Rejected by the crucial Praetorian guard, a friendless and forlorn Emperor Nero, outlawed by the Senate, could read the writing on the wall.
‘What An Artist The World Is Losing!’ Mosaic depicting tragic and comic Roman actors masks, 2nd century CE, Capitoline Museum The trauma to the Roman world was profound. A condition unknown since the last days of the failing Republic. For the first time in many generations, the Roman empire descended back into a state of civil conflict. Bereft of supporters, a bloody civil war ensued. Utterly wrong-footed, 68 CE would quickly see Nero’s death. Backed by provincial troops, Galba challenged Emperor Nero for rulership of the Roman world. For Emperor Nero, events quickly morphed into a dangerous imperial challenge from the usurper, Galba. After years of mismanagement, erratic behavior, and general craziness, an uprising in Gaul triggered a sequence of coups that would be known as ‘ the year of the four emperors’. The year 68 CE was a shocking year for the Roman state. The nature of Nero’s death was highly unconventional and no single factor had more impact on the events and flourishing conspiracy theories that followed his demise. Nothing about Emperor Nero’s life was normal and there would also be nothing normal about his death. Events would end in Nero’s death.Įmperor Nero’s Death Engraving of the Emperor Nero, Paulus Pontius (after Rubens), 1638, Met Museum Definitely ‘a wrong-un’, and probably even a ‘rotten apple.’Įmperor Nero was not a good or stable ruler and by 68 CE this erratic prince was starting to run out of well-paved, Roman roads. This Nero guy does sound like a real sick puppy. How about then blaming said fire on a little-understood sect, the Christians, and persecuting them in truly novel and sadistic ways? Do I have a case yet? ‘What about assassinating family and rivals and poisoning those who offend you? How about being prone to violent rages, burning the city down and buying up land on the cheap so you can build, literally, a golden palace that totally bankrupts the treasury?’ (Even if exaggerated the fact that everyone believes this to be true speaks volumes about the regard in which you are held). ‘Now that’s unforgivable, you know you never get that time back.’ ‘Alright, how about utterly demeaning the dignity of your imperial office, thinking yourself a great musician and performer, entering the Olympics, and reciting long and tedious performances? How about forcing people to attend and clap for hours, thinking yourself a creative god on earth, when actually you pretty much suck eggs, and people are literally passing-out during your interminable recitals?’
‘Can you accept the maladministration of an empire, abusing provincials and ruling over three major revolts within your reign, in Britain, Judea, and Gaul?’ ‘Yes, it’s got potential you’ve got my attention…’
‘What about encouraging false accusations against senators and wealthy Romans? Seizing their legacies for your personal gain, and creating a culture of denunciation and terror?’ ‘OK, how about revelling on the streets at night, in disguise, sleeping with prostitutes, kicking up a fuss, and beating up on wealthy citizens, just for laughs? Oh, and if people defend themselves, they’re as good as dead.’ ‘It’s strong, but I’m going to need more …’ ‘Alright, murdering your first wife then, and just for kudos, probably your second wife too? Kicking her ( Poppaea ) to death while she’s pregnant if you want the awful detail?’ ‘A strong start, but I’ve heard much worse, especially about Roman Emperors.’ ‘How about murdering your own mother ( Agrippina ), the overbearing matriarch that dominated you – coming to power as you did at only 16 years of age?’ You’re going to have to be at the top of your game.’ Well, with guys like Caligula breathing down your neck, it’s a highly competitive field. ‘Just what do you have to do to be considered one of history’s most volatile emperors? In my head, the conversation goes something like this: Gold aureus depicting Nero with his mother, Agrippina, 54 CE, British Museum Of course, there is another view, which you can read here. But was he a bad emperor? Well, yes, in my view, long prior to Nero’s death, there was much that made him a rotten emperor.
Even within the Roman Emperors’ contexts – a decidedly mixed bunch – Emperor Nero was not at all normal.
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