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Nero: the benefits

Nero: the benefits. Dr David W.J. Gill. University of Wales Swansea. Introduction. Restrain excesses Links with the Senate Domestic policy Foreign policy. The ‘quinquennium’. A golden age for the first five years

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Nero: the benefits

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  1. Nero: the benefits Dr David W.J. Gill University of Wales Swansea

  2. Introduction • Restrain excesses • Links with the Senate • Domestic policy • Foreign policy

  3. The ‘quinquennium’ • A golden age for the first five years • Trajan perceived it as a golden age of good government (Aur. Victor, Epitome 5)

  4. Nero’s first speech to the Senate • Suetonius, Nero 10 • to rule according to Augustan precedent • Tacitus, Ann. 13.4 • renunciation of the abuses of the Claudian regime • ‘From my house, bribery and favouritism will be excluded’ • ‘these promises were implemented’

  5. Accession speech • ‘Italy and the public provinces could apply to the tribunals of the consuls, who would give access to the senate’ • this led to: • e.g. 58 people and council of Puteoli making mutual accusations • Syracuse: increase the pairs of gladiators in their games • 59: riot between Nuceria and Pompeii

  6. Nero and the senate • appearance of ‘ex s c’ on coinage (‘in accordance with senatorial decree’) • for first ten years

  7. Aspects of the Golden Age • Nero refused portrait statues of himself (Tac. Ann. 13) • Allowed his co-consul not to swear an oath of allegiance to him as emperor • praised by the Senate (Tac. Ann. 13) • Noted for clemency

  8. Nero and popular support • provided entertainment: Suet. Ner. 11. • fair judge: Suet. Ner. 15 • limits on private expenditure: Suet. Ner. 16 • sumptuary law • checks on forgery: Suet. Ner. 16 • some governors charged with corruption • outlawed illegal taxes ‘invented’ by publicani (Tac. Ann. 13.51)

  9. Food supply • series of food shortages at Rome • AD 51: bad harvest and subsequent food crisis • Claudius pelted in the forum • AD 62: old grain disposed off at Rome (Tac. Ann. 15.18) • price of grain not raised • 200 grain ships lost at Ostia due to storm • 100 grain ships lost at Rome due to a fire

  10. Further food shortages • AD 64: Great Fire at Rome • city left without grain stocks • essential food brought up from Ostia • Nero imposed a maximum price of 3 HS / modius • governor of Moesia (Lower Danube) • the first who ‘brought relief to the food supply of the Roman people by sending a great quantity of wheat from that province’

  11. Faenius Rufus • appointed prefect of the grain supply AD 55–62 • according to Tacitus (Ann. 14.51) he did not profit from the post in the usual way • e.g. withhold grain to push up prices

  12. Harbour facilities • Nero completed Claudius’ plans for the harbour at Ostia • secured corn supply • coins issued with new harbour • ‘the Emperor’s Ostia harbour’ • harbours and jetties

  13. Coin issues • theme of Ceres and Annona • Annona as personification of the corn supply

  14. Generosity to the plebs • coins showing the congiarium • distributions to the plebs • Minerva and her owl • Liberalitas holding tray • Nero handing coins to a man and small child • Suet. Nero. 10 • ‘he presented the plebs with 40 gold pieces each’

  15. Fair judge • Suet. Ner. 10 • ‘never missed an opportunity of being generous or merciful, or of showing what a good companion he was’ • Suet. Ner. 15 • ‘When he judged a case he preferred to defer his judgement until the following day, and then give it in writing ...’ • ‘[he] mulled over documents in private, [and] came to his own conclusion ...’

  16. Reduction of taxes • Suet. Ner. 10 • ‘he lowered, if he could not abolish, some of the heavier taxes; and reduced by three-quarters the fee for denouncing evasions of the Papian Law, which obliged noblemen to marry’

  17. Ending administrative abuses in Egypt • Edict of 68: Ti. Julius Alexander [LR ii.295–98] • reaction to requirements under Nero

  18. Building projects • new style of architecture introduced: Suet. Ner. 16 • considered extending the city wall to Ostia: Suet. Ner. 16 • considered building a canal to Rome: Suet. Ner. 16

  19. Trouble in Armenia • Tacitus, Ann. 13 • Parthians plundering • people wondered if Nero would react • Nero mobilised troops • Client kings (Agrippa II & Antiochus Epiphanes IV of Commagene) urged to raise armies • Parthians evacuated Armenia

  20. Securing Armenia • Cn. Domitius Corbulo secured Armenia • appointment on merit • Hostages handed over

  21. Further war with Armenia • Tac. Ann. 13.34 • Corbulo encouraging troops

  22. Crowning of Tiridates • Cassius Dio 63.1.2–5.4 [LR ii.34–35]

  23. Expansion of empire • Suet. Ner. 18 • Nero probably felt no ambition to extend the Roman Empire • considered withdrawal from Britain • addition: • kingdom of Pontus, ceded to him by Polemon • Cottian Alps reverted to Rome

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