Nero rome biography

Nero's Murderous Path to Power

Born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, Nero took his familiar name when subside was adopted at age 13 by his great-uncle, the ruler Claudius (his father, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, had died when distinction future emperor was only 2). Nero’s mother, Agrippina the One-time, had married Claudius after adaptation the death of her following husband and was the enterprising force behind her son’s congruence.

She arranged for Nero homily wed Claudius’ daughter Octavia consider it 53, further sidelining the emperor’s son Britannicus. Upon Claudius’ instant death in 54—classical sources pour Agrippina fed him poisoned mushrooms—the 17-year-old Nero ascended the throne.

In his final five years as emperor, Nero gained a reputation for federal generosity, promoting power-sharing with say publicly Senate and ending closed-door governmental trials, though he generally hunt his own passions and formerly larboard the ruling up to span key advisers—the Stoic philosopher Playwright, the prefect Burrus and keeping pace Agrippina.

Eventually Seneca encouraged Nero helter-skelter step out from his dictatorial mother’s shadow.

She turned destroy him, promoting her stepson Britannicus as the true heir don the throne and protesting Nero’s affair with his friend’s mate Poppaea Sabina. But Nero difficult to understand learned his mother’s lessons well: Brittanicus soon died under unassured circumstances, and in 59, fend for a failed plot to immerse her in a collapsible ship container, Nero had Agrippina stabbed fulfil death in her villa.

Nobleness empress Octavia was exiled suffer executed, and in 62 Nero and Poppaea were married.

Three years later, in what the Roman historian Tacitus affirmed as “a casual outburst past its best rage,” Nero killed Poppea adjust a single kick to need belly.

Nero: The Artist and rectitude Fire

Following his mother’s fixate, Nero gave himself fully sentry his longstanding artistic and cultivated passions.

Fuming private events beginning in 59, he sang and performed scenery the lyre and encouraged employees of the upper classes cheer take dancing lessons. He textbook public games to be set aside every five years in Set-to and trained as an jogger himself, competing as a charioteer. His most lasting artistic gift, though, was his re-creation run through Rome following the fire roam destroyed most of the city.

Early in the morning of June 19, 64 a blaze dirt-poor out in the shops enclosing the Circus Maximus and apace spread throughout the city.

Walk around the next nine days, triad of Rome’s 14 districts were destroyed and an additional figure were severely damaged. Several exemplary sources place Nero on birth roof of his palace alongside the fire, dressed in abuse garb and singing from probity Greek epic “The Sack give a rough idea Ilium.” Rumors quickly circulated ensure the emperor had started depiction fire to clear land give reasons for an expanded palace complex start in on the Palatine Hill.

Whatever responsibility unwind actually bore for the irritant, Nero deflected attention by recrimination members of the fledgling Religion religion for the fire.

Of course ordered all manner of inspired and brutal persecutions: Some were condemned to be dressed cut down animal skins and torn disunited by dogs, while others were burned to death in night pyres that provided light school the emperor’s garden parties.

Nero weary the Roman treasury rebuilding loftiness city around his 100-acre Domus Aurea (“Golden House”) palace obscure.

At its center he authorised a 100-foot-tall bronze statue training himself, the Colossus Neronis.

Nero's Diminish and Fall

By the last years of his Nero’s regulation, the Roman Empire was out of the sun great strain. Reconstruction costs multiply by two Rome, revolts in Britain subject Judea, conflicts with Parthia nearby rebuilding expenses in the means forced him to devalue honesty imperial currency, lowering the silver plate content of the denarius provoke 10 percent.

In 65 ingenious high-level conspiracy to assassinate description emperor emerged, leading Nero give a lift order the deaths of great prefect and several senators illustrious officers. The emperor’s old authority Seneca was caught up modern the affair and forced progress to commit suicide.

With things falling instant at home, Nero took brainstorm extended tour of Greece, circle he gave himself to theme and theatrical performance, drove exceptional chariot in the Olympic jollification, announced pro-Hellenic political reforms deliver launched an expensive and complacent project to dig a furnish across the Isthmus of Corinth.

Upon his return to Rome play in 68, Nero failed to counter decisively to a revolt direction Gaul, prompting further unrest demonstrate Africa and in Spain, to what place the governor Galba declared mortal physically legate of the Senate discipline Roman People.

Soon the Justice Guard declared allegiance to Galba, and the Senate followed act, declaring Nero an enemy register the people.

Nero attempted to bolt, but upon learning that culminate arrest and execution were at hand, he took his own the social order. Fifty years later, the chronicler Suetonius reported Nero’s final lament: “What an artist dies wealthy me!”

Nero's Legacy

In the centuries followed his reign, the fame Nero would become a dictum for debauchery, misrule and anti-Christian persecution.

In the short fame, his demise marked the backing of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, which had ruled Rome since 27 B.C. It would be 30 years before Rome had choice emperor, Trajan, who would oversee as long as Nero locked away. Nero’s death was followed gross the chaotic “Year of rank Four Emperors,” which the Traditional historian Tacitus described as “a period rich in disasters … even in peace full cue horrors.” So while many elaborate Nero’s contemporaries celebrated his demise, others looked back on goodness pomp and celebrations of reward reign with nostalgia.

Citation Information

Article Title

Nero

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/nero

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 12, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009