NERO. CLAUDIUS CJBSUL 



NERVA, MARCUS COCCEIU8. 



alive, and accordingly induced Nero to oooMot to tbo murder of hia 

 lartsw. The entreaties of PoppM appear to bare been supported by 

 the advice of Burras and Seoeca, and the philosopher did not hesitate 

 to palliate or justify the murder of a mother by her sou. (Tacit., 

 'Ann..' xiv. 11 ; Quint, ' lust Orat, 1 viii. c. 5.) 



In the euhth year of his reign Nero lost hit bait councilor Burru*, 

 and Seneca had the wisdom to withdraw from the court, where bu 

 prreeuce had become disliked, and where hia enormous wealth was 

 calculated to excite the envy even of the emperor. About the same 

 time Nro divorced Octavia and married Popptea, and soon after put 

 Uctavia to death on a false accusation of adultery and treason. 



In the tenth year of bis reign, A.D. 64, Home was almost destroyed 

 by fire. Of the fourteen districts into which the city was divided, 

 four only remained entire. The fire originally began at that part of 

 the Circus which was contiguous to the Palatine and Cceliuu hills, and 

 raged with the greatest fury for six days and seven nights ; and after 

 it was thought to have been extinguished, it burst forth again and 

 continued for two days longer. Nero appears to have acted on this 

 occasion with the greatest liberality and kindness ; the city was supplied 

 with provisions at a very moderate price ; and the imperial gardens 

 were thrown open to the sufferers, and buildings were erected fur their 

 acooinmodatiou. But these acts of humanity aud b nevolence were 

 insufficient to screen him from the popular suspicion. It was generally 

 believed that ho hid ret fire to the city himself, and some even reported 

 that be hsd ascended the top of a high tower in order to witness the 

 conflagration, where he amus d himself with hinging the destruction 

 of Troy. From many circumstances it appears improbable that Nero 

 was guilty of tl i< crime. Hia guilt indeed is expressly asserted by 

 Suetonius and Dion, but Tacitus admits that h was not able to deter- 

 mine the truth of the accusation. In order however to remove the 

 suspicions of the people, Nero spread a report that the Chri-tim.- 

 were the author* of the fire, and numbrrs of them were seized and 

 pat to death. Their execution served as on amusement to the people. 

 Some were covered with skins of wild blasts, and were torn to death 

 by dogs, others were crucified, and several were smeared with pitch 

 and other combustible materials, and burned in the imperial gardens 

 in the night : " Whence," says the historian, " pity arose for the 

 guilty, though they deserved the severest punishments, since they 

 were put to death not for the public good, but to gratify the cruelty 

 of one num." (Tacit, ' Ann.' xv. 44.) 



In the following year. A.D. 65, a powerful conspiracy was formed for 

 the purpose of placing Piao njiou the throne, but it was discovered by 

 Nero, and the principal conspirators were put to death. Among others 

 who suffered on this occasion were Lucan and Seneca; but the guilt 

 of the litter i d .ubtful. In the same year Popptcn died, in conse- 

 quence of a kick which she receive 1 from her husband, while she was 

 in an advanced ttut of pregnancy. On the death of Popptaa Nero 

 wished to marry Antonia, daughter of the emperor Claudius, snd his 

 sister by adoption, but she refused, and WHS iu consequence put to 

 death. He however married Statila Mescalina, having first caused her 

 husband Veetuius to be killed. 



During the latter part of his reign Nero was principally engaged in 

 theatrical performances, and in contending for the prizes at the public 

 games. He had previously appeared as sn actor upon the Roman 

 stage ; and be now visited in succession the chief cities of Greece, and 

 received no leas than 1800 crowns for his victories in the public 

 Grecian games. On his return to Italy he entered Naples and Rome 

 as a conqueror, and was received with triumphal honours. But while 

 he was engaged in these extravagancies, Viudex, who commanded the 

 legions in Gaul, declared against his authority ; and his example was 

 speedily followed by Oalbe, who commanded in Spain, and who had 

 jut learnt that Nero had issued ord> rs for bis death. The I'netoriau 

 cohorts espoused the cause of Ualba, an I the senate pronounced 

 sentence of death against Nero, who bad fledfrom Rome as soon as he 

 beard of the revolt of the Pratorian cohorts. Nero however anticipated 

 UM execution of the sentence by requ. >tng one of bis attendants to 

 put him to death, after making an ineffectual attempt at suicide. He 

 died, A D. 68, in the thirty-second year of bis age, aud the fourteenth 

 of his reign. 



