Nero: 37 AD to 68 AD

Written by @MarchOfTheWest

A Flicker of Glory In a Sea of Delusion

The last of Rome’s first imperial dynasty, Nero, was notorious for his vanity, selfishness, and cruelty. No emperor before him was so pompous, for he was ambitious and proud. But there were still traces of grandeur in his reign.

Born in 37 B.C., Nero was descended from several beloved figures from the early imperial period. Being a direct descendant of Augustus and Germanicus gave Nero the hopes of the Roman people; someone with such noble and divine blood must surely be capable of administering the empire in a more glorious and magnificent manner.

While Claudius was competent, he wasn’t exciting or charismatic. The Roman people wanted an entertainer, and Nero would satisfy this desire. He loved to throw parties, sponsor games, and entertain himself and his court with the arts, such as singing and playing the lyre. Maneuvered to the throne by his mother, Nero was taught from the start to play the game that all Roman emperors played—the game of power.

For his first years in power, Nero was generally good. Seneca (one of his advisors and former tutors) helped him maintain order and prosperity, and Nero was content to rule with his mother acting as his chief advisor. Nero allowed her tremendous power at first (she did get him to the throne), though he eventually had her murdered. Unfortunately, this would not be the last time Nero killed someone in his own family, as he would have his first wife executed. Rumors said that he also killed his next wife, Poppaea Sabina, by kicking her in the stomach while she was pregnant, killing her and the baby. Though this can’t be said with a hundred percent certainty.

Later in life, he would kill several of his advisors (including Seneca) and generals, which would cause the elite to distrust and eventually despise him. His mistake was making them think that they had no choice but to eliminate him. Feelings that were only amplified by a revolt in Judea.

Yet Nero’s reign was not without its positives. He was a thrilling entertainer. He loved to act in plays and dramas, sponsor games, and play the lyre. Nero also vigorously promoted the arts. He loved Greek culture, and his reign was during a period of cultural flourishing for Rome.

Nero’s love of spectacle made him a popular and celebrated ruler among the masses but also gave away his egotism. A few years before his death, Nero traveled to Greece where he “won” all of the Olympic games, bending the schedule and rules of the games to his will.

Still, the people loved their young emperor. He was charismatic and confident. He sponsored many public works and pioneered the use of domes in Roman architecture. His popularity was reminiscent of the days of Augustus. But unlike Augustus, Nero was loud and arrogant, whereas Augustus was more concealed in his governing style and careful in his decisions.

Like his predecessors, Nero was a man who longed to satisfy the public, but he had his own ambitions. When it came to himself or Rome, Nero always placed his interests first. Never was it more apparent than when he built himself a palace on a site that was completely burned during the fire of Rome.

Nero was not in Rome when the great fire started in 64 AD, but his desire to build a palace over the ruins and destruction wrought by the fire made the population distrustful of him. Rumors spread that Nero had started the fire in the first place for this very purpose. This can’t be proven, and Nero would have his palace built. The Domus Aurea was a beautiful house, but its perception was tainted by the fact that it was built on a site that was cleared by the fire. Yet the fire of Rome did not just make way for the Domus Aurea. Its memory remained, lingering until Nero’s numerous failings allowed it to grow into a flame that would consume Nero’s rule, burning away his grip over Rome.

Nero’s troubles in Judea, his purges of the elite, his betrayal and execution of several of his benefactors (including his own mother), and his hedonistic lifestyle all caught up with him. The lingering mistrust that the public had towards Nero after the great fire, combined with the sparks of resentment and loathing the elite felt, merged and grew into the fire that completely burned down Nero’s reign.

On June 8, 68 A.D., he was declared an enemy of Rome by the Senate and took his life the next day. The pomp and insanity were replaced by a brief period known as the year of the four emperors before things settled down again. The Julio-Claudian Dynasty would end with Nero, and he would be remembered as one of the most infamous rulers in Roman history. While his ambition and pompous nature endeared Nero to the masses, his vanity and ruthlessness caused the elites—and the narrative of history—to recoil.