Cologne's Ancient History: Nero's Legacy

Nero is a name associated with a variety of people and things. It is the name of a men's fragrance by Mazzolari, a perfume collection by Electimuss London, a cologne by Sergio Nero, and the name of a Roman emperor.

Nero's connection to the manga and anime series Black Clover

Nero is a central character in the manga and anime series Black Clover. Nero is a bird that follows the main character Asta around and helps him locate magic stones and anti-magic weapons. Nero is also revealed to be a human, Secre Swallowtail, who has been hiding for 500 years. Secre was a noble who was relegated to being a servant because her magic was considered useless. She was dispatched to serve under the first Wizard King, who found her magic to be special and wanted to use it to develop magical items to help those not gifted in magic.

There are many fan theories about Nero's identity and significance to the plot. Some fans believe that Nero is a familiar, a type of bird used by witches to guide them. Others speculate that Nero is the reincarnation of Licht, a kind-hearted elf who wanted peace between humans and elves. Some fans also think that Nero is the spirit of the demon that dwells inside Asta.

Nero's true identity and role in the story are left ambiguous, with the character's origins only being fully revealed in later chapters of the manga and anime.

Nero's reign as Roman Emperor

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, was the fifth emperor of Rome and the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He was born in Antium (modern-day Anzio) in 15 December AD 37 and became emperor in AD 54 at just 16 years old.

Nero's early life was marked by tragedy and political upheaval. His father, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, died when Nero was three, and his mother, Agrippina the Younger, was exiled when he was two. Nero's inheritance was taken from him, and he was sent to live with his aunt. However, his fortunes changed when Claudius became emperor and recalled Agrippina from exile. In AD 49, Claudius married Agrippina and adopted Nero as his heir the following year.

Nero ascended to the throne with the backing of the Praetorian Guard and the Senate. In the early years of his reign, he was advised and guided by his mother, as well as his tutor Seneca the Younger, and his praetorian prefect Sextus Afranius Burrus. However, Nero sought to rule independently and soon found himself in a power struggle with his mother, which culminated in her murder.

Nero's reign was marked by extravagance, a focus on the arts, and a series of scandals. He was a patron of the arts and personally performed as an actor, poet, musician, and charioteer, which scandalized the aristocratic classes as these occupations were usually associated with slaves and public entertainers. Nonetheless, these pursuits made him popular among lower-class citizens. Nero also ordered the construction of amphitheaters and promoted athletic games and contests.

During his reign, Nero faced several challenges, including the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64, which destroyed much of the city. Nero was personally blamed for the fire by later historians, who claimed he started it to clear land for his planned "Golden House." Nero also allegedly persecuted Christians, using them as scapegoats for the fire and having them burned alive.

In foreign affairs, Nero's rule saw the Roman-Parthian War of 58-63, a major revolt in Britain led by Queen Boudica, and the First Jewish-Roman War.

Nero's rule came to an end in AD 68 when he was declared a public enemy and condemned to death in absentia. He fled Rome and eventually committed suicide at the age of 30. His death sparked a brief period of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors.

Nero is often portrayed as a cruel and tyrannical ruler in historical sources, with historians such as Tacitus, Suetonius, and Cassius Dio offering overwhelmingly negative assessments of his personality and reign. However, some modern historians question the reliability of these ancient sources, considering Nero's popularity among the Roman commoners.

Nero's legacy in the modern day

Nero's legacy is shaped by the surviving works of three historians: Tacitus, Suetonius, and Cassius Dio. All written decades after his death, these accounts present Nero as a negative figure, emphasizing his cruelty, self-indulgence, and debauched behavior. They describe him as a tyrannical ruler who was tyrannical, self-indulgent, and debauched. Tacitus, for example, claims that Nero seized Christians as scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome and had them burned alive, motivated by personal cruelty rather than public justice. Suetonius tells of Nero's involvement in the deaths of his wife Claudia Octavia and his stepbrother Britannicus, as well as his orchestration of his mother Agrippina's murder.

However, it is important to recognize that these historians belonged to the upper classes and may have had their own biases and agendas. Nero's demise led to a period of chaos and civil war, which ended only when a new dynasty, the Flavians, seized power. Authors writing under the Flavians had an interest in portraying the last Julio-Claudian emperor in a negative light to legitimize the new ruling family, turning history into propaganda.

In contrast, Nero was popular among the lower-class citizens of Rome. He provided entertainments such as amphitheaters, athletic games, and contests, and his spending on public works and charities was intended to ease economic troubles. Additionally, graffiti found in Rome hail Nero, and his name is the most commonly found on the walls of the city, suggesting that he was well-regarded by some.

Nero's reign also had significant cultural and diplomatic impacts. He promoted athletic games and contests, and himself appeared as an actor, poet, musician, and charioteer, scandalizing his aristocratic contemporaries. He ordered the construction of the Domus Aurea, a grand palace complex built after the Great Fire of Rome, and his spending on public works helped improve the living conditions of the Roman people.

In the eastern provinces of the Empire, a popular legend arose that Nero had not died and would return. This belief, known as the Nero Redivivus Legend, persisted for hundreds of years. At least three Nero impostors emerged, leading short-lived rebellions by presenting themselves as "Nero reborn" to gain popular support.

Overall, Nero's legacy in the modern day is a complex and controversial one. While he is often remembered as a tyrant and one of Rome's worst emperors, some modern historians question the reliability of ancient sources and suggest that his legacy may have been shaped by propaganda and the biases of the upper classes. In contrast, he was popular among the lower classes, and his reign had significant cultural and diplomatic impacts that shaped the Roman Empire.

Nero's influence on the arts

Nero is known to have had a significant influence on the arts during his reign as the Roman emperor. He was an enthusiast of poetry, music, painting, and sculpture, which were standard disciplines for the Roman elite. However, his devotion to music exceeded what was socially acceptable for someone of his class. Nero was also an actor, poet, musician, and charioteer, and his public appearances in these roles scandalised his aristocratic contemporaries as these occupations were usually the domain of slaves, public entertainers, and infamous persons.

Nero established the Neronian games in AD 60, which included musical, gymnastic, and equestrian contests. He participated in the Olympics in AD 67, competing in chariot racing, acting in tragedies, and performing music on stage. He won every contest in which he was a competitor, even being crowned for a 10-horse chariot race that he did not complete.

Nero's emphasis on the arts, chariot racing, and athletics was criticised by ancient sources, who considered such pursuits unbecoming of his status. Pliny the Elder described him as an "actor-emperor", while Suetonius wrote that Nero was "carried away by a craze for popularity". Despite this, Nero's provision of entertainments made him popular among lower-class citizens.

Nero's impact on Rome's governance

Nero's practical contributions to Rome's governance focused on diplomacy, trade, and culture. He ordered the construction of amphitheatres and promoted athletic games and contests. He also made public appearances as an actor, poet, musician, and charioteer, which scandalised his aristocratic contemporaries as these occupations were usually the domain of slaves, public entertainers, and infamous persons. However, these entertainments made Nero popular among lower-class citizens. The costs involved were borne by local elites either directly or through taxation and were much resented by the Roman aristocracy.

Nero's reign also saw the Roman–Parthian War of 58–63, a major revolt in Britain led by Queen Boudica, the brief annexation of the Bosporan Kingdom, and the beginning of the First Jewish–Roman War.

Nero's spending on public works and charities was intended to ease economic troubles, but his construction projects were considered overly extravagant by ancient Roman historians. His spending left Italy "thoroughly exhausted by contributions of money" with "the provinces ruined". To fund his projects, Nero increased taxation and devalued the Roman currency, increasing inflationary pressure for the first time in the Empire's history.

Nero's governance also saw the persecution of Christians. During his reign, Nero seized Christians as scapegoats for the Great Fire of Rome and had them burned alive, seemingly motivated not by public justice but by personal cruelty. Nero's tutor, Seneca, prepared Nero's first speech before the Senate, in which the emperor promised to follow the Augustan model in his principate, eliminate secret trials, end the corruption of court favourites and freedmen, and respect the privileges of the Senate and individual Senators. However, Nero's respect for Senatorial autonomy put him at odds with the Senate, with whom he often clashed.

Frequently asked questions