The worst emperor of the Roman Empire is Nero. Roman Emperor Nero: biography, photo, mother, interesting facts

Biography of the Roman emperor Nero began in 54 year. For the first five years, the successor of Emperor Claudius rules, one might say, quietly. He was a grateful observer of the war, then openly, then openly subconscious, led by his mother with his teachers and advisers.

Agrippina

The mother of the Roman emperor Nero, Agrippina, the younger, not for that with hard work, and often criminal, raised her son to the throne, so that outsiders could use him to a small extent. For her, the very fact of government (which in itself is even more difficult) was not so important, she wanted her own worth, honors and glory of the present empress.

She behaved not so much ugly, how impudently: she accompanied her son everywhere, even where women were by definition ordered to enter. Mother took the stretcher of the emperor and received foreign ambassadors, ordered the rulers of the Roman provinces and even other countries that fell under the arm of the Roman Empire. And what else can you expect from Caligula's sister?

Here it was impossible to appear in the curia on the patrician council, too many traditions were still strong. This is the Roman authority that women did not have the right to visit. However, she was so anxious to visit the Senate, that the meetings were moved to the palace, and Agrippina listened to the debate because of the curtain. Even a coin was minted on her pointer and with her image, and Nero is a Roman emperor! - also on coins, of course, was present. Modestly. Next to my mother.

Seneca and Burr

The advisers of the terrible emperor were fine people: the brave and honest warrior Burr and the learned philosopher Seneca. They were, as they could, struggling with the power of Agrippina, it was thanks to the titanic efforts of the mentors in Rome that it was still quiet: administration and justice worked without failures and effectively, the senate was not yet eliminated from business, taxes were collected, abusers were punished. Nero liked the people. So, thanks to the advisors, whom Nero listened for a long time, and stood the Roman Empire.

However, if not Burr, then Seneca knew exactly who to deal with. The young man was unchecked, endowed with a thirst for creativity, and if the creative beginning did not prevail, the destructive triumph prevailed. The creative won rarely, although, despite the exceptional moral corruption and irresistible attraction to voluptuousness, Nero's good impulses sometimes took possession: somehow, signing the paper for execution, he lamented that he could write at all.

Childhood of Nero

Strange as it may seem, he was also a child - Nero, the Roman emperor. The biography for children turns out unreadable almost from birth. The child grew up somehow spoiled, with painful unbridled fantasies, extremely vain, capricious.

Nevertheless, his mind was, probably. Although the same Seneca in full confidence wrote that an intelligent person will not do evil. Rather, Nero had a special vividness of character, which replaced the mind. How is it diagnosed now - hyperactivity.

The main trouble for the Romans was due to the fact that Nero was not prepared to reign. Do not instill the nature of the discipline that gives solidity to knowledge, seriousness and height of plans and diligence matters. Seneca met Nero too late.

Probably, in our time Nero, the Roman emperor, would be a good director of mass festivals after graduating from the institute of culture somewhere in the province. He just loved it: singing, dancing, drawing, writing poetry, cutting on stone, ruling with horses ... And he had to rule the Roman Empire, what interest in it. Without creativity, any director will be brutal. So it turned out that Emperor Nero was the worst emperor of the Roman Empire.

Growing up

Seneca and Burr since the beginning of Nero's reign enjoyed the fact that the emperor is absolutely indifferent to state affairs. Agrippina tried to take on this burden, but she was not given. They ruled well and looked at the debauchery of the young monarch through his fingers, most importantly - so as not to interfere and that in public affairs the debauchery of Nero would not be reflected.

Agrippina was not happy with the secondary situation, she was ambitious, ambitious. She needed absolute power over her son, undivided influence on advisers and equal to imperial government and court honors. The intrigues of Agrippina had no end and were successful until then. And then came the unexpected hour, when the son broke the harness and stood on its hind legs.

Octavia and Acta

This is the beginning of the real Roman emperor Nero, whose brief biography was never dreamed of - too many events, both strange and terrible. From the strange: the young emperor was married. On Octavia, which represented an absolute contrast to the behavior, habits and the whole ill-mannered nature of Nero. That's why he always treated his wife with hostility.

He constantly changed passions - not only women were among them, by the way, and once among them appeared Acta - a former slave who was released. She was beautiful, cunning and persistent, she managed to get quite a lot of power over her lover. Mother of the Roman emperor Nero Agrippina was furious. And not because Acta - yesterday's slave - brazenly behaves like a daughter-in-law to her, Agrippina had many lovers from freedmen, but because she saw clearly how she was losing power over her son.

Imperial answer

Nero, the Roman emperor, ceased to endure reproachful conversations from anyone. Agrippina did not fall in love with the Act? Perfectly. Why exactly the same freedman Pallant manages Roman finances? Is it because he is the lover of the emperor's mother? And do not deprive him of this post? Not enough. And do not put him in jail? Great. And let him die there. It is desirable - as soon as possible.

