Ancient History Rome: Nero's Reign Worsens

Nero's Character Worsens

What began as reckless eccentricity became more sinister...

This is perhaps most evidenced by Nero's treatment of his wives:

Octavia: Sister to Britannicus, she had been arranged to marry Nero under Agrippina's advice. With Agrippina dead Nero and his mistress Poppaea instead plotted to rid themselves of Octavia. She was first banished, but this attracted huge criticisms from the public, who pitied Claudius' daughter. Nero, rather than give in to the public outcry, ordered her death. She was forced to commit suicide, and her head was then cut off and brought to Poppaea as a gift
Poppaea Sabina: According to Tacitus, she had been instrumental in Agrippina's death, promising Nero marriage if he committed the deed. She became one of Nero's close advisers alongside Seneca and Burrus. Nero, in a notoriously horrific incident, kicked Sabina to death in a fit of rage. She was pregnant with Nero's daughter at the time
Statilia Messalina: This marriage was purely political, as she was the great-granddaughter of Statiilius Taurus, a decorated general under Augustus. Since Statilia was already married, Nero forced her husband to commit suicide before marrying her

The Great Fire, 64 AD

Public outrage at the scandals unfolding within the Imperial Household were radically worsened with the events of 64 AD
Fire, which was a common problem in an ancient city such as Rome, broke out on the 18th or 19th of July. Fires were exacerbated by the poor housing conditions in the city, mostly built of wood
However, this fire was unparalleled in its scale. It lasted six days. Only four of the fourteen Augustan districts were untouched, and three were entirely destroyed
Nero's handling of the fire was condemned as a sign of his inability to rule, and some even claimed Nero himself had a hand in beginning the fire for his own gain

The Great Fire: Activity

What do the sources believe regarding Nero's involvement in the fire? Do they claim he is to blame for it?

Nero took to the stage when the city was burning and sang about the fall of Troy
"a disaster followed, whether accidental or treacherously contrived by the emperor, is uncertain"
Nero blamed the Christians and tortured them. There was "mockery", they were "covered with the skins of beasts", "torn by dogs", "nailed to crosses" and set on fire
Claims that Nero wasn't even in Rome when the fire started. Apparently he was in Antium

"He brazenly set fire to the city"
He was "disgusted by the drab old buildings"
When someone said "when I am dead, be Earth consumed by fire", Nero quipped "Nay, while I live"
Nero took to the stage during the fire and sang about the sack of Ilium
Many ex-consuls reportedly caught Nero's attendants sneaking around with burning torches. He also had siege engine break down the walls of granaries to set fire to them from the inside

What steps did Nero take following the fire? What do each reveal about Nero as a ruler?

Supplies were brought in from Ostia and other neighbouring towns and the price of corn was reduced to three sesterces a peck
"He threw open to them the Campus Martius and the public buildings of Agrippa, and even his own gardens and raised temporary structures"
He made some improvements to the city and its safety by imposing height limits on buildings, improving access to water throughout the city, placing spaces between buildings and erecting colonnades
"these policies were not only practical buy they beautified the city"
He also built the Domus Aurea (Golden House) on top of the rubble of residential blocks "in which jewels and gold...were not so marvellous as the fields and lakes"
Side note - his building the Domus Aurea furthered the suspicions that he started the fire

"He bled the provincials white" by increasing taxes for a fire relief fund
He offered to remove corpses and rubble free of charge but would not allow anyone to search the ruins so he could loot everything
He wanted "all the spoils and beauty possible"

Nero's Handling of the Crisis

Though some positive steps were made by Nero for fire-prevention in the future, the rest of the crisis was handled terribly:

Nero's palace, the Domus Aurea (Golden House) demonstrated the indifference he had for the people
Nero's scapegoating of the Christians backfired, as many pitied their cruel fates and saw his punishments as a sign of barbarity rather than justice

The Pisonian Conspiracy 65 AD

Unsurprisingly, opposition to Nero began to arise in the wake of his crimes, the most significant of which was the "Pisonian Conspiracy" of 65 AD

The conspiracy was headed by Gaius Calpurnius Piso
He capitalised on the growing discontent at Nero's reign to pull together would-be revolutionaries from across Roman society, including Senators, Equestrians and members of the Praetorian Guard
The plot was ultimately foiled, and the retaliations exerted by Nero were brutal
However, the plot is considered the beginning of growing opposition to the emperor that ultimately brought about Nero's downfall in 68 AD

Ancient History Rome