Nero was a licentious voluptuary, and lie scrupled at committing 

 no crimes in order to gratify bis lust or strengthen bis power ; but 

 that he was such a monster as Suetonius and Dion have described him, 

 snay admit of doubt The possession of absolute power at so early an 



S tended to call forth all the wont passions of human nature, while 

 example and counsels of his mother Agrippiua most have still 

 further tended to deprave bis mind. Though he put to death his 

 adoptivx brother, his wife, and his mother, his character appeara to 

 have been originally rather fccUe than sanguinary ; and lie never 

 equalled in bis worst actions either the capricious cruelty of Caligula 

 or the sullen ferocity of Domitian. Nero was a lover of the arts, and 

 appear* to have possessed more ta-U than many of the emperors, 

 who only resembled him in their profiue ex|*iniiture. The Apollo 

 Belvedere is mppo>ed by Thiersch (' Bpochen der bildenden Kuust 

 nater den Oriecneo,' p. 812), and some other writers, to have been 

 made for this emperor. 



During UM reign of Nero the Roman empire enjoyed in general a 

 profound HaU of peace. In UM Eat* the Parthians were defeated by 

 Corbnlo; and in the West UM Britons, who bad risen in arms under 



Boadicea, were again reduced to subjection by Suetonius and Paulinus. 



[BOADICEA.] 



(TUlemont, Ui*. da Umperenri, vol. L) 



Coin of Nero. 

 British Museum. Actual site. Copper. 



Bcrerses of Coins of Nero. 



NERTA, MARCUS COCCEIUS, the thirteenth Roman emperor, 

 was born at Narnia, in Umbria, iu A.D. 27, according to Eutropius 

 (viii. 1), or in A.D. 82, according to l>ion (Ixviii. 4). His family 

 originally came from Crete ; but several of bis ancestors rose to the 

 highest dignities in the Roman state. Hia grandfather Cocceiun 

 Nerva, who was consul A.D. 22, and was a great favourite of the 

 Emperor Tiberius, was one of tlie most celebrated jurists of his age. 

 We learn from Tacitus that be put an cud to bis own life. (' Ann.,' 

 vi. 28.) 



Coin of Xcrva. 

 British Museum. Actual site. Copper. 



Nerva is first mentioned iu history as a favourite of Nero, who 

 bestowed upon him triumphal honours, A.D. CC, wheu he was prater 

 elect. The poetry of Nerva, which Li mentioned with pr:i. 

 and Martial, appears to 1 .mended him to the favour oi 



Nerva was employed in offices of trust and honour durin. 

 of Veapasian and Titus, but ho incurred the suspicion of Domitian, 

 and was bauiahed by him to Tarcntum. 



On the assassination of Domitiau on the IStli of September, A.D. 96, 

 Nerva succeeded to the sovereign power, chiefly through the influence 

 of Potronius SocunduH. "f i),, I'netoriau cohorts, and of 



I'm tlu-niuH, the chamberlain of the palace. The mild and equitable 

 administration of Nerva is acknowledged and piai-r.l by all ancient 

 writers, and formed a striking contrast to the sanguinary rule of his 

 predecessor. He discouraged all informer*, recalled the exiles 

 banishment, relieved the [wople from some oppressive taxes, and 

 granted toleration to the Christiana. Many instances of his clemency 

 and liberality arc recorded by bis contemporary the younger Pliny"? 

 be allowed no senator to be put to death during his rcij.: 

 tisnrl the greatest economy in order to relieve the wants of the 

 poorer citizens. But his impartial administration of justice met with 

 little favour from the Prwtoriao cohorts, who had been allowed by 

 I i<>mituui to indulge in excesses of every Liud. Enraged at the loss 

 of Uieir benefactor and favourite, they compelled Nerva to deliver 

 into their bauds Partbeuius and their own commander Pctronius, 

 both of whom they put to death. The excesses of his own guards 

 convinced Nerva that the government of the Roman empire required 

 greater energy both of body and mind than he possessed ; and he 



