Emperor Nero - by Difan Li
One of the most infamous emperors throughout Roman history was the Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. Perhaps most well known for his cruelty and lavish lifestyle as well as the alleged responsibility he had over the burning of Rome (and the story of him fiddling as the fire grew), Nero continues to remain a prominent figure in history. He was born December 15th, 37 A.D., and was brought up by his mother, Agrippina the Younger, and great-uncle, the emperor Claudius. In order for her son to gain power and ascend the throne, Agrippina used vicious methods of murder to get rid of any opponents. At first, Nero was known to be generous and merciful, and showed great interest in the arts. However, his relationships began to grow sour and he had his mother murdered and later, his wife. On July 18th, 64 A.D., fire ignited on the Aventine Hill and burned for six days straight. Over the course of 9 days, two-thirds of Rome had been consumed by the flames, destroying seventy percent of the city. Nero, who was not in Rome during that time, decided to build a palace in the now cleared area upon his return. He had the Domnus Aurea, or Golden House, constructed, and rumors began to spread that he had caused the fire for this very reason. Financial troubles started brewing, and Nero believed that people were plotting to assassinate him. The Senate finally turned against him and Nero, with nowhere to go, took his own life. His final words were recorded to be “What an artist dies in me!” The name Nero has become synonymous to horror and violence, yet it is unclear whether Nero was truly the evil figure that history has painted him to become.
Works Cited
History.com Editors. “Nero.” HISTORY, 21 Aug. 2018, www.history.com/topics/
“Nero - the Approaching End | Britannica.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/biography/
The Infographics Show. “What Made Emperor Nero the Most Evil Man.” YouTube, 28 Sept. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=
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