Nero, Roman Empire

Nero becomes emperor in 54 CE at the age of just 17. In the early part of his reign, he rules with moderation and some wisdom. Influenced by his mentor, the Stoic philosopher Seneca the Younger, he aims to emulate the policies and successes of Augustus. Nero treats his subjects with affability, courtesy and generosity. He continues the custom of new emperors providing cash gifts to the populace, giving the Roman poor 40 gold coins each. He takes care to remember the names and faces of the people he meets, regardless of rank, and receives honours with modesty. He makes sure that public abuses committed by those with power are heavily punished and promotes reforms to combat the corrupt practices of tax collectors in the provinces.

Beyond his role as emperor, Nero was also deeply passionate about the arts. In the early part of his reign, he instituted the Neronian, a sort of arts and performance festival that took place every five years and consisted of competitions in gymnastics, music and horsemanship. The emperor performed himself and was (rather unsurprisingly) awarded the first prize for his oratory and lyre playing. 

But the emperor is also incredibly nervous and insecure about his artistic abilities; he badmouths more talented musicians and locks the doors of the theatre when he performs. The performances last excruciatingly long; mothers give birth to the sound of the emperor’s lyre, and some in the audience feign death to escape. Nero abuses his authority to subject people to his artistic pursuits, and a subtle form of tyranny begins to develop.  

Nero spends lavishly, building a huge palace. When it burns down, he builds another, even grander. Nero’s new palace, the Domus Aurea, is of godlike luxury and ends up covering almost the entire Palatine Hill. In the entrance hall stands a 120ft (36.5m) statue of the emperor, the walls are inlaid with gold and studded with precious gems, the dining rooms have hidden panels in the ceiling that, when they slide back, drop flowers on the guests and contain little spouts that mist perfume through the air. The Roman people complain that Nero has turned the city into his private estate and whisper that it was on his orders that the Great Fire of Rome was started, to clear the way for his new palace.

Nero spends as if Rome’s resources are unlimited, but even the wealth of an empire can only stretch so far. Soon, he is unable to pay his soldiers. Nero knows that an emperor who can no longer pay his men has signed his own death sentence. Using murder and force, he seizes the estates of his subjects on any trifling pretext, abusing his powers to accuse them of treachery or just simple disrespect and then taking their property for himself.

Nero may have had his mother, Agrippina, to thank for his rise as emperor, but he begins to become obsessed with having her killed. He tries to poison her three times, but each time she manages to take the antidote in advance. Then, he has a device built into her bedroom ceiling to drop poison on her whilst she sleeps. When this doesn’t work, he hatches a bizarre scheme where, in the pretence of reconciliation, he invites Agrippina to a feast in the seaside town of Baie, which she travels to by boat. Whilst they are eating, Nero has a sea captain crash into Agrippina’s vessel, and then, when she needs to leave, he offers her one of his own instead. The boat is fitted with a collapsible bottom, and, when they are out on the water, it is sunk. But Agrippina holds on, perhaps out of pure spite, and swims to safety. At his wits' end, Nero sends an assassin after her, who finally finishes the job, and blames her death on one of her freed slaves.

Discontent grows in Rome, people resent Nero’s extravagant spending, his vicious murders and the climate of fear that grips the city. The emperor is worried about deposition, but his anxieties are allayed by the Delphic Oracle, who warns him to beware of the 73rd year. Nero is relieved; now he expects a long life and reign. But that year, in Spain, the general Galba celebrates his 73rd birthday. A revolt begins, Gaul and Spain defy the emperor, and then Galba’s legions begin to march on Italy. Nero is terrified and distraught, but still does not take the situation seriously, preferring to banquet rather than confront reality, attempting to save himself by arbitrarily executing senators. 

In the city, Nero is hated, a noose is put around his statue's neck in the Forum, and Galba is at Rome's gates. Nero is declared a public enemy by the Senate and flees to his villa outside Rome, where he ends his own life. Galba is proclaimed emperor, and the dynasty founded by Augustus is dead. Rome enters a new era.