Some people would usually think that an emperor would lead their empire to victory or success. Nero on the other hand did the opposite. Nero the leader of the Roman Empire is full of entertainment, but when it came to the ruling of his empire he could not contain its riots and fires. Nero was born on 15 December AD 37. He was born with the name Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus before he became Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus. His Mother was Agrippina the Younger, the niece of the previous emperor Claudius (“Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus”).
Agrippina, the mother of Nero, ruled for a little bit because Nero was too young to rule over the Roman Empire. When Agrippina came to power she didn’t want to relax because she wanted to get back at all the rivals she has had before she took the throne. Her list of casualties with the aristocratic Romans stretched. Her first victim was the brother of the man who had an unsuccessful way of engagement to marry Nero’s wife Octavia. Nero was trying to meet up with this girl, Acte, he asked Otho to help him meet up with her secretly.
Agrippina was so profound when she found out that Nero was trying to meet up with Acte. She took the Roman view that a relationship with a Greek slut should not be allowed to get serious. Her enraged temperament found situations like this very hard to endure. Before Agrippina became in charge of the Roman Empire she wanted her son Nero to become the emperor of the Roman Empire (Grant). When Nero was three, his father died and his uncle, Caligula took power and banished Agrippina to never come back to Rome. When he was 41, his brother Claudius took over the throne and brought back Agrippina and took Nero as his son.
At that time before Claudius took Nero in he was living with his aunt which wasn’t that good of a living environment. Claudius also married Agrippina after her banishment. When Nero was being taken in by Claudius this is where he got his name Nero. On October 13, the Emperor Claudius died from being violently ill after dinner. Lots of rumors and stories have led to that Agrippina poisoned him so that Nero can take over the throne. Agrippina hired a woman to prepare a dish with poisoned mushrooms to kill Claudius (Boardman) Once Nero was old enough to rule the empire he did not want to share any ower with anybody. So he bought a new residency away from the imperial palace for his mother (“Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus”). At the time of the Great Fire Nero opened his Vatican Gardens to refugees. All of these things that Nero has done for the people still didn’t believe that Nero was the one who in charge of starting the fire. It was said that if there is a disaster the ruler should take the blame for it. The man of entertainment irresistibly tempted to try out these new fireworks he has been given. This fire was still burning for six day all throughout Rome.
After all of this disaster Nero constructed more to his mansion which joined the Gardens of Maecenas on the Esquiline. He also added another building which was dome-shaped with its halls shaped of the Greek cross. His backyard was what he called a huge lake which was a former swamp where the Colloseum now stands. This Golden House was full technical novelties, mechanical wonders, and curious gadgets (Grant). Since Nero was a man full entertainment and artistic skills he thought that he should take his talents in the theatres of Greece. He even competed in some Olympic games and won some of them.
While Nero was in Greece many terrible situations began to arise, like executions. Gaius Petronius, the former director of imperial pleasures, died because all of these executions have occurred. Numbers of senators, noblemen, and generals have been killed through these executions. Helius, who was left in charge while Nero was in Greece, had no other choice but to go to Greece to bring him back to help. When Nero arrived to Rome he was too late because all the Governors of each country were told to resign. German troops refused to follow the authority of Nero.
Because Nero wasn’t doing anything to restore his empire the senate condemned him to die. Instead of the senate killing him he committed suicide. His last words were, “Qualis artifex pereo,” which meant, “What an artist the world loses in me” (“Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus”). Nero left a legacy of terror and horror to the Roman Empire. Some of the terror did not come fully from Nero but also his mother, Agrippina. These two people worked almost as a tag team duo even though Nero did not like to share any power with anybody. Somehow these two people found a way to commit terror to the beautiful city of Rome.
