Featured How Bad Was Nero?

If you were to conduct a "man-in-the-street" interview with passersby and ask them, "Do you know the names of some Roman Emperors", you would, no doubt, get the names, from some of the folks you asked, of a few of the better known ones. Perhaps those interested in Biblical or religious history might name Augustus, Tiberius or perhaps Constantine. Those in Britain might name Claudius or Hadrian and many would answer with Julius Caesar although, technically, he is not usually considered to have been an emperor. But you can almost guarantee that one of the Roman emperors would be frequently mentioned, maybe more than any other, Nero Caesar Augustus Drusus Germanicus, or just plain, Nero. If you went further and asked them what they know about him you would get answers like "He's the one who killed his mother, burned down most of Rome and fed all those Christians to the lions". A few of the more literate interviewees might throw in killing his brother and his long time tutor along with his very pregnant wife. Not exactly an encouraging Vita for a job interview.

Of course most historians discount the more lurid biographies of the Roman emperors such as have been left to us by the likes of Tacitus, Suetonius and Dio Cassius, all of whom would have done well today for writing the scripts of daily TV soap operas. But Hollywood and TV have done a very good job of presenting Nero, thanks to those biographies, as a monster, and to be honest, it does seem difficult not to see him as a warped, even depraved individual whose reign for Rome was disastrous

There are biographies out there (and no shortage of them) which paint Nero as a kind of dual personality. The early part of his reign shows him to be sensitive young man, a starving artist type, wanting g to be loved for his artistic talents but constantly being ordered about, nagged, criticized and hectored by one of the most domineering woman of Roman History, Agrippina the Younger. The defense for Nero argues that he tried to be the dutiful son of Agrippina but that he drew the line at not sharing the power to rule, even with "the best of mothers". When she threated to pull a Claudius or Britannicus on him if he did not, he acted in self defense. That he killed his pregnant wife, Poppaea, seems doubtful as he and she seemed to get on well with each other. It is true that he ordered the forced suicide of his teacher and advisor, Seneca, but he may actually have been involved in a plot to overthrow Nero.

What had him seen in a really bad light was his love of all things Greek. He tried introducing a more Hellenic tone to the "games" but the Roman mob much preferred slaughter to athletics and poetry recitals and the upper class were scandalized that an emperor would race chariots in a public venue. The mob did not seem to mind that, though. What they did mind was a terrible fire that some thought Nero took advantage of for some urban renewal projects. That Nero started the Great Fire of 64 AD is discounted by modern historians and even ancient historians were aware that Nero was not even in the city when it started and that he did yeoman's work trying to aid the suffering victims. Still, all the new construction on the fire swept hills did not go over well. What Christians are very much aware of is that Nero launched a persecution of the early Christian Church in Rome to deflect any possible suspicion of the fire on him. How much of a persecution there was is debatable. Early Christian apologists may have exaggerated the scope and magnitude of the event for didactic purposes.

When matters began going downhill with the Jewish rebellion in the East, Nero lost much of his popularity with the average Roman and when several governors in the provinces came to believe Nero had a hit list, with their names on it, they struck first and Nero, abandoned by the Praetorian Guard, decided to die by his own hand, thus depriving Rome of such a great artist, as he himself believed.

Of his coinage, there is an abundance, most of it from the latter part of his reign with respect to his silver and gold as he reduced the weight and fineness of both in 64 AD. Gold and silver from before that reduction are scarce. His bronze coinage is abundant, again from the latter part of his reign. Below are some examples of his coinage. On the top from the left, is an As from 65 AD. On the reverse is the temple of Janus, whose doors were closed only in time of peace. Interestingly, the temple had doors but no roof. Nero was supposed to have been proud that he was a ruler who was able to close those doors, if only for a year or so. The coin is Sear 1974. Next is a big Dupondius of about 67 AD showing SECVRITAS. Sear 1968 Third from the left is another Dupondius with Roma seated of 67 AD. Sear 1966 The fourth coin is an aureus of 65 AD, of reduced weight, 6.95 grams. Sear 1927. Supposedly it was issued as part of the Neronian Games.

On the bottom row, again from the left, is a Nero tetradrachma from Antioch, Syria 14.3 grams. Next is an Alexandria tetradrachma with a bust of Alexandria on the reverse weighing in at 13.25 grams. The third from the left is not a denarius. It is Latin Language didrachma of Caesaraea of 7.17 grams from about 60 AD It is Sear 2055. On the reverse is a portrait of Claudius, the adoptive father of Nero. The last is a tetradrachma of an uncertain Syrian mint again showing Nero on the obverse and Claudius on the reverse. Sear 2053.

If you have any opinion on Nero as a "bad emperor" or any coins with him on them please share with our readers.

 

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If Seneca couldn't shape him up, could anyone?

Nero AR Hemidrachm of Caesaria, Cappadocia. c54-63 AD. NERO CLAVD DIVI CLAVD F CAESAR AVG GERMANI, laureate head right / Victory seated right on globe, writing on shield, SGI 616, RPC 3645. RIC 617. Sydenham 82.

 

Lead poisoning from all those lead-lined Flavian wine casks.
Get you every time,
J.T.

 

That is a very sharp coin. He looks more imperial, to me on this coin, than those issued in the West.

 

@kevin McGonigal your write up is a good one, thank you for taking the time and writing it !
I only have one Nero and yes most people that I show my coins to know who Nero is before most of the others.


