Laurel Umbellularia californica is a related tree or large shrub True Cinnamon or Ceylon Cinnamon Cinnamomum verum, the inner... Leaves are an Icelandic five-piece alternative rock band who came to prominence in 2002 with their debut album, Breathe, drawing comparisons to groups such as Coldplay and Doves. ... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... Leading Comics is a comic book published during the 1940s and early 1950s. ... Anthropomorphism, also referred to as personification or prosopopeia, is the attribution of human characteristics to inanimate objects, animals, forces of nature, and others. ... Saxophones of different sizes play in different registers. ... MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... For the Discworld character, see Carrot Ironfoundersson. ... Superman and Batman, two of the most recognizable and iconic superheroes. ... Nero Burning ROM is a popular CD/DVD authoring program for Microsoft Windows and Linux by Nero AG, formerly Ahead Software. ... Compact Disc ReWritable (CD-RW) is a rewritable optical disc format. ... The Colosseum in Rome, Italy: an exterior view of the best-preserved section. ... The style of wall paintings in Domus Aurea inspired Raphaels Vatican Stanze and 18th-century Neoclassicism alike. ... | image = The Exorcism of Emily Rose film. ... Gharlane of Eddore was a character in Doc Smiths Lensman novels, Master Number Two of the Innermost Circle of the All-Highest of Eddore. ... Grey Lensman in Astounding Oct. ... The Lensman series is a serial science fiction space opera by E. E. Smith. ... Ivor Novello David Ivor Davies (January 15, 1893 – March 6, 1951), better known as Ivor Novello, was one of the most popular entertainers of the early 20th century. ... Gosford Park is a 2001 film, directed by Robert Altman. ... Image File history File links Wikiquote-logo-en. ... Wikiquote logo Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

• http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/suet-nero-rolfe.html

Secondary material

• http://www.romansonline.com/Persns.asp?IntID=5&Ename=Nero
• http://www.roman-emperors.org/nero.htm
• http://www.bible-history.com/nero/
• http://www.roman-empire.net/emperors/nero.html