Presentation by: Sam Sweck
Born as Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus Only son of Gneaus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Aggrippina the Younger Great-grandson of Mark Antony and Octavia Minor on Gnaeus’ side Great-great-grandson of Mark Antony and Octavia Minor on Agrippina’s side Agrippina married three times; poisoned her second and is postulated to have murdered her third, Emperor Claudius.
Father was employed by Caligula as a praetor Emperor Tiberius charged Gneaus with treason, adultery, and incest Gneaus died of edema when Nero was 2 Agrippina is exiled by Caligula after Gneaus’ death and Nero is raised by his aunt for 2 yrs. Claudius allows Agrippina to return from exile after Caligula’s murder
In 49 AD Claudius marries his niece Agrippina and adopts Nero, officially naming him Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus Nero was proclaimed an adult at age 14 In 51 Nero was made proconsul, entered and addressed the senate, and was featured on coins 2 years later he married his stepsister Claudia Octavia
In 54, Emperor Claudius died and rule was passed to Nero Many say Agrippina murdered Claudius using poisonous mushrooms Due to being only 17 when made Emperor, Nero was highly influenced by others Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Sextus Afranius Burrus, and Agrippina Agrippina turns her support to Britannicus, Nero’s younger stepbrother
Nero rid himself of his advisers and opponents In 58 AD, Nero became involved with future Emperor Otho’s wife, Poppaea Sabina Nero killed Agrippina in 59 AD Burrus, Nero’s adviser, dies in 62 AD and Seneca retired after being charged with embezzlement again Octavia is exiled, and then killed, due to infertility and Nero marries Poppaea
In 62 AD, accusations of treason were made against the Senate and Nero Nero executes anyone who criticizes the Senate or himself in 62 and 63 AD ◦ Fabricius Veiento ◦ Pallas ◦ Rubellius Plautus ◦ Faustus Sulla Nero gradually stole power from Senate while promising to give them powers equivalent to that of Republican rule
Poppaea Sabina dies in 65 ◦ Some say Nero killed her ◦ Most blame it on childbirth complications Nero gives her a state funeral and buries her in the Mausoleum of Augustus Becomes involved with Statilia Messalina in 65 and marries her in 66 AD ◦ Statilia’s husband was driven to suicide shortly before Statilia’s marriage to Nero In 67, it’s said that Nero ordered a freedman, Sporus, to be castrated and then married him
Nero often aided the lower class throughout his reign due to their great number The 1 st yr., Nero ultimately ignored his duties ◦ Even forbidding people to refer to him about laws Consul 4 times from 55 to 60AD Positives for lower class: ◦ Restricts bail and fines ◦ Limits fees of lawyers ◦ Prevents Senate from allowing patrons to revoke a freedman’s freedom ◦ Taxes from the poor were collected from lower commissioners
Many impeachments of gov’t officials and arrests for extortion and corruption Tax cuts and tax records are made public Nero spent great amounts of money on the construction of gymnasiums and theatres Established the Quinquennial Neronia-festival including games, poetry, and theatre Constructed the Domus Aurea, attempted to dig a canal at the Isthmus of Corinth, and filled the marshes of Ostia
Erupted in the night of July AD Only account of the fire comes from Tacitus 3 of 14 districts were destroyed while 7 were severely damaged No certainty of what caused the fire; many blamed Nero, but the Christians confessed Nero organized a relief effort from his own funds, searched for survivors in the rubble, and opened his palaces to the homeless To deflect blame, Nero targeted Christians
In 54 AD, Armenia received a Parthian prince Nero sent the military under Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo In 58 AD, full-scale war broke out ◦ Corbulo repelled the Parthian army and was appointed gov. of Syria as a reward ◦ Nero installed Tigranes as the ruler of Armenia In 62 AD, Tigranes invaded the Parthian province of Adiabene; Nero worked for peace In 63 AD, Tiridates again became the Armenian king but was crowned in Rome by Emperor Nero
British Revolt of (Boudica’s Uprising ◦ While gov. Paullinus was busy, the southeast tribes led by queen Boudica of the Iceni attacked the province of Britannia ◦ 3cities were destroyed before rebellion was stopped ◦ Nero then replaced Paullinus with Turpilianus The Pisonian Conspiracy of 65 ◦ Gaius Calpurnius Piso led conspirators wishing to “rescue the state” and restore the Republic ◦ A freedman, Milichus, told Nero’s secretary ◦ Nero killed all the conspirators and forced Seneca to commit suicide for discussing the plot
The First Jewish War of ◦ Jewish revolt in Judea from religious tensions ◦ Nero sent Vespasian to resolve but never saw the results as the revolution ended in 70 AD ◦ The Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple of Jerusalem
In March of 68, Vindex-gov. of Gallia Lugdunensis-rebelled against Nero’s taxes Verginius-gov. of Germania Superior-was ordered by Nero to stop the rebellion Vindex called for help from Galba-gov. of Hispania Tarraconensis Battle of Vesontio Galba gained support so Nero fled Rome ◦ Originally Nero was to flee to one of the eastern provinces but contemplated begging for mercy from both Galba and the people of Rome
Nero returned to Rome to find the palace guard left in the night Nero searched for anyone adept with a sword to kill him when he realized all his friends had abandoned him ◦ “Have I neither friend nor foe?” 4 loyal freedman took Nero to one’s villa A courier reported that the Senate had declared Nero a public enemy and wished to execute him in the Forum ◦ The Senate actually had not decided yet Nero forced his private secretary to kill him ◦ “Too late! This is fidelity!”
Senate declared Nero a public enemy to pacify Galba and then proclaimed him the new emperor The year of the Four Emperors followed this proclamation The upper class and Senate celebrated Nero’s death while the lower class mourned him ◦ Soldiers had mixed feelings Many portraits of Nero were reworked to resemble someone else and some monuments had Nero’s name removed