Nero

Nero was emperor from 54-68. He was proceeded by Claudius. He was the son of Agrippina the Younger.

Succession
Nero was barely 17 when he took power. He married Octavia, his step sister in 53. Probably arranged by Agrippina; wants Nero to be emperor

Claudius dies suddenly in 54, rumored to be killed by poison (murdered?). As Britannicus is too young to take power, Nero does. He delivers a moving eulogy at Claudius' funeral, was probably written by Seneca. He is accused of dishonoring Claudius' legacy by later historians, by never visiting his grave, etc.

Britannicus dies suddenly in 55 at dinner, supposedly in an epileptic fit.

Early, Early Reign

 * He promised good relations with the Senate, but was reallly more concerned in artwork and showmanship than the government.
 * At first, he seemed to heed his two tutors Seneca and Burrus, while his mother tried to exercise some power through him (he was likely largely a figurehead at this point)

Early time in Office
In general, Nero was uninterested in both military and political matters, attempting ever more to craft an image that would directly pander directlyto the people of Rome, ignoring the Senate entirely.


 * He had his mother killed in an elaborate accident in 59 (involving in a fake shipwreck)
 * tired of fighting his mother for power, (she supposedly was trying to sleep with him, was jealous of his girlfriends)
 * his great spending and long campaigns in Britain led to devaluation of the coinage
 * he divorced and had his first wife Octavia killed and married his pregnant lover Poppaea (distresses the masses very much)
 * he was rumored to have started the Great Fire in 64, because he later requisitioned the land for his Domus Aureus (Golden House)
 * he attempted to blame this on the Christians, although the widespread abuse led to sympathy for the new religion (St. Peter and Paul were rumored to have been killed at this time)
 * his mismanagement of Britain led to a revolt there headed by the Druids, and just as that was ending the First Jewish Revolt broke out in 66

Pisonian Conspiracy
Conspiracy of senators, supposedly led by Piso, which included women, some slaves, etc. was a gradual exacerbation of tensions between the Senate and Nero over how to respond to the fire.

Very public forced suicides had a negative public effect.
 * After it's discovered, he forces the senators to commit suicide, or exiled
 * Aftermath: Seneca & Luca implicated, were all famous writers of the age who were forced to commit suicide
 * narration of Seneca's suicide: cuts his arms and has them sewed up, gets in the bath, cuts them again, sews them again

Revolt of Vindex
After the fire, the city and city housing, were greatly damaged and many people were displaced. Nero's decided to lay the burden to kickstart the economy by massive building projects (including the Domus Aurea) on to the provincials.
 * he tries to respond to the crisis by very highly taxing both the provinces and the senators and equites, and put men to work on massive construction projects
 * Nero basically ignores aristocracy in crisis, taxes at will

Vindex was a governor of Gallic descent, and senatorial rank. He raises troops with this speech into revolt.
 * mentions supposed incest with mother, and her murder
 * accused moreover of depravity (his love of the theatre, and love of acting)
 * his public marriage to males (was obviously not pederasty, insulted traditional sensibilities; though in general Romans were much more squeamish than Greeks)
 * suggests he isn't cut out to uphold dignity of the office
 * local gallic rebellion at high taxes? or as Roman rebellion of Vindex leading Gauls against Nero?

Nero sends Verginius Rufus, he negotiates a treaty with them, but then (for reasons unknown) the Romans attack Vindex and win. Vindex is forced to commit suicide.

Verginius' troops turn around and proclaim him emperor, reflecting a growing practice of troops thinking they can decide who the emperor is. He refuses to take the title.

Aftermath
Nero is very indecisive about the rebellious troops in Gaul, and considers fairly ludicrous schemes (shows he's at the end of his rope) Nero takes on the consulship, and prepares to march on Gaul. He realizes he can't trust the military, and very vulnerable, tries to raise the army and can't.
 * one proposed response of his is to kill all the senators, set Rome afire, and run away to be a lyre player
 * supposedly considered murdering all military commanders
 * all exiles in Gaul, and all Gauls in Rome

Death
After his alienation of the the senate, and his inability to secure military support for handling the aftermath of the revolt in Gaul, and the loss of his remaning senatorial support, causing him to realise he's at the end of his rope, and flees rome.

Before he leaves, he is declared a hostis, an enemy of the state, by the Senate, and declares Galba, an elderly senator, as emperor.

Escape

 * crawled through pipes and in the dirt
 * made to look very unimperial, tried to avoid suicide at all costs

Legacy
Sources present him as despised, hated; the people celebrated "the king is dead!" Celebration purportedly similar to celebrations after Caesar's death.
 * Provinicials and senators definitely pleased with death; more power to the Senate
 * despite this, the masses cared very greatly for his memory; died very popular
 * given a lavish state funeral, senate recognizes they needed to treat him as a good emperor so as not to incense the masses, and is deified, though later undergoes damnatio memoriae 
 * even among provinicials (esp. in Greece, where he declared the province of Achaia exempt from taxes) was quite popular
 * rumors of his survival in the east, edicts under his name persisted for generations
 * revolts in Britain and Judea (led in britian largely by the druids, while Judea: First Jewish Revolt) were not stopped by him (though Vespasian used his command of them to his advantage)