Nero
Overview
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty
Julio-Claudian Dynasty
The Julio-Claudian dynasty normally refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula , Claudius, and Nero, or the family to which they belonged; they ruled the Roman Empire from its formation, in the second half of the 1st century BC, until AD 68, when the last of the line,...
. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death.
During his reign, Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy, trade, and enhancing the cultural life of the Empire. He ordered theaters built and promoted athletic games. During his reign, the redoubtable general Corbulo conducted a successful war and negotiated peace with the Parthian Empire
Parthian Empire
The Parthian Empire , also known as the Arsacid Empire , was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Persia...
.
Unanswered Questions
Discussions
Timeline
51 Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title ''princeps iuventutis'' (head of the youth).
53 Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia
54 Nero ascends to the Roman throne
55 Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, heir to the Roman Emperorship, dies under mysterious circumstances in Rome. This clears the way for Nero to become Emperor.
66 Emperor Nero creates the Legion I Italica.
68 Roman Emperor Nero commits suicide, after quoting Homer's ''Iliad''.
69 Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of emperor.
Quotations
Hidden talent counts for nothing.
Quoted in "The Flames of Rome" - Page 221 by Paul L. Maier - 1991