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Sixteen year old Nero became Emperor of Rome in AD 54 (AD 54-68) thanks to his mother Agrippina, (the sister of Caligula). Agrippina had married her uncle and Emperor of Rome, Claudius, who adopted Nero, her son from a previous marriage, and name him heir over his own son Britannicus.
Agrippina then poisoned Claudius so that Nero could take power, but her expectations may have been disappointed. In a sweeping move Emperor Nero married Claudius daughter Octavia, poisoned her brother Britannicus, and then had his mother banished from the palace, eventually ordering her assassination (AD 59).
With his power established, and apparently feeling more safe Nero began to rule peacefully, and diplomatically for around 5 years, theories for why often revolve around his famous tutor Seneca. The idea being that while Nero was young Seneca had more influence.
This brief period however was followed by new lows for the office of Emperor. Murders, carousing, indulgence and neglect of an Empire pushed Romans to gossip about the mad king.
“In Christian history Nero is remembered for being the executioner of Peter and his wife, and Paul.”
Nero denied himself nothing, he is said to have murdered his wife Octavia, presenting her head on a platter to the new object of his affection, Poppea, his friend’s wife. He ordered their divorce and married Poppea only to personally kill her later in a fit of rage, while she was pregnant.
In Christian history Nero is remembered for being the executioner of Peter and his wife, and Paul. These martyrdoms coincide with the bloody aftermath of a fire that swept through Rome in AD 64.
Nero was out of town when the fire happened but when he saw the devastation he performed a song from a play on a rooftop causing rumours that he himself ordering the fire for show.
Nero then began a mass persecution of Roman Christians, blaming them for the fire and torturing them brutally and publicly.
When Nero unveiled an assassination plot against him by some senators he began executing liberally. Eventually the military and Praetorian Guard rebelled against him, and one of his aides in AD 68 helped along his so called honourable suicide.
Corie Bobechko is a daily co-host, speaker, and writer of Bible Discovery. She also hosts a YouTube channel that shows how history and archaeology prove the Bible. Her heart for seekers and skeptics has led her to seek truth and share it with others. Corie also has a Bachelor of Theology from Canada Christian College.
