Nero

186 Pages·2005·4.59 MB·English

by  Jurgen Malitz

Nero
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Blackwell Ancient Lives
At a time when much scholarly writing on the ancient
world is abstract and analytical, this series presents
engaging, accessible accounts of the most influential
figures of antiquity. It re-peoples the ancient landscape;
and while never losing sight of the vast gulf that
separates antiquity from our own world, it seeks to
communicate the delight of reading historical
narratives to discover “what happened next.”
Published
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Jürgen Malitz
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Werner Eck
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Sally Ann-Ashton
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Timothy Barnes
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Carol Thomas
Malitz_A01 2 13/5/05, 5:13 PM
Nero
Jürgen Malitz
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© 1999 by Verlag C.H. Beck oHG, Müchen
English translation © 2005 by Allison Brown
BLACKWELL PUBLISHING
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The right of Jürgen Malitz to be identified as the Author of this Work has
been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents
Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as
permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988, without
the prior permission of the publisher.
First published by Verlag C.H. Beck in 1999 under the title Nero
English translation published 2005 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
1 2005
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Malitz, Jürgen.
[Nero. English]
Nero / Jürgen Malitz (trans. by Allison Brown).
p. cm. — (Blackwell ancient lives)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-2177-4 (hard cover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-4051-2177-7 (hard cover : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-2178-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-4051-2178-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Nero, Emperor of Rome, 37–68. 2. Emperors—Rome—
Biography. 3. Rome—History—Nero, 54–68. I. Title. II. Series.
DG285.M3513 2005
937′.07′092—dc22
2004027395
A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
Picture research by Kitty Bocking
Set in 10.5/13pt Trump Mediaeval
by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong
Printed and bound in the United Kingdom
by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall
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Contents
List of Illustrations vi
Nero’s Family Tree vii
The Roman Empire viii
Timeline ix
I Augustus’ Great-great-grandson 1
II Heir to the Throne 5
III Quinquennium Neronis 15
IV Matricide 24
V “What a loss for the theater” 36
VI The Princeps and the Populace of Rome 46
VII The Provinces of the Empire 53
VIII The Great Fire of Rome 66
IX Opposition 77
X Trip to Greece 88
XI The End of the Dynasty 99
XII Quo Vadis? Nero’s “Afterlife” 109
Appendix Suetonius: The Lives of the Twelve
Caesars: An English Translation,
Augmented with the Biographies of
Contemporary Statesmen, Orators,
Poets, and Other Associates.
Nero (extracts) 114
Bibliography 163
Index 165
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Illustrations
1 Nero as a child 7
2 Agrippina 10
3 Nero and Agrippina: Aureus, circa 54–55 ce 17
4 Portrait herm of Seneca 22
5 Nero as Apollo with a lyre 43
6 The port of Ostia 51
7 Vaulted hall of the “Domus Aurea” 75
8 Late portrait of Nero 96
9 Peter Ustinov as Nero (Quo Vadis, 1951) 112
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Timeline
37 Nero (until the year 50 his name is officially Lucius
Domitius Ahenobarbus) is born as the son of
Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Julia Agrippina
(twenty-three years old at the time) in Antium
(December 15).
37–41 Reign of Caligula.
41–54 Reign of Claudius.
49 Claudius marries his niece Agrippina. Seneca be-
comes Nero’s tutor. Nero performs in public for
the first time. Nero is engaged to Octavia (about
ten years old), daughter of Claudius.
50 Claudius adopts Nero (February 25).
51 Nero comes of age, a year earlier than is usual. He
speaks before the Senate.
53 Nero marries Octavia. The Parthians invade
Armenia.
54 Claudius dies (October 13). Nero is named princeps.
His advisors are Burrus and Seneca. His “policy
statement” is well received. Agrippina has Junius
Silanus murdered since he is a rival. The Parthians
occupy Armenia. Corbulo is appointed commander-
in-chief in the eastern provinces.
55 Britannicus dies. Seneca publishes De clementia.
Agrippina is stripped of her power. Nero falls in
love with the freedwoman Acte.
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x timeline
56 Nero’s nightly escapades in Rome. Senatorial de-
bate on secondary issues is viewed as a sign of a
new liberality.
57 A new amphitheater is built. Generous gift of
money (congiarium) to the people of Rome.
58 Nero supports impoverished senators. Corbulo dis-
ciplines the troops before starting his campaign
and then conquers Artaxata, the capital ofArmenia.
Nero receives decrees of honor. Nero declines oppor-
tunity to be a consul for life. Seneca is attacked.
Poppaea Sabina becomes Nero’s lover. Thrasea
Paetus enters the Senate.
59 Agrippina is murdered. Nero’s first semi-public
performances as a singing kithara player and char-
ioteer at the Juvenalia games. Corbulo conquers
Tigranocerta in Armenia.
60 Corbulo installs Tigranes as king of Armenia. The
“Neronia” games are held. Rubellius Plautus is
exiled as an alleged rival.
61 Revolt of Boudicca in Britain.
62 The maiestas law (high treason law) is reinstituted.
Burrus dies. Faenius Rufus and Ofonius Tigellinus
command the praetorian guard. Seneca withdraws
from public life. Cornelius Sulla is executed as a
rival in Massilia, as is Rubellius Plautus in Asia
Minor. Nero gets divorced from Octavia and she
is executed shortly thereafter (June 9). Nero
marries Poppaea Sabina. Praetorian prefect Ofonius
Tigellinus has a growing influence on Nero. New
fighting ensues against the Parthians after Tigranes
is driven out.
63 Birth of Nero’s daughter Claudia Augusta, who dies
a few months later.
64 Nero performs publicly as a kitharode in Naples
for the first time. Sudden postponement of his
planned trip to Greece. The Great Fire of Rome
(July 18–19). Christians are executed as alleged
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