Nero Flashcards
neros delusions 4 points
® (68) Nero seemed unbothered by the Vindex revolt and merely continued living a life of luxury. [Dio]
® Nero’s supposed plan for dealing with the revolt of Vindex was to step unarmed in front of the enemy and weep to soften their hearts and win back their loyalty [Suet, Nero]
® In 68AD, having lost all support he wanted to move to Alexandria and thought that “A simple craft will keep a man from want.” [Suetonius, Life of Nero, 40]
® Counter: Revolt did not seem serious as Vindex was governor of a Gallic province with no legionary garrison and there was no reason to doubt the legions under Lucius Verginius Rufus. The revolt was only a problem once Galba, legate of Spanish province, was declared emperor by his troops and was supported by Vindex [Dio] Rufus’ troops want to make him emperor but he refers it to the senate [Dio]
philhellinism 5 points
® (68AD) Nero celebrated a ‘triumph’ for his successes in musical contests in Greece [Dio Cassius]
® Nero loved the chariot races and took part in them [Suetonius Nero] and he sang to the lyre, although Seneca and Burrus tried to prevent him from doing either [Tacitus]
® The aristocracy and writers would have considered these activities beneath dignity of an emperor.
® Tactius blames Nero and his behaviour as the reason why immorality grew, climaxing in his stage debut.
® “Jupiter, what an artist perishes with me!” [Dio Cassius]
manipulable 5 points
® Poppaea “nagged and mocked him incessantly” [Tacitus, Annals of Rome, 14.1]
® Poppaea: “He was under his guardian’s thumb” as she wanted him to divorce Octavia and to marry her but Agrippina was against this. [Tacitus] May not true as they only married 2 years after Agrippina died.
® Imperial woman hadn’t been featured so prominently before as in Aureus of Nero 54AD where they look like co-rulers.
® Agripinna often “appeared before her inebriated son all decked out and ready for incest” [Tacitus]
® Coinage and Josephus suggest Poppaea was a competent and interested political figure, presenting her far more positively than Dio and Tacitus
® Tigellinus was an eques, joint prefect of PG. Tacitus is critical of Tigellinus, claiming that he corrupted Nero, introducing him to every kind of depravity before deserting him when his fall was inevitable.
evilness 5 points
® “Roman morals had long become impure, but never was there so favourable an environment for debauchery as among this filthy crowd.” [Tacitus, Annals of Rome, 14.15]
® Nero married Pythagoras: “, everything was public which even in a natural union is veiled by night” [Tacitus, Annals of Rome, 13.15]
® “Whether it was accidental or caused by a criminal act on the part of the emperor is uncertain” [Tacitus, Annals of Rome, 15.38]
® “he brazenly set fire to the city” [Suetonius, Life of Nero, 38]
® Nero “sang The Fall of Troy” from the Garden of Maecenas [Suetonius, Life of Nero, 38]
extravagance 4 points
® He built the Domus Aurea, which was so big to fit the 120 foot Colossus inside. It was less a palace, more a series of connected structures from the descriptions we are given by [Suetonius]
® Nero wanted to have the massive Colossus cast in silver/gold [Pliny, Natural History].
® Colossus and Domus Aurea were big drains on national resources and he plundered temples to finance them [Tacitus]
® Suetonius details his many banquets .
Largesse
® During games he would give out gifts, including vouchers for farms, ships and slaves. [Suetonius]
worse stability for revolts
® Counter: When Nero is ousted the people celebrated as if they’d been “freed from slavery” [Dio]
aid after disasters
® Opened his own garden to refugees and cut the price of corn “to less than sesterce a pound” [Tacitus]
army needed for rule 2 points
® Nero is rushed to the Praetorian Guard and they declare him emperor before the senate does. [Tacitus]
® At the end, Nero had no military support: “he had been deserted by all without exception” [Dio]
influenced by women 4 points
® Agrippina ensured Nero wouldn’t face opposition from Britannicus. [Tacitus, 12.69]
® “He was under his guardian’s thumb” [Tacitus]
® “she several times appeared before her inebriated son all decked out and ready for incest.” [Tacitus]
® Aureus of Nero and Agrippina as co-rulers. [Aureus of Nero 54AD]
® Coinage and Josephus suggest Poppaea was a competent and interested political figure, presenting her far more positively than Dio and Tacitus
his path for succession 2 points
® Nero was to hold the consulship at the age of 19 and as consul-designate, he was to “be styled Prince of Youth” [Tacitus, Annals of Rome, 12.41]
® “So the crowd, seeing one in the trappings of command and the other in boy’s clothes, could deduce their contrasted destinies” [Tacitus, Annals, 12.41]
importance of relationships 3 points
® Supposedly Claudia Antonia was to marry Piso, but even Tacitus finds this a bit unlikely. [Tacitus]
® Nero married Octavia for legitimacy [Tacitus]
® Poppaea “nagged and mocked him incessantly” [Tacitus, Annals of Rome, 14.1]
food supply
® Opened his own garden to refugees and cut the price of corn “to less than sesterce a pound” [Tacitus]
great fire and neros building work 6 points
® Allowed him to build the Domus Aurea (Golden House), term coined by Pliny.
