Nero is one of the ancient world’s most infamous rulers.

The great-great-grandson of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus. The young Nero came to power in 54 CE, when he was just 16 years old. He succeeded his adoptive father, Emperor Claudius. Nero's uncle, Caligula, also became Emperor and suffered a bad reputation after his assasination.

Nero’s reign is also not looked back on in a positive way. Ancient authors such as Suetonius accuse Nero of wandering the streets at night and mugging people. Tacitus, known for biases, even more than Suetonius, states that Nero kicked his wife, Poppea, to death. Both of these are doubted, especially the latter, due to the lack of eyewitnesses. Nero is also held responsible by these authors for Rome’s great fire, which we will discuss.

The Fire of Rome: Nero’s Role

On the 18th of July, 64 CE, a fire began around the merchant shops near the Circus Maximus. According to Tacitus, Nero was away from Rome, in Antium, when the fire broke out. 

Flammable goods in shops and strong winds, as well as how tightly packed Rome was, made a fire at this scale inevitable. Eventually, the fire destroyed about 71% of Rome, with 10 districts completely destroyed.

A famed bust of Nero, part of which (red) is from antiquity. A 17th century sculpture had restored it,
showing facial features depicting the Emperor as evil or menacing.

As mentioned earlier, Nero was away at Antium, which dismisses the famous myth of Nero playing the lyre while the city burned, or that he started the fire. 

Nero immediately returned in the aftermath and started relief efforts, such as how Nero dedicated better building rules, dedicated public spaces and gardens to house refugees, and provided supplies to the city.

Nero's Response: How Was It?

Nero’s policies did cause harm too—particularly to Christians. Nero accused them for the fire to divert blame to an already persecuted minority. Nero also initiated heavy taxes onto the provinces for money, and devalued the Roman currency. 

Accusations by authors that Nero started the fire for his new house, the Domus Aurea (Golden House), were likely started by his quickness to rebuild neighborhoods in a Greek style, as well as his eagerness to rebuild his new palace. These rumors, though false, may reflect Roman public opinion.

Now that we have covered the great fire, perhaps the biggest point against Nero, let’s also discuss the many things Nero did in his reign which proved beneficial.

Rights to Artists and Minorities

In Rome, artists were seen as people at the lowest ranks of society, and they often faced ridicule and even persecution. Nero, however, considered himself an artist. Just like Taylor Swift, he held tours and concerts, played the lyre, and wrote many songs, none of which survive today. He also acted on stage.

Nero gave rights to artists, and promoted their hard work at an imperial level.

Nero also gave rights to slaves and workers, and that they could file complaints against their masters.

Top: Fresco painting showing an actor dressed as a king while a woman paints a theater mask,
Ministero della Cultura / Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.
Bottom: Fresco painting possibly depicting Nero as Apollo, playing the Lyre, Pompeii (Photo: x.com / @chapps)

Nero’s Initiatives

Nero ordered the building of amphitheaters, and reduced taxes (before the fire) on people, thus creating a prosperous economy. Nero also avoided war with Parthia over the long-disputed territory of Armenia.

However, there was a big downside to Nero here. Like his uncle, Caligula—Nero would spend lavishly. He ordered the construction of his Golden House, and built a huge colossus for himself, modeled after the famous Colossus of Rhodes, where it depicted the God Helios.

Nero spent so lavishly, that his general and succeeding Emperor, Vespasian, began to impose heavy taxes to fill up the Imperial treasury which had been drained by his overspending and the relief expenditure for the Great Fire.

Aureus of Nero, with his laureate head (obverse), and his colossal statue (reverse). 

That being said, Nero wasn’t as nasty as most people claim he was. In fact, he was a really good Emperor, though, of course, he is not blameless for the persecution of Christians in Rome and his lavish overspending.

That being said, this is the end of the article, see you in the next one.