cla160 - seutonius Nero's Life and Reign from Suetonius

Family Background of Nero

• Roots of the Ahenobarbi Family
  • Branches: Calvini and Ahenobarbi.
  • Founder: Lucius Domitius, associated with twins who symbolically changed his beard color as an omen.
• Ancestral Achievements
  • Consulships, triumphs, censorships, and ascendance to patrician status.
  • Naming conventions reflect their lineage: predominantly named Gnaeus and Lucius.

Gnaeus Domitius’ Role in Early Roman Politics

• Conflict with Pontifices
  • Angry over exclusion from priestly positions.
  • Achieved military victories against Allobroges and Arverni.

Nero’s Immediate Family

• Parentage
  • Born to Domitius and Agrippina, daughter of Germanicus.
  • Significant family predicaments: father died early, mother banished, inheritance seized by Caligula.
• Childhood Education
  • Tutors included a dancer and a barber, illustrating an unconventional upbringing.

Ascension to Power

• Adoption by Claudius
  • Becomes heir after being adopted; witnessed familial maneuvers against Claudius’ son, Britannicus.
• Nero’s First Public Appearances
  • He displays gifts for public speaking and political maneuvering at a young age.

Nero’s Reign

• Initial Reforms and Public Appeal
  • Declared to rule by Augustus’ standards, reducing taxes, and increasing public grain distributions.
• Public Entertainment
  • Organized various games and performances incorporating both social classes, showing a shift in Roman entertainment culture.
• Artistic Endeavors
  • Participated actively in musical and theatrical performances, blurring the lines between Emperor and entertainer.

Matricide and Family Turmoil

• Desire to Eliminate Rivals
  • Methods to maneuver against family members and rivals led to reputed poisonings and violent plots against Britannicus and Agrippina.

Final Years and Downfall

• Investment in Extravagance
  • Severe financial strain due to overextensive public works and lavish expenses; increasingly unpopular.
• Reaction to Rebellions
  • With uprisings led by Vindex, Nero attempted harsh repressions, ultimately leading to his abandoned rule.
• Suicide
  • As his reign crumbled, he took his own life in despair, indicating a drastic end to an infamous rule.

Legacy and Perception

• Posthumous Reputation
  • Mixed responses to his death; some wished for his return, while many rejoiced.
  • Continued attempts to reshape historical narrative surrounding his reign and artistic contributions despite notorious infamy.