Nero. 54-68 AD.
AE, Bronze As.
Obv: NERO CAESAR AVG
GERM IMP, laureate head right
Rev: S C across field,
winged Victory flying left,
holding shield inscribed
S P Q R. - Latin abreviation
(Senātus Populusque Rōmānus)
The Senate and People of Rome
RIC I 312; 8.89 grams

 

Nice write-up. Here’s a tet from Alexandria struck within a few months after the Great Fire.


Nero, Alexandria, Billon Tetradrachm, (24 mm, 13.08g), 64-65 AD (RY 11.), ΝΕΡΩ ΚΛΑY ΚΑΙΣ ΣΕΒ ΓΕΡ Radiate bust of Nero to right, wearing aegis./ Rev. ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑ - L ΙA Eagle, wings closed, standing left with palm frond behind; in field to right, simpulum. RPC I 5284.

 

Your coin has a very pleasing appearance. That is something very important to me, not a coin's scarcity, but its general appearance.

 

A Nero denarius I bought in one of Frank S. Robinson's recent auctions:

Nero AR denarius, 64-65 AD Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS / Rev. Jupiter seated left, holding thunderbolt and scepter, IVPPITER CVSTOS. RIC I 52 [old RIC I 45], RSC II 119, BMCRE 74. 18 mm., 3.1 g.

 

Here is another Roman monument lost to history. Nero's Arch was thought to be torn down shortly after Nero's suicide. The Arch was Located on the slope of the Capitoline Hill in a locality referred to as inter duos lucos but nothing has been found to verify the exact location.





Nero (Augustus)
Coin: Brass Sestertius
NERO CLAVD CAESAR AVG GER P M TR P IMP P P - Laureate head left
SC - S C: View of triumphal arch, showing front and left hand side; above, the Emperor in a quadriga escorted by Victory; arch is heavily ornamented and decorated with statues of Pax, Mars and two soldiers
Exergue:



Mint: Rome (circa 64 AD)
Wt./Size/Axis: 25.29g / 35.4mm / 6h
Rarity: Common
References:
RIC I 144
WCN 134
Provenances:
From the collection of a Texas Wine Doctor.
purchased from Paul Rynearson, 30 September 1991
Classical Numismatic Group, Inc.
Acquisition/Sale: CNG Internet 427 #430 $0.00 08/18
Notes: Jan 4, 19 - The Gary R. Wilson Collection

 

Great set of Nero coins Kevin, here's one of his Denarius the temple of Vesta

 

Nero Tets


RI Poppea-Nero BI tetradrachm of Alexandria LI yr10 63-64AD Milne 217 RPC 5275


RI Nero AR Tetradrachm 54-68 CE Eagle

 

I love him with his neck beard

 

How bad was Nero? B.A.D.

The only Nero in FFIVN and my collection

 

I think Nero's main problem was that he hired a lousy public relations firm.

Here is one of my tetradrachms of Nero from Antioch.

SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Antioch, Dated RY 10 and year 112 of the Caesarean Era (AD 63/4). Laureate bust right, wearing aegis; • below / ETOYΣ BIP • I (date), eagle standing right on thunderbolt, with wings spread; • and palm frond to right. 13.4 grams.

 

How Bad Was Nero?

How bad was Hitler or Uncle Joe? Small type on purpose. Scotch ........

 

“How bad was Nero?”

“Yes.”



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coin:

 

..o wow...this is right down my line....just yesterday, i was talking to a friend about this very topic, Nero and the stories....i feel he got a raw remembrance on some things...his are some of my favorite coins..and there's more of his i'm going to get before i'm done..(hopefully) ..for brevity's sake, i'll just post two.. .Nero duponius and As..

 

Amusing question. Oddly I find myself taking Nero’s side, whilst being fully aware that I only have a rudimentary knowledge of the guy.

I suppose the main positive I see is through his association and elevation of Petronius – since the account Petronius gives of the civil war seems head and shoulder above most writings on economic history (at any time) that I am aware of.

But aside from that it troubles me that Nero’s setting of 8 denarii per uncia is so often written off as “a debasement” or some such. It was striking at 7 to the ounce that was crazy – moving to 8 was just plain rational.

What I had not noticed myself - but that Harl strongly brings out - is that the whole push to a planned billion fiat currency began with Nero in Egypt. Admittedly that ended badly – but not for Nero in Egypt – it only started to unravel a couple of centuries later. So credit for the innovation which failed under others maybe?

A final thought. Like Julius Caesar in Rome, or Wang Mang in China, Nero seems to have been taking on the vested interests of his own time. But Caesar and Mang came up through the political system, and they did it because they were by nature (surely?) very psychologically robust. Caesar seems to have stayed sane, Mang eventually lost his sanity. Given their circumstances, my surprise is Caesar stayed sane (?). Nero seems to have been more of an ordinary sort of bloke who got power and influence thrust onto him. If he ultimately cracked up under the pressures applied to him – that hardly surprises me. I suspect I might too.

Rob T

 

Compared to Caligula Nero is not so bad. And if his killing was seen as capricious, compared to a calculating Octavian or genocidal Julius Caesar, not nearly so extensive.

 

Good analysis. Nero, pitiable. Octavian, contemptible. Caligula, disturbing, Caesar, frightening.