Roman Portraits: Nero

One of the most infamous emperor of the Romans. The traditional portrait of Nero's dissolute life derives at least in part from the years which followed soon after his accession.  First came the affair of Poppaea Sabina, who was the wife of a close friend and futher emperor, Otho; which resulted in divorce, exile, and murder of Nero's first wife, Octavia, Claudius's daughter. Nero then murdered his mother as well as his teacher Seneca.  Then came the great fire of Rome, which he blamed it on the Christians.  Rumor had it that he was playing a fiddle while Rome burned.  This may not be true; however, in the aftermath of the fire, his grand palace building did not win any favors with the populace.

Nero, last of the Julio-Claudians, had been placed in the difficult position of absolute authority at a young age coupled with the often-contradictory efforts of those in a position to manipulate him. Augustus, however, had not been much older when he began his bid for power, and so a great deal of the responsibility for Nero's conduct must also rest with the man himself.

Nero's reign was not without military operations (e.g., the campaigns of Corbulo against the Parthians, the suppression of the revolt of Boudicca in Britain), but his neglect of the armies was a critical error that led to a couple of key revolts toward the end of his reign which saw the rise of Galba.

Nero As, 26x27 mm, 10.0 g. Obverse: Nero laureate right, NERO CAESAR AVG GERM IMP. Reverse: Temple of Janus, with latticed window to left and closed double doors to right, PACE PR VBIQ PARTA IANVM CLVSIT, SC.