Nero 54-68 CE Flashcards
What was the quinquennium aureum?
The five golden years at the start of Nero’s reign
Who did Nero deify at the start of his reign?
His adopted father Claudius
Which of Nero’s interests offended the Roman upper-classes?
Music, theatre, chariot racing and all things Greek
What suggests that Nero was not as hated as our authors claim?
People used Nero’s name/their connections with him to garner support during the Year of the Four Emperors
How old was Nero when he became emperor?
16
Who staged Nero’s accession?
Agrippina, Burrus and Seneca
How was Nero’s accession staged?
Nero was presented to the Praetorian Guard by Burrus whilst Agrippina delayed Britannicus in the palace
What was the result of Nero’s accession being staged?
It presented him as a usurper
What did Nero do when Agrippina threatened to replace him with Britannicus?
He murdered Britannicus at a banquet in 55 CE
What happened to Agrippina, Burrus and Seneca’s ‘alliance’
Burrus and Seneca ended up opposing Agrippina and helped Nero kill her in 59 CE
Who did Nero marry in 53 CE to establish his legitimacy?
Claudius’ daughter Octavia
Who did Nero replace Octavia with once his reign was extablished?
His freedwoman Acte
How did Nero have Octavia removed?
He accused her of sexual outrages and exiled her before having her murdered in 62 CE
Who did Nero marry after Octavia?
Poppaea
What did Nero did after Poppaea and their daughter Claudia died in 65 CE?
Deify them both
Why did Nero deify Poppaea and Claudia?
Because he loved them but possibly because of guilt
Who did Nero marry after Poppaea in 66 CE?
Statilia Messalina
Why did Nero marry Messalina?
To appear conventional and respectable
Who lead the conspiracy against Nero in 65 CE?
Gaius Calpurnius Piso
Who stopped the conspiracy in 65 CE?
A freedman of one of the men involved
What happened to the men involved in the conspiracy in 65 CE?
They incriminated each other quickly upon arrest, Piso locked himself in his house and then committed suicide
Who did Nero use the 65 CE conspiracy as an excuse to remove?
Seneca
How many districts did the fire in 64 CE damage?
10 out of 14
How long did the fire in 64 CE last for?
6 days
What positive thing did Nero do after the fire in 64 CE?
He introduced new building regulations to prevent future fires spreading so much
What negative things did Nero do after the fire in 64 CE?
He built the Domus Aurea and a triumphal arch that claimed Corbulo’s glory for himself
Who did Nero blame for the fire in 64 CE and why?
The Christians because they were already a marginalised and distrusted group and he needed to shift the blame from himself
Which provinces rebelled from Roman rule in 61 and 66 CE?
Britain in 61 and Judaea in 66
Which province’s rebellion in 68 CE led to Nero’s downfall?
Gaul
Who led the Gallic rebellion in 68 CE?
Gaius Julius Vindex
How did Nero initially respond to the Gallic rebellion in 68 CE?
He did nothing for 8 days
Why didn’t Nero initially consider the Gallic rebellion in 68 CE a threat?
The province didn’t have a legionary garrison and Nero trusted the local urban cohorts and nearby legions
What made Nero take the rebellion in 68 CE seriously?
Servius Galba was declared emperor by his legion at Vindex’s request
What did Nero do in response to Galba being declared emperor?
Very little
Who did oppose Vindex and how?
Verginius Rufus and the forces of Upper Germany slaughtered 20,000 of Vindex’s men and he committed suicide
What happened after Verginius Rufus’ men killed Vindex’s?
That suggested Rufus be made emperor but he said the choice should be made by the Senate and the People of Rome, who endorsed Galba and declared Nero a public enemy
What did Nero do after being declared a public enemy by the Senate?
He fled Rome and died theatrically
What was Nero’s attitude towards the imperial cult?
He was uninterested in it
How did Neronian poets portray Nero?
They praised him as a god but only as far as the Augustus poets praised Augustus
What was Nero’s attitude to ‘non-traditional’ religions?
He was intolerant of them
How did Nero echo Augustus in terms of religion?
He became part of the same priestly colleges
What impact did Nero have on the administration of Rome?
Overall he made no fundamental changes
How did Nero’s relationship with the Senate change?
His early pandering is replaced by viscous humiliation
How did the Senate react to Nero’s humiliation of them?
They remained remarkably compliant
Which senator publicly opposed Nero?
Thrasea Paetus
What was Nero’s relationship with the equestrians like?
He saw them as a useful alternative to the Senate and many of them were part of his paid entourage or trained applauders
Who was the most prominent equestrian under Nero and why?
Gaius Tigellinus, who was made joint commander of the Praetorian Guard in 62 CE despite his low birth
What was Nero’s relationship with the plebs like?
They adored him due to the immense variety of entertainment and the generous gifts he provided them with
How strong was the plebs’ adoration of Nero?
It was only at the end of his reign that they begun to turn against him and years after his death they would still support people pretending to be him
