Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus Caesar 54-68 AD (at age 17)

BW Henderson, Life and Principate of the Emperor Nero,

J. Bishop, Nero, Man and Legend

Son of Agrippina Minor and Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus. As part of the arrangement he married Octavia, sister of Britannicus, son of Emperor Claudius (rival to throne) and Messalina. Agrippina took immediate control with help of Seneca, Pallas and L. Vitellius, appointed Burrus Praet. Pref., indicted Narcissus (loyal to Claudius) and systematically discredited Britannicus. Evidence of factional power struggle between Agrippina and Britannicus’ supporters. Burrus presented Nero to the Praetorian guard with a 15,000 HS donative, Nero hailed as imperator, the senate conferred the insignia. There was hope that with Seneca’s guidance, Nero would become a second Augustus. But the adults focused on running the empire and left Nero to his own devices. Every attempt of Nero to assert himself took the form of demagogy, e.g., abolishment of all customs and indirect taxes. His affair with freedwoman Acte was covered up; his frequenting of nightclubs led to violence. He fell under the spell of Poppaea Sabina who was married to Salvius Otho (governor of Lusitania). The Senate looked away hoping for the best.

Britannicus poisoned by Nero at age 14

it was hoped that his mentors L. Annaeus Seneca (leading senator and Stoic philosopher) and Burrus (commander of Praet. Guard), and his mother Agrippina could manage the state until Nero came of age. (reports of scurrilous night life, street fight with senatorial entourage); liaison with Poppaea, wife of Otho)

Britannicus, poisoned in 55 AD, by this point Nero was dissolute, histrionic, and stained in crime

Agrippina and Pallas; vs Seneca and Burrus

58 AD, Nero killed his mother, the collapsing pleasure yacht.

60 AD, Neronia, public festival with mandatory attendance (music and poetry recitals, horse racing, a fanatical conviction of his own primacy in these fields). Nero was megalomaniacal, determined to make himself the heroic incarnation of Greek masterpieces, focused on orator, poetry, music, horse racing. At first they kept his performances confined to a private stadium on the Vatican, but then he performed publicly at Neapolis. He forced senators to participate in the games, some as gladiators. Exorbitant expenditure on games would lead to financial difficulties, reimposition of taxes, insistence on inclusion in wills, even a devaluation of the currency.

Nero’s entourage – Petronius, Satyricon, arbiter of good taste; Lucan, Bellum Civilis, Q. Curtius Rufus, Campaigns of Alexander the Great

61 AD, Rebellion in Britain (Boudica), Seneca’s extensive finances there

62 AD, Seneca retired from public life, Burrus died, Nero’s wife Octavia (daughter of Claudius and Messalina, sister to Britannicus) executed. Octavia had been popular with the Roman people, but she and Nero hated their marriage. When his mistress, Poppaea Sabina, became pregnant, he divorced and banished Octavia. When this led to a public outcry, he had her executed.

64, the Great fire of Rome, 10 of 14 neighborhoods (vigiles) destroyed. The Golden House of Nero (P. MacKendrick, The Mute Stone Speaks), he erected a colossal statue of himself as Helios. Increasing alienation of all elements,

65 AD, Pisonian Conspiracy (C. Calpurnius Piso), including officers of the Praetorian Guard, Claudia Antonia, Petronius, Lucan, Seneca, Thrasea Paetus

66-68 AD, Nero’s tour of the East

58-66 AD conflict vs. Parthians in Armenia. Domitius Corbulo began to build a formidable powerbase. He became supreme leader in the East (resolving the Parthian succession dispute temporarily), he moved legions at will and recruited his own forces. He was soon forced to commit suicide; his army learned of Nero’s games at Olympia while they were short of supplies, suppressing the Judean revolt, growing resentment. Death of Corbulo spread alarm among military commanders as well, particularly after 2 commanders on the Rhine were forced to commit suicide after being implicated in a conspiracy. The once profound sense of loyalty to the Julii Caesares was now replaced by a feeling of loyalty to one’s local commander.

Jewish Revolt in Judaea, after being harassed by the imperial procurator who seized the temple treasury in Jerusalem. Nero dispatched Vespasian to this

Julius Vindex and the rebellion in Gaul, this was suppressed, but the legions declared their general Sulpicius Galba emperor who bribed the praetorian guard as well, Nero committed suicide 68 AD. With this the Julio-Claudian Dynasty expired.

YEAR OF 4 EMPERORS 68-70 AD