Nero

1
Nero

• Dr David W.J. Gill

University of Wales Swansea
2
Introduction

• The ancient sources
• The modern assessment
• Career
• Strengths and weaknesses

3
Ancient Sources

• Tacitus, Annals 1316
• Suetonius, Nero

4
Modern sources

• Griffin, M.T. 1984. Nero the end of a dynasty
• Warmington, B.H. 1977. Suetonius Nero

5
Suetonius as a source

• born c. AD 70, C. Suetonius Tranquillus
• grandfather appears to have been familiar with
  the imperial court of Gaius
• freedman or praetorian guard
• father Suetonius Laetus
• equestrian tribune with Legio XIII on the side of
  Otho
• may have had links with Hippo Regius in Algeria
  (inscription)

6
Suetonius background

• brought up in Rome
• familiar with Domitian
• friends with Pliny the Younger who became his
  patron
• 111 probably on staff of Pliny in Bithynia

7
Suetonius background

• probably worked at Rome on public pronouncements
• 117 chief secretary to Hadrian
• 121 or 122 fell from office
• too familiar with empress Sabina
• 130 still alive

8
Structure of Suetonius life

• 1-8 Life to accession
• 9-10 Early life
• 20-38 Follies and crimes
• 39-50 Disasters, death and funeral
• 51-56 Character
• 57 Reaction

9
Tacitus background

• born c. 56
• senator under Domitian
• 97 consul
• governor of Asia
• friend of Pliny the Younger
• therefore likely to have known Suetonius
• probably survived the emperor Trajan

10
Life of Nero

• born 15 December 37
• son of Cn. Domitius Ahenobarbus and Iulia
  Agrippina (II)
• consul AD 32

11
Links with the imperial family

• His mother, Agrippina (II) had married Claudius
• Betrothed to Claudius daughter Octavia (II) in
  49 - and his adoptive sister (Suet. Nero 7)
• married in 53

12
The youthful Nero

• Tacitus, Ann. 13
• But from early boyhood Neros mind, though
  lively, directed itself to other things
  carving, painting, singing, and riding.
  Sometimes, too, he wrote verses, and thereby
  showed he possessed the rudiments of culture

13
Adoption

• By Claudius in 50
• Ti. Claudius Nero Caesar
• Suet. Nero 7 When he reached the age of 11,
  Claudius adopted him and appointed Annaeus
  Seneca, who was already a senator, as his tutor

14
Seneca as tutor

• Exiled by Claudius for adultery with Iulia
  Livilla, daughter of Germanicus
• Tacitus, Ann. 12.8.3 has Seneca recalled in 49
  Agrippina now secured the recall of Lucius
  Annaeus Seneca from exile She also had designs
  on him as a distinguished tutor for her young son
  Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus Senecas advice
  could serve their plans for supremacy

15
Accession

• Claudius died 13 October 54 (Suet. Claud. 45)
• Claudius declared a god (Suet. Claud. 45)
• Agrippina became his priestess
• Papyrus from Oxyrhynchus LR ii.9

16
Acclamation

• Suet. Nero 8 After being acclaimed Emperor on
  the Palace steps, he was taken in a litter to the
  Guards Camp, where he briefly addressed the
  troops. He then visited the Senate House, where
  he remained until nightfall, refusing only one of
  the many high honours voted him, namely the title
  Father of the Country, and this because of his
  youth.

17
Proclamation of Nero as emperor

• POxy 1021
• Fulfilling the debt to his ancestors, the
  manifest god Caesar has departed to them, and the
  expected and hoped for imperator of the world has
  been proclaimed the good spirit of the world,
  the origin of the greatest of all good things,
  Nero has been proclaimed Caesar. For this reason,
  all of us ought to wear wreaths and sacrifice
  oxen, to show all the gods our gratitude. Year 1
  of Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, on
  the 21st of the month New Augustus 17 Nov

18
The quinquennium

• A golden age for the first five years
• Trajan perceived it as a golden age of good
  government (Aur. Victor, Epitome 5)
• Trajan justifiably said quite often that all
  emperors were far behind Neros quinquennium

19
Neros first speech to the Senate

• Suetonius, Nero 10
• to rule according to Augustan precedent
• Tacitus, Ann. 13.4
• renunciation of the abuses of the Claudian regime
• From my house, bribery and favouritism will be
  excluded
• these promises were implemented

20
Ending administrative abuses in Egypt

• Edict of 68 Ti. Julius Alexander LR ii.29598
• reaction to requirements under Nero

21
Tacitus on the end of the Golden Age

• Tacitus, Ann. 13
• treason charge against Burrus, the emperors
  tutor
• Burrus death undermined the influence of
  Seneca
• linked in an attempt to discredit Agrippina

22
Follies and crimes

• Suetonius, Nero 19.3
• I have separated this catalogue of Neros less
  atrocious acts some forgivable, some even
  praiseworthy from the others but I must begin
  to list his follies (probris) and crimes
  (scelerribus).

23
Increasing debauchery

• Tac. Ann. 13 The year was a time of peace
  abroad, but disgusting excesses by Nero in Rome.
  Disguised as a slave, he ranged the streets,
  brothels, and taverns with his friends, who
  pilfered goods from shops and assaulted
  wayfarers indeed, as marks on his face
  testified, Nero himself was struck
• leads to an acceptance of disorder
• senator forced to commit suicide

24
Gang warfare

• Tac. Ann. 13
• Nero encouraged gangs, enjoying the major fights
• linked to theatre troops
• dancers expelled from Italy

25
Nero remarries

• divorced Octavia (in 62)
• married Poppaea Sabina
• wife of M. Salvius Otho (future emperor) who was
  sent off to govern Lusitania
• a daughter, Claudia (died in infancy)

26
Introduction of Greek style games

• to be held every five years
• 61 gymnasium established

27
Dissatisfaction

• 65 conspiracy to make C. Calpurnius Piso emperor
• Tacitus, Ann. 15.54 ff
• Plutarch, Moralia 505C-D The talkativenesss of
  a single person prevented the city of Rome from
  becoming free after deliverance from Nero. For it
  was just one night before the tyrant was to die
  and everything had been readied

28
Safety of the emperor

• Inscription from Luna in Etruria (ILS 233)
• in fulfilment of a vow undertaken for the
  safety of Imperator Nero, which he had vowed for
  the Baliarians in the year in which Aulus
  Licinius Nerva had been consul (AD 65)
• no mention of Marcus Vestinus Atticus who was
  killed in the aftermath of Piso plot (Tactius,
  Ann. 15.68-69)