Agrippina famously bit the bit and carried it over the bumps. Do not scare her. She threatened her son with the disclosure of the truth that Nero was a usurper on the throne of the emperor, as well as all the way she had to do for this throne for her own son (the sudden death of Emperor Claudius, a man of an old and quite healthy, for example, for whom Agrippina in His last days were married - also part of this story) that the emperor Nero is the worst emperor of the Roman Empire, and the legal heir - fourteen-year-old son of Claudius Britannic - will be much more popular with the people.

She forgot that Nero was the son of Agrippina and nephew of Caligula, that Nero's native father, after the birth of his son, expressed himself unequivocally: except for grief and shame for people, Agrippina can not be born. And soon died. Now the native blood began to speak in the emperor.

Nero drove his mother out of the palace and immediately poisoned Britannica at the feast, fearing nothing and not being shy. After that, he continued violent and heinous debauchery and all kinds of stupidity. The act was soon dismissed, not because the mother so much wanted, but because Poppeya appeared in the field of vision, whose husband, a Roman rider (a professional military man), participated in virtually all of the disgraces Nero was up to.

Poppey vs. Agrippina

Poppey was noble, rich, beautiful, voluptuous, and very intelligent. She led the emperor into the distance on the merry road of villainy. Her husband was sent to Lusitania, but not offended, because he was made the ruler of this glorious province. By the way, he threw binge and debauchery there, plunged into state cares and excelled. Even after the emperor Nero was 120 days old. But it was later. And now Poppey settled closer to the throne and inspired Nero with such a frightening disgust for his own mother that he decided to kill.

Several attempts were unsuccessful, including those that were cunningly thought out and were difficult and expensive to perform: the case of a ship specially built so that it collapsed with Agrippina on board, for example. Agrippina, you have to admit, she understood everything and behaved stoically.

How did it happen?

But the Roman emperor Nero did not intend to retreat before the difficulties, and his policy towards the mother was uncompromising. Agrippina was still killed, and quite sophisticated. This time, Nero secured himself before the Romans: previously was detained libertine Agrippina with a dagger and charged with criminal intent against the emperor.

The most interesting thing about this story is that Seneca was not only aware of the terrible plan. He also helped the pupil write a letter to the Senate, where he explained the need to kill Neron with his own mother. Moreover, her emperor did not kill.

Just after the arrest of her former slave with a dagger at the ready she was frightened and committed suicide. And she died of multiple blows with a male heavy sword, yes. Has fallen on a sword seventeen times ... Two thousand years since then the technique is alive. And the biography of the Roman emperor Nero from this place is just beginning.

Unworthy inclinations

It should be noted that Ancient Rome was very little like the modern world. If the word of the famous artist or musician is perceived by the people as a revelation from above, then in Rome of the times of Nero there were no more despicable people than actresses and musicians. Clownery and any entertainment of others - shame and dishonor. The people recognized only gladiatorial battles and eating criminals with wild beasts. This is a sight worthy of men.

Nero battles gladiators did not just not like. He forbade them. The animals in the circus were still groomed by the criminals, since there was no normal penitentiary system and system of punishment in the empire. Therefore, wholly and entirely according to Roman law, various criminals were given to beasts. Nero did not like this either. He loved theater and music. He wrote poetry, sang them, playing up his virtuoso to himself on cithara, and terribly disliked when he was torn from this lesson. That is, the beautiful did not make it better. Rather, on the contrary.

Strength and weakness of art

He made noble matrons and patricians dishonor his high name, participating in theatrical productions, musical and poetic competitions, horse racing in the circus, fencing for show, and not on business, and even right before the people, instead of gladiators ...

It was impossible for the patricians to look at all this, but it's impossible to leave. The doors of the theaters were closed tightly and no one was allowed to leave until the end of the performance. Nero willingly showed his fellow citizens their dramatic and musical art. And the Romans themselves gradually got used to the unbridled orgies, and at concerts during the performance they learned how to applaud their emperor in Greek - in time with the music.

Shame and oppression

State affairs Nero, the Roman emperor, whose reign overgrown with all sorts of ugly stories, almost did not do. He loved art and devoted most of the time to him. The rest - ingenious binges and orgies. That is, if he caused damage to his country, then more shame. However, such begging demanded continuous investments, and the finances of the empire suddenly came to an end.

Now, to the shame of the Roman Empire, larceny was added. It was necessary to get a coin to continue the fun. Processes and executions for insulting Majesty began. They were extremely massive at the expense of specially hired provocateurs and informers.

Honor - fight!

Especially the educated, the rich and the smart ones suffered. Honest to be dangerous. It was during this period that one of the most respectable people of Rome died - the Prefect of the Praetorians and the educator of Nero - Burr. Even Tacitus does not know whether his death was natural. He was the only one who opposed Nero's marriage to Poppey, for, like the whole people, he was very fond of his wife, the virtuous Octavia.

Immediately after the death of mentor Nero, the Roman emperor, whose interesting biographical facts have become a byword, divorces Octavia and marries Poppey. The murderous repressions continued. Notable Romans were killed without trial, the charges were built from scratch, and Nero no longer had to keep.

