“The Reign Of The Emperor Nero”

8 Pages 2020 Words

Nero, the fifth emperor of Rome, was originally named Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but his name was changed to Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar on February 25, 49 (Krasavin). He was connected by blood to the second Caesar, Augustus, through his father (Griffin 20). Nero was thought to be a born emperor; he addressed the Senate in Greek and had all of his petitions granted by the young age of fifteen (Krasavin).
Nero was of average height, had blemish-covered skin, and suffered from body odor. He had auburn-colored hair styled in ringlets. He had gray-blue eyes, a thick next, spindly legs, and was overweight (Lissner 126).
Nero was not a proficient speaker, and it is believed that his tutor Seneca, who was a great influence in the shaping of his character, wrote most of his speeches (Lissner 111, Krasavin). Nero studied almost all of the “liberal disciplines,” but his mother Agrippina believed that philosophy was an unsuitable subject for an emperor to study (Krasavin). Nero had a stepbrother named Britannicus, Claudius’s natural son, but Nero was declared the royal heir early on. In 53, Nero married Octavia, his half-sister (Griffin 29-30).
Nero’s ultimate succession to the throne was due to his mother, who had considerable power and influence in Roman politics. Many believe that Agrippina brewed the poison that killed Claudius so her son could take over the throne. On October 13, 54, Nero was officially proclaimed empersor of the Holy Roman Empire (Krasavin). When he ascended to the throne, Nero claimed that he had no enemies and that he was taking the throne free from any desire for revenge. He wanted to get rid of favoritism, lobbying for appointments, and corruption. He promised to reform the courts, give the Senate every freedom, and not declare war (Lissner 112).
However, Nero’s mother was very power-hungry. When Nero fell in love with a slave girl named Acte, Agrippina realized that she was losing her ...