Nero
Emperor and Court

Nero was negligent, not tyrannical. This allowed others to rule, remarkably well, in his name until his negligence became insupportable.

John F. Drinkwater (Author)

9781108472647, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 3 January 2019

464 pages, 11 b/w illus. 5 maps 4 tables
23.5 x 16 x 2.7 cm, 0.79 kg

'… this stimulating, carefully researched and instructive book is an important contribution to the history of Rome in the time of Nero and to the study of political structures and the practice of rule in the early imperial period.' Holger Sonnabend, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

This book portrays Nero, not as the murderous tyrant of tradition, but as a young man ever-more reluctant to fulfil his responsibilities as emperor and ever-more anxious to demonstrate his genuine skills as a sportsman and artist. This reluctance caused him to allow others to rule, and rule surprisingly well, in his name. On its own terms, the Neronian empire was in fact remarkably successful. Nero's senior ministers were many and various, but notably they included a number of powerful women, such as his mother, Agrippina II, and his second and third wives, Poppaea Sabina and Statilia Messalina. Using the most recent archaeological, epigraphic, numismatic and literary research, the book explores issues such as court-politics, banter and free speech; literary, technological and scientific advances; the Fire of 64, 'the persecution of Christians' and Nero's 'Golden House'; and the huge underlying strength, both constitutional and financial, of the Julio-Claudian empire.

Part I. Background: 1. Nero, 'bad' or 'good'?
2. Agrippina and her legacy
3. The establishment team
4. Dissimulation?
5. Frankness and enquiry
6. Warfare and the generals
7. Politics
Part II. Assessment: 8. Killer? I – 54-62
9. Killer? II – 62-68
10. Arsonist, persecutor and ruthless urban developer?
11. Divinity, madness, acting, ideology, burn-out
12. Depravity? 13. Finance
Part III. End: 14. Entr'acte – Greece
15. Fall
16. Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Political ideologies [JPF], Comparative politics [JPB], Politics & government [JP], Military history [HBW], Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA]