7.14

Nero Emperor, 54–68 CE

Tacitus, Annals 13.7–9, 13.34–41, 14.23–26, 15.1–7, 15.24–31. Dio Cassius, Histories 62.19–23. Suetonius, Nero.

(1) Successit huic: Claudiō

Nerō: Claudius Caesar, surnamed Nero, was the son of Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina. His early youth was spent in study under the philosopher Seneca, who remained his counselor for several years. During the first five years of his reign he was mild and just. The later years were filled with all sorts of excesses, and were marked by great cruelty (Hazzard).

Caligulae avunculō suō simillimus: "very similar to his uncle Caligula," simillimus is the superlative form of similis (AG 291.b). For more information on the reign of Caligula, see Brev. 7.12

ut quī: "in as much as he," (LS ut I.B.4.c) followed by imperfect subjunctive in a sort of result clause (AG 537)

(2) tantō dēdecōre: "in such a disgraceful manner that..." tantō introduces a result clause (AG 537)

prōstituit: "exposed to public shame" (OLD prostituo 2).

frātre, uxōre, sorōre, mātre interfectīs: ablative absolute with a perfect passive participle (AG 419). According to Bird, "Nero was responsible for the deaths of his stepbrother Britannicus, his first wife Octavia, his mother Agrippina, and, by accident, his second wife Poppaea Sabina." (Suet. Nero 33–35)

Urbem Rōmam incendit: It is very improbable that Nero was guilty of this crime. Rome was almost destroyed in this conflagration. Of the fourteen districts into which the city was divided, only four remained untouched by the flames. The fire raged 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. On this occasion Nero appears to have acted with great liberality and kindness. He caused provisions to be sold at a very low price and the imperial gardens to be opened to the people, and temporary shelters to be erected for their accommodation. That he might remove suspicion from himself, Nero caused it to be reported that the Christians had set fire to the city, and a number of them were seized and put to death. This was the first persecution of the Christians by the Romans, 64 CE (Hazzard). The historian Tacitus' description of this scapegoating is one of the earliest mentions of Christians in extant Roman literature. He writes:

ut spectāculī eius imāginem cerneret, quālī ōlim Trōia capta ārserat: "in order that he might see the likeness of that spectacle which Troy once presented when it was captured and burned" (Bird). Purpose clause (AG 563).

(4) ausus: semi-deponent verb > audēo

Britanniam paene āmīsit: In 60 CE Boudicca, queen of the Iceni, rebelled and devastated Camulodunum (Colchester), London and also Verulamium (St. Albans).

sub iugum: "under the yoke" (see the English "subjugate," LS iugum I.B.4). L. Caesennius Paetus surrendered to the Parthians at Rhandeia in 62 CE after Cn. Domitius Corbulo had subdued Armenia and placed Tigranes on the throne as their client king. The report that Paetus' army was sent under the yoke is dismissed by Tacitus but accepted by Suetonius, Eutropius, and Orosius (Bird).

(5) Pontus Polemōniacus: see Pontus Polemōniacus

Alpēs Cottiae: see Alpēs Cottiae