® “His wastefulness showed most of all in the architectural projects.” [Suetonius, Nero, 31]
® Tacitus suggests that Nero started the fire so he could rebuild parts of Rome, although he does note that some of building regulations benefitted the city.
® The Colossus of Nero was 100 feet tall and later rededicated to the gods by Vespasian in 75AD. [Pliny]
® “Whether it was accidental or caused by a criminal act on the part of the emperor is uncertain” but claims different authors support either. [Tacitus Annals]
® Suetonius firmly believes Nero “brazenly set fire to the city”
senate is hostile
® he Senate “declared him a public enemy and appointed Galba emperor in his place” [Dio]
® “Senators and knights, officers, even women, competed to join” (Pisonian Conspiracy) [Tacitus]
relationship with plebs 5 points
® “he presented the people with 400 sesterces each” [Suetonius, Life of Nero, 10]
® During games he would give out gifts, including vouchers for farms, ships and slaves. [Suetonius]
® So long as plebs were happy, Nero was ok: “delighted if the emperor shares their tastes” [Tacitus]
® 68: “He aggravated popular resentment by profiteering in grain” [Suetonius, Life of Nero, 45]
® Plebs were angry when a ship carrying sand from Alexandra arrived during a food shortage [Suetonius]
he mistreated the plebs
® If they were displeased with him it must have been because he did something“Senators and knights, officers, even women, competed to join” Pisonian Conspiracy (65) [Tacitus]
importance of relationship with army 2 points
® Galba was the governor of Spain “And he was the man who was proclaimed emperor by his soldiers.” [Dio Cassius, 63.23.1]
® At the end, Nero had no military support: “he had been deserted by all without exception” [Dio]
justification of power 2 points
® Aureus showing Claudius’ deification (54AD) is significant as it shows him to be Divi Filius and also religious. [Aureus showing Claudius’ deification 54AD]
® “he promised to model his rule on the principles laid down by Augustus.” [Suetonius, Nero]
senate showing loyalty
® One Senator proposed a temple to the “Divine Nero” but Nero vetoed this, not because it was inappropriate but because he thought it was a bad omen as “divine honours are paid to emperors only when they are no longer among men” [Tacitus, Annals, of Rome, 15.74]
plots to kill nero 3 points
® Provinces unhappy with Nero over tax: Britain 61AD and Gaul 68BC where we get revolt of Vindex [Dio]
® “he had been deserted by all without exception” [Dio Cassius, 62.27.2]
® “Senators and knights, officers, even women, competed to join” (Pisonian Conspiracy 65AD) [Tacitus].
military success 1 points
® Aureus of Nero’s triumphal arch for Corbulo’s success in Armenia. [Sestersius of Nero 64AD]
control of senate 3 points
® The Senate “declared him a public enemy and appointed Galba emperor in his place” [Dio]
® (59) After Agrippina died: “proud conqueror of a servile nation” [Tacitus]
® Counter: “Senators and knights, officers, even women, competed to join” Pisonian Conspiracy [Tacitus]
reliance on other magistrates
® Nero used Corbulo to pacify Armenia, and then claimed his success as his own and erected triumphal arch, shown on Sestertius showing triumphal Arch of Nero 64AD.
importance of provinces growing over time
® “The inhabitants of Britain [61] and Gaul [68] burdened by taxation, were also becoming more restive and inflamed.” [Dio Cassius, 63.22.1a]
® Revolt did not seem serious as Vindex was governor of a Gallic province with no legionary garrison and there was no reason to doubt the legions under Lucius Verginius Rufus. The revolt was only a problem once Galba, legate of Spanish province, was declared emperor by his troops and was supported by Vindex [Dio] Rufus’ troops want to make him emperor but he refers it to the senate [Dio]
