Nero

Family: Roman · Role: emperor · First appears: Book II, Chapter 12

After Claudius had ruled for thirteen years, eight months, and twenty days, he died and left Nero as his successor, despite having a son, Britannicus. Claudius had adopted Nero through Agrippina’s influence, and had married Nero to his daughter Octavia. In Lesser Armenia, Nero bestowed the kingdom on Aristobulus (son of Herod of Chalcis), added Abila, Julias, Tarichea, and Tiberias to Agrippa’s kingdom, and made Felix procurator over the rest of Judea. After violence at Cesarea, Felix sent prominent representatives to Nero while the sedition continued.

In the twelfth year of Nero’s reign, war began after the Grecians obtained Nero’s judgment over Cesarea. Around this time, Alexander obtained the government of Egypt from Nero, while the Alexandrians deliberated over an embassy to him. Saul and his companions were sent to Nero to report their distress and blame Gessius Florus for starting the war, and Cestius also sought to inform Nero of the city’s power. Nero appointed Vespasian to command the armies in Syria; later, Vespasian sent six thousand young prisoners to Nero for forced labor, while Titus traveled from Nero to Alexandria.

In the meantime, Vindex and powerful men in Gall revolted from Nero. He had entrusted affairs to Nymphidius and Tigellinus, and after they plotted against him and his guards deserted him, Nero fled with four freed-men and killed himself in Rome’s suburbs after thirteen years and eight days of rule.