Seneca was a philosopher and understood perfectly well that he could not influence the emperor and could not reason with him. The emperor became hostile to him, and the educator decided to withdraw unnoticed from public affairs. Did not guess. I had to open my own veins, filling the bath with water in half with blood. And how. He, too, was not only famous, but also truly rich, and Nero had nothing to celebrate.

Short widowhood

As soon as Octavia ceased to be the Empress, on the false charge of Poppey she was exiled to the island of Pandaria and killed there. Rome was saddened, but the senate ordered to celebrate the next salvation of the emperor. So disasters became the occasion of holidays. And to celebrate Nero never tired.

However, Poppey also did not long celebrate the victory. Having achieved everything she wanted, she suddenly stopped loving unbridled orgies. Probably, quickly grew old. The most wrong thing in her behavior was that she began to nail Nero and demand a change in her way of life. Nero listened and listened and began to beat her. Once it happened to death.

Fire in Rome

Where there is binge, there are inevitable calamities. The best part of the people of the empire was exterminated, the people became impoverished and descended. The result is this: in 64, Rome caught fire. It all began with the shops clinging to the circus. Burned everything that could burn, and could - almost everything, since Rome was then basically a wooden city. For six days the streets were burning, then the fire was stopped, but for a short while, it flared up again, and burned for another three days. Of the fourteen districts of Rome, only four survived.

Nero inspiredly watched this colorful spectacle and sang songs about the burning Troy. For this the people accused him of setting fire to Rome. That's how the curious details of the biography of the Roman emperor Nero. Most likely, this is slander, as the Emperor has a lot of ill-wishers. Nevertheless, in between the studies of bel canto, Nero helped himself to extinguish the fire, fed the hungry and even saved someone from the fire. And after the fire, he built his own money for some of the burnt-out people, something like hostels.

New Rome

This time the city was rebuilt according to good architectural and engineering plans: the streets became wide, houses - stone. Everywhere there are beautiful squares with colonnades, fountains, swimming pools. The construction went fast, Nero did not spare the means to restore Rome.

And the new imperial palace surpassed the size and beauty of everything that existed hitherto not only in Rome. It was incredibly magnificent: several huge buildings, separated from each other, but united by colonnades, with artificial ponds, meadows, olive groves and vineyards in the territories between the buildings.

The statue, depicting Nero in the form of the sun god, adorned the main palace. The "Golden Palace" was named by the Romans this grandiose project of the architects of Celer and the North. It is a pity that he did not live up to our days, after ten years he also burned down. There was an epigram on Rome, when the true scale of the construction began to be seen, which advised all Romans to move to Veii (a city eighteen kilometers from Rome), unless Veyi absorbed this palace.

Persecution

And still, despite the exceptional generosity and even kindness towards the burnt people, Nero continued to blame for the fire of Rome. However, Nero, the Roman emperor, would not have been Nero, had he not figured out how to divert himself from this misfortune.

He blamed the arson of Christians. And I must say, they believed him. Christians in Rome did not like practically nobody, considering them a harmful sect. There were reasons for this. Christian doctrine easily recruited young people and old people - these are the parts of the population most easily susceptible to religious oppression, to which the idea of universal forgiveness is comprehensible and close. In addition, Christians had a tradition to write off all property in favor of the church, going to the Lord. But all the newly-evicted had relatives who hoped for an inheritance.

Many Christians were torn by wild animals in the arena of circuses. Many were crucified, as Christ. And St. Peter - not as Christ, but upside down, as he himself wished. For the construction and arrangement of the Roman streets and the "golden palace", therefore, funds appeared. But not only Christians suffered for the restoration of the city. All provinces were mercilessly subjected to robbery, even the Greek cities took away the best works of art for decorating Rome.

Conspiracy

It took the Roman people a long time to endure the abominations of the emperor, but the end of patience always comes. The rich Roman Piso, clever and respected for this, apparently foresaw already his turn for "dekulakization" and death. He decided to get ahead of the emperor and began to look for like-minded people. Found quickly and a lot. But the people were so demoralized for years of wild revelry that the conspirators could not begin to act. Many were afraid, others were not sure of the correctness of the plan.

The idea was beautiful: together with Nero, to kill the monarchy. The party of Republicans consisted of people of noblemen - horsemen, senatorial, patrician surnames. They all lacked prudence and determination. There was a scammer, and Nero fiercely punished everyone. Among the suspects was Seneca, who was close friends with Piso. This fact was enough for the prosecution.

Nero allowed Seneke to choose his own death, and Seneca opened his veins. Rome trembled. Executions - one more horrible than the other - were committed daily, and between executions the orgies and revelry did not stop. Even nature helped Nero to exterminate the Romans: thirty thousand people died of the epidemic. And nevertheless, Nero, the Roman emperor, did not stop the orgy. The photo of the surviving frescoes of those years is very eloquent.

Finally, there was an uprising in the provinces and it reached Rome. The Senate gladly went to meet the people's will and sentenced Nero to a public execution. Nero escaped from Rome, but the horsemen who had guarded him before, and now following the orders of the Senate, overtook the fugitive. Then Nero ordered his freedman to slaughter himself. It was 68 years old. Nero was thirty years old. Fourteen of them he ruled Rome.