Nero: Qualis artifex pereo

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NeroQualis artifex pereo
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The Problem of Sources

• Sources universally hostile
• Suetonius
• Dio Cassius
• Tacitus
• Events of reign often unclear
• Portrayed as savage/madman
• Real Nero will forever elude us

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Early Life and Succession

• Born 37 CE at Antium
• Great-grandson of Augustus mother Agrippina
  the Younger father Gn. Domitius Ahenobarbus
• Family deeply troubled court marked by paranoia
  and murder
• When father died, mother married her uncle
  (Claudius) a union forbidden by Roman law, but
  approved by Senate for the good of the state
• With assassination of Claudius, Nero named
  emperor, at age of 17

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The Early Years

• Reign started out relatively well
• Guided by Seneca and Burrus, seemed committed to
  ruling within he law and with the advice and
  consent of the Senate
• In first years of reign, Agrippina was
  essentially co-ruler
• 54-59 CE were years of good government

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A Strong Start

• First five years of rule commonly called
  quinquennium five years of good rule
• Under the tutelage of Seneca and Burrus, postive
  legislation passed
• Good judge
• Architectural achievements
• Suppression of public abuses (sumptuary laws,
  public disorder, forgery, Treasury suits, appeal
  from jury verdicts)

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The Problem of Power

• Murdered Brittanicus
• Murdered mother
• Murdered first wife, Octavia
• Murdered second wife, Poppea
• Forced Seneca to commit suicide
• Carried our judicial murder of many Senators to
  gain their wealth

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Foreign Policy

• Met with disaster in Britain and Middle East
• Boudiccas revolt nearly drove Romans out of
  Britain
• In Armenia, fought indecisively with Parthians
• Wars costly
• Nero did not campaign in person

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The Perfomer

• Saw himself as creative genius
• Main concern was artistic career
• Struck coins portraytng self as lyre player

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Nero and Empire

• Personal extravagance and cost of wars hurt
  economy
• Coinage depreciated
• Accused of murdering senators for their money
• Despised by army, generals and senate
• Problems exacerbated by Great Fire beyond
  persecution of Christians (Sts. Peter and Paul
  victims) built Domus Aurea.
• Went on artistic tour in Greece, armies in
  Spain, Gaul and Africa revolted
• Nero commits suicide on June 9, 68 CE.
• Reign a complete disaster end result is civil
  war precisely what principate designed to
  avoid.

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Conspiracy and Death

• The conspiracy that ended Gaius's life hatched
  among Praetorian Guard, apparently for purely
  personal reasons
• May have had the support of some senators and an
  imperial freedman.
• As with conspiracies in general, there are
  suspicions that the plot was more broad-based
  may have enjoyed the support of the next emperor
  Claudius
• On 24 January A.D. 41 praetorian tribune Cassius
  Chaerea and other guardsmen caught Gaius alone in
  a secluded palace corridor and cut him down
• He was 28 years old and had ruled three years and
  ten months.