Facts about Nero
Returning to Rome after the following year, Nero found quite a cold atmosphere; Gaius Julius Vindex, the governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, revolted, and this brought Nero to a paranoid hunt for eventual threats.
Nero was older than his adoptive brother Britannicus and effectively became heir to the throne at the time of his adoption.
Nero turned to those with him and joked, "I'll take it off at once."
Nero (at the time called Lucius) came to the attention of his uncle soon after his birth.
Otho early introduced Nero to one particular woman who would marry first the favorite (Otho) and then the emperor: Poppaea Sabina, described as a woman of great beauty, charm, and wit.
Nero’s scapegoats were the perfect choice because it temporarily relieved pressure of the various rumors going around Rome.
Hated by many citizens, with an increasing list of political enemies, Nero started to appreciate his loneliness, when in 65 C.E.
On February 25, 50, Lucius was officially adopted by Claudius as Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus.
Britannicus was a likely heir to Nero and ensuring her influence over him could strengthen her position.
Galen believed that this idea originated with Hippocrates, though it is possible that it predated him.
The first five years under Nero became known as examples of fine administration, even resulting in the coinage of the term "Quinquennium Neronis."
Fifteen-year-old Britannicus was still legally a minor under the charge of Nero but was approaching legal adulthood.
Nero was 17 years old when he became emperor, the youngest Rome had seen.
Nero disregarded many of decrees and acts as the work of a madman and a dotard.
By all accounts Otho was as dissolute as Nero but served as a good and intimate friend to him.
A Jewish legend contained in the Talmud (tractate Gittin 56B) claims that Nero shot four arrows to the four corners of the earth, and they fell in Jerusalem.
Nymphidius corrupted the imperial guard, which turned against Nero on the promise of financial reward by Galba.
Nero later said that he was haunted by his mother's ghost in the wisp of torch lights.
A literal translation would be "this is fidelity," but "what faithfulness" is probably closer to what Nero meant.
Nero, however, loved to perform before a crowd and craved the attention and applause.
Popular legend remembers Nero as a pleasure seeker who engaged in petty amusements while neglecting the problems of the Roman city and empire and as the emperor who metaphorically "fiddled while Rome burned."
Portions of his biography of Nero appear openly hostile, and while it might be possible that Nero's rule invited such hostility, some modern historians question the accuracy of his account.
Nero's participation went along with huge sums of bribery; the Greeks postponed the games upon Nero's wish and furthermore introduced the chariot race.
Nero had to find a scapegoat of his own, and chose for his target a small Eastern sect called the Christians.
In ancient Greek, the language of the New Testament, Nero was referred to as Neron Caesar, which has the numerical value of 666.
Sibylline Oracles, Book 3, allegedly written before Nero's time, prophesies antichrist and identifies him with Nero.
The last sentence may be a rhetorical construct of the author designed to further damn Nero, rather than reportage of actual Roman sympathy for the Christians, which seems unlikely to many historians.
Nero considered himself a great artist and performer, and did not hesitate to show off his "gifts."
The fault of Nero in this rebellion is debatable but there was certainly an impact (both positive and negative) upon the prestige of his regime.
A magnificent villa in Olympia was erected for Nero's stay (and can be visited at the archaeological site).
Ambitious, Tigellinus managed to become a favorite of Nero (and, reputedly, his lover).
Nero's great-grandparents were Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Aemilia Lepida and their son, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, was Nero's paternal grandfather.
Ancient sources and scholars favor Nero as the arsonist, but massive accidentally started fires were common in ancient Rome and this was probably no exception.
Nero proceeded to declare the divorce on grounds of infertility, leaving him free to marry Poppaea and wait for her to give birth.
In 66 C.E., though Nero doted on Poppaea, he reportedly kicked her to death while she was pregnant and ill, because she complained that he came home late from the races.
Nero was reportedly unsatisfied with his marriage and tended to neglect Octavia.
Gossip of Nero, Otho, and Poppaea each forming parts of a love triangle can be found in numerous sources (Plutarch Galba 19.2–20.2; Suetonius Otho; Tacitus two versions: Histories ; Annals ; and Dio Cassius.
When Poppaea became pregnant, Nero finally decided to marry his mistress, but his marriage to Octavia had to be dissolved before doing so.
By 58 C.E., Poppaea had become established in her position as Nero's favorite mistress.
Over the years, this rumor became the legend that Nero had fiddled as Rome burned, an impossible act as the fiddle had not yet been invented.
Other sources, however, state that Nero uttered his last words as he lay bleeding to death on the floor.
Born in Antium, near Rome, on December 15, 37 C.E., Nero was the only son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger, sister and reputed lover of Caligula.
One of these later writers is Commodianus, whose Institutes 1.41 states that the future antichrist will be Nero returned from hell.
Rumors circulated that Nero had played his lyre and sang, on top of Quirinal Hill, while the city burned.
Born into great wealth and luxury with little training in administration, a life of indolence was probable for Nero.
At the time, the confused population searched for a scapegoat and soon rumors held Nero responsible.
When Nero was born, he was not expected to become Augustus (a title that is honorific of the first citizen).
Burrus died and Seneca asked Nero for permission to retire from public affairs.
Historians generally consider Nero to have acted as a figurehead early in his reign.
Nero thus realized that the Lord would punish him for destroying his Temple, so he fled Rome and converted to Judaism, to avoid such retribution.
