Emperor Nero
1.0 Historical Background of Nero
Emperor Nero was the last emperor of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty in Rome. Nero was actually born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger in December AD37. Nero’s father was employed as a praetor and a staff member of Emperor Caligula, and was charged with murder, cheating, treason, adultery and incest by the previous emperor, Emperor Tiberius. Succeeding this is Emperor Caligula, but upon Nero’s father’s death in AD39 when Nero was just two years, Nero and his mother was banished.
In AD41, Emperor Caligula and his family was murder. This led to Emperor Claudius to rise into power. Emperor Claudius was the uncle of Agrippina, Nero’s mother, and with his succession both were recalled back from banishment and Nero was given a good education. Emperor Claudius was married twice and in his third marriage he fathered a son and a daughter. In AD48 Emperor Claudius had his wife executed and in AD49, married Agrippina. In AD50 Agrippina had Emperor Claudius adopt Nero thus making Nero the apparent heir to the throne before Emperor Claudius’s own son Britannicus. Here, Nero took his current name Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus. These names were chosen carefully and part of it in honour of Nero’s grandfather Germanicus who was a commander in the army. In AD51 Nero was official announced as the heir to the throne and declared an adult. In AD53, Nero married his step-sister Claudia Octavia
Before marriage to Emperor Claudius, Agrippina was also married once before, but she murdered her second husband using poison. In AD54, Emperor Claudius died and the cause of death is again most likely poison and in the hand of Agrippina. Before the age of seventeen, Nero became Emperor Nero, the youngest Emperor in history. However as Emperor Nero is not yet seventeen, Agrippina acted as a regent for the moment. Emperor Nero’s rule was classified as strongly influenced by his mother, his tutor Lucius
Emperor Nero was the last emperor of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty in Rome. Nero was actually born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger in December AD37. Nero’s father was employed as a praetor and a staff member of Emperor Caligula, and was charged with murder, cheating, treason, adultery and incest by the previous emperor, Emperor Tiberius. Succeeding this is Emperor Caligula, but upon Nero’s father’s death in AD39 when Nero was just two years, Nero and his mother was banished.
In AD41, Emperor Caligula and his family was murder. This led to Emperor Claudius to rise into power. Emperor Claudius was the uncle of Agrippina, Nero’s mother, and with his succession both were recalled back from banishment and Nero was given a good education. Emperor Claudius was married twice and in his third marriage he fathered a son and a daughter. In AD48 Emperor Claudius had his wife executed and in AD49, married Agrippina. In AD50 Agrippina had Emperor Claudius adopt Nero thus making Nero the apparent heir to the throne before Emperor Claudius’s own son Britannicus. Here, Nero took his current name Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus. These names were chosen carefully and part of it in honour of Nero’s grandfather Germanicus who was a commander in the army. In AD51 Nero was official announced as the heir to the throne and declared an adult. In AD53, Nero married his step-sister Claudia Octavia
Before marriage to Emperor Claudius, Agrippina was also married once before, but she murdered her second husband using poison. In AD54, Emperor Claudius died and the cause of death is again most likely poison and in the hand of Agrippina. Before the age of seventeen, Nero became Emperor Nero, the youngest Emperor in history. However as Emperor Nero is not yet seventeen, Agrippina acted as a regent for the moment. Emperor Nero’s rule was classified as strongly influenced by his mother, his tutor Lucius