Nero Caesar

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Nero Iulius Caesar, Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
Nero Iulius Caesar greets Tiberius , detail of the Grand Camée de France , Paris
Nero Iulius Caesar

Nero Iulius Caesar Germanicus (* 6 ; † 30 ) was a Roman patrician from the Julier family and was the eldest son of Germanicus and the elder Agrippina and thus great-grandson of Augustus and grandson of the elder Drusus .

Life

In the year 17, at the age of 10 or 11, Nero and his four siblings moved in triumphantly in a triumphal chariot next to their father, who had been recalled from Germania during the campaigns . In the autumn of the same year Germanicus was sent to the east by the emperor Tiberius . On this trip he was accompanied by his wife and youngest son Caligula . Nero Caesar, who was no longer to see his father alive, remained in Rome with his younger brother Drusus Caesar and his two sisters . Unexpectedly, on October 10, 19, Germanicus died under unexplained circumstances in Antioch . With great sympathy from the Roman nobility and population, a delegation, which also included Nero and his siblings, went to meet the mother, who was returning with the remains of Germanicus, to the city of Tarracina .

On June 9th, 20 Nero received the toga virilis , with which he had reached the age of majority. In addition, he was granted the privilege of applying for the Quaestur before reaching the minimum age of 25 , which he held in the year 26, alongside various priesthoods. In the year 21 he married Iulia Livia , the daughter of Tiberius' son Drusus and Livilla . He had previously been engaged to Junia, the daughter of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus Silanus , who, however, died around the year 20 without being married. Nero and his younger brother Drusus Caesar were adopted by his great-uncle Tiberius in the year 23 . His own son Drusus the Younger had died shortly before. The funeral speech as well as a later acceptance speech on behalf of the cities of Asia were given by Nero. In a Senate meeting in the same year, Nero was officially confirmed in his importance as the first-ranking, potential heir to the throne and placed with his brother in the care of the Senate. On the occasion of this event, the people were granted a Congiarium . In the following year, however, Tiberius is said to have been angry about the frequent honors given to the brothers by the Senate.

The conspiracy of Seianus

In 26 the emperor withdrew completely from Rome, first to Campania and a short time later to the island of Capri . The praetorian prefect Lucius Aelius Seianus took advantage of the princeps' permanent absence to advance his own political ambitions and further expand his position of power.

In a succession of several intrigues - Drusus the Younger fell victim to one of his conspiracies in 23 - Seianus finally also intended to eliminate the Germanicus family. The first attacks were against the widow of Germanicus. Seianus had at first unsuccessfully tried to win their affection and trust. Through intermediaries, he then persuaded her that Tiberius was planning to have her poisoned at an upcoming banquet. Agrippina, out of fear, did not eat any of the dishes on offer, which Tiberius took notice of with a snub. This incident and the constant slander of Seianus ultimately made Tiberius believable that Agrippina was a real danger.

The next ventures were with the presumptive Nero Caesar. Here the Praetorian prefect installed a perfidious network of informers and informers. This included Iulia, the wife, and also Livilla, Nero's mother-in-law and the lover and accomplice of Seianus. Seianus also sneaked the support of his brother Drusus Caesar. He cleverly exploited their rivalry for succession among themselves by suggesting Drusus hopes for the throne. All of Nero's utterances regarding the emperor, especially those spontaneous, thoughtless and even unconsciously spoken during sleep, are said to have been brought to Seianus. This information was collected, appropriately embellished and finally passed on to Tiberius. The evidence and testimony presented in this way ultimately convinced Tiberius of the allegations that were made against Nero and his mother. In 27 both were arrested and placed under house arrest under military surveillance.

Majesty process

The widow of Augustus and great-grandmother of the Germanicus children, Livia Drusilla , was able to prevent worse consequences for the two for the time being due to her social position and influence. After their death in 29, Nero and his mother were tried in the Senate. The indictment submitted by Tiberius to the Senate accused both of indignation against the state and of insubordination against himself. Nero was also accused of sexual perversion. Burdened with the statements of the appearing witnesses and documented in the secret dossiers , both were convicted and declared enemies of the state ( hostis ).

Death of Nero

Agrippina and her son were exiled to different islands. Nero was imprisoned on the island of Pontia . There he died in the year 30 under circumstances that were not finally clarified. Either he was left to starve, like his brother Drusus later, or he chose suicide. Suetonius reports that Nero was driven to suicide by staging a mock execution and showing instruments of torture.

Tacitus describes Nero as a modest, reserved young man who was completely overwhelmed with the purposeful handling of the prevailing power relations and the resulting constellations and dangers.

In 37, after the youngest brother Caligula had succeeded Tiberius, Nero's ashes were brought to Rome by himself. There the remains were buried in the Augusti mausoleum .

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Tacitus , Annalen 2, 41, 3.
  2. ^ Tacitus, Annals 3, 2, 3.
  3. ^ Suetonius , Tiberius 54, 1.
  4. ↑ Tacitus, Annalen 3, 29, 1
  5. ↑ CIL 6,913
  6. ↑ Tacitus, Annalen 3, 23, 3
  7. ^ Tacitus, Annalen 2, 43, 2.
  8. ↑ CIL 6,914
  9. ↑ Cassius Dio 5, 22, 4 a.
  10. ↑ Tacitus, Annalen 4, 8, 4 f.
  11. ^ Suetonius, Tiberius 54, 1.
  12. ↑ Tacitus, Annalen 4, 59, 3, 60, 1 ff.
  13. ↑ Aloys Winterling: Caligula, Eine Biographie, Nero, Brother of Caligula, Childhood and Youth, pp. 35, 36.
  14. ↑ Tacitus, Annalen 4, 60, 2.
  15. ↑ Tacitus, Annalen 4, 59, 3. 60, 1 ff.
  16. ↑ Aloys Winterling: Caligula, Eine Biographie, Nero, Brother of Caligula, Childhood and Youth, p. 37.
  17. ^ Tacitus, Annalen 5, 3, 1 ff.
  18. ^ Suetonius, Cal . 7, Tiberius 54, 2.
  19. ↑ Aloys Winterling: Caligula, Eine Biographie, Nero, Brother of Caligula, Childhood and Youth, p. 38.
  20. ↑ Tacitus, Annalen 4, 59, 3.
  21. ↑ CIL 6, 887
  22. ^ Suetonius, Cal . 15, 1.
personal data
SURNAME Nero Caesar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Nero Iulius Caesar Germanicus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Son of Germanicus and grandson of the elder Drusus
DATE OF BIRTH 6th
DATE OF DEATH 30th
Place of death Ponza