Nero: The Artist Who Became an Emperor Who Became a Tyrant

"Nero was born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus on 15 December 37 CE in Antium, a seaside town south of Rome. His father, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, was a Roman politician whom the historian Suetonius describes as "a man loathsome in every respect." Domitius had apparently once gouged out the eye of a man who had criticized him and had deliberately run over a child with his chariot while speeding down the Appian Way."

"Initially a popular ruler, his reign was characterized by both artistry and tyranny. He loved singing and playing the lyre, enjoyed chariot races, and often acted in tragedies. But he also murdered his mother, killed two of his wives, and purged his opponents in the army and the Roman Senate."

"Nero's mother, Agrippina the Younger, had married Domitius when she was only 13. She was the great-granddaughter of Augustus and the sister of Caligula, but, despite this high pedigree, she had had to scratch and scrape for survival all her life. She had watched the destruction of her parents and siblings, and had even spent some time in exile; the experience had made her ambitious, cunning, and dangerous."

Nero was born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus in 37 CE and became the fifth Roman emperor at age 16, ascending to power with his mother Agrippina the Younger's assistance. Initially popular, he demonstrated artistic interests including singing, lyre playing, and acting in tragedies. However, his reign was marked by extreme violence, including the murder of his mother and two wives, along with purges of political opponents. His popularity declined significantly following the Great Fire of 64 CE. Nero ultimately committed suicide in 68 CE after the Senate declared him a public enemy, triggering the Year of the Four Emperors civil conflict. His father, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, was known for cruelty and died when Nero was three, leaving him raised by his ambitious and cunning mother.

Read at World History Encyclopedia