And now for a slightly different take on a certain Roman.
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The Life of Nero, The Noble Clown
During the reigns of both the Emperors Caligula and the Emperor Tiberius the life of one Nero Ahenobarbus Germanicus stands out in stark contrast to the austerity and piety of these two Emperors.
There is speculation among historians particularly alternate historians that if circumstances had been different Nero might have ascended the throne once Caligula was dead. There are hints dropped by the ancient writers that had Caligula not converted to Christianity it is likely Tiberius would have died and that Nero might have been Caligula’s choice to succeed him. Nero’s mother was the sister of Caligula, which gave him a spurious claim to the throne to be sure but a claim, nonetheless.
Nero’s parents, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina sought to have their son raised with a classical Roman education and hoped he would become a senator. To be sure, the accounts of Tacitus indicate that Nero was an excellent student and especially showed interest in the literature of the Greeks and of the Roman poets.
But Nero showed a total lack of interest in politics. Even though Agrippina tried to maneuver to get him elected into the Senate Nero showed very little interest in such matters preferring to devote himself to his three great loves; namely, chariot racing, poetry, and the theater.
Nero was extremely fond of the chariot races and attended them at every opportunity in his young life. Much to the horror of his mother Nero began to learn about chariot racing from one of the champions of the Circus Maximus. It was not long before he began to test his skills against other racers first at the Circus in Antium. And later, in Rome itself.
It greatly scandalized Agrippina that her son had chosen chariot racing as a career. This was not suitable for a future senator. Nevertheless, she is said to have attended every race that her son participated in until her death in the Great Riot and Fire. Eusebius would later record that she was stabbed by irate members of the crowd in the Circus Maximus after it was announced the Emperor Caligula was dead. It was believed she had given monetary support to the plot to assassinate the Emperor.
Nero stayed aloof and avoided participation in the Great Riot and Fire. But the incident allowed him to pursue another of his passions, that of poetry. Nero had studied the classic poets of both Rome and Greece. He sought to emulate their styles. Later developing a distinctive one of his own. During the riots Nero was a bystander to the events of those tumultuous days. After Tiberius II marched into Rome and quelled the violence with the Third Legion Nero would set the events of those days into prose writing what has become known as Ode to a Rome Consumed by Fire. The work is a long one and at times tedious, but it does furnish an interesting perspective from a firsthand observer to the events of those days of the riots and fires in late August of 39 A.D.
In the years following the rebuilding of Rome Nero became the undisputed champion of the Circus Maximus. His daring in the arena was hailed by all. One commentator said of him, “When Nero drove his chariot into the arena it seemed as if he left fear outside. It seemed as if he tempted death herself to embrