Contents | Index
Overview
Nero
The Roman Empire beyond Italy was divided into about 40 provinces
(territories), with each province having its own governor who kept order and collected
taxes for Rome. He was either appointed by the emperor or named by the Senate.
During the first century A.D. the Roman Empire was near its peak with a
population of 50-60 million. This was more than 1/5 of the world's population at
that time. Jesus lived and died during the period known in Roman history as the
Pax Romana or the "Peace of Rome".
It was an amazing time in history when the risen Jesus empowered His church to
go into all the world to preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In fact the apostles journeyed throughout the Mediterranean world which was part
of the Roman Empire. They traveled through Roman cities on Roman roads and
everywhere that they traveled they came into contact with Rome.
Julius Caesar had a dream for Rome but he was assassinated before he could see
it fulfilled. The big problem was who would become the next emperor after his
assassination. Very few had expected the young Octavian (Augustus) to become
the chief heir and new emperor after Julius Caesar, but it was Augustus who
turned out to be the most important emperor in all of Roman history.
Augustus was very aware of what had happened with Julius Caesar, and desired
to avoid the same problems with the Roman Senate. He wanted his stepson Tiberius
to be emperor after his death and to make sure that this would happen he began
to share his power with Tiberius. When Augustus died in 14 A.D. Tiberius was
easily accepted as emperor. In fact this became the new way that emperors would
be chosen. Each emperor would choose a successor from among his family or he
would adopt someone who he thought would be fit to rule after him.
During the 200 years after the death of Augustus, four dynasties (family
lines) ruled the Roman Empire. Some of the emperors in each dynasty were somewhat
moral emperors and others were horribly cruel. Each of the four dynasties ended
with a violent overthrow of an unfit emperor.
Augustus’ family line ended in disgrace in 68 A.D. with the Emperor Nero, who came to
power when he was a young boy at the age of 17. Nero Claudius Caesar was born in
December of 37 A.D. at Antium and reigned as the fifth emperor (Princeps) of
Rome, from 54-68 A.D. under the political system created by Augustus after Civil
War had finally put an end to the Roman Republic.
Throughout the early years of his rule Nero was directed by his tutors
(including the famous writer Seneca) and there was peace throughout the Empire. The
Emperor Nero loved performing in the Theatre, races and games. He was not
respected by the senators or the army. He was criticized by the people of Rome for
being more interested in entertaining himself than in governing the empire.
However, when his main advisors had either retired, or were dead, Nero revealed his
true character. It did not take long for the people to realize that Nero was a
tyrant. In 59 A.D. Nero executed his mother, his wife, Claudius’s son Britannicus, and several of his advisors and anyone that opposed him was
executed.
In 64 A.D. a devastating fire swept through Rome destroying everything in its
path. Everyone thought that Nero had started the fire so that he could rebuild
a more beautiful city, including his Golden House. According to the Roman
historian Suetonius, Nero sang and played the lyre while Rome burned. When Nero felt
that the rumor had turned everyone against him he found some scapegoats to
bare the blame for the fire, the Christians. He punished them severely and had
many of them burned alive or torn apart by wild beasts. It is believed that the
apostles Paul and Peter were martyred during this persecution.
There were many who sought Nero’s death and in 68 A.D. his own army rebelled against him and various military
commanders attempted to seize the throne. The Emperor Nero was forced to flee
from Rome and soon afterward he committed suicide. He was the last emperor who
was of the dynasty of Augustus (Julio-Claudian dynasty).
The main people involved in the life of Nero were:
- Nero Himself - Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus
- Agrippina - Nero's dominating mother
- Claudius - The emperor before Nero
- Octavia - Claudius' daughter and Nero's first wife
- Britannicus - Claudius' son and rightful heir to the throne
- Seneca and Burrus - Nero's trusted tutors
- Poppaea - Nero's second wife
- Galba - General in Spain and the next emperor of Rome
Important events that happened during the life of Nero:
- The Great Fire of Rome – 64 A.D.
- The First Imperial 'Persecution' of Christians – 64 A.D.
- The first Jewish Revolt Against Rome – 66 A.D.
The main historical sources about the life of Nero were:
- Tacitus Tacitus Publius Cornelius (55-120 A.D. approx.)
- Suetonius Svetonius Tranquillus (70-140 A.D. approx.)
- Cassius Dio Dion Cassius Cocceianus (155-235 A.D. approx.)
- Jewish and Christian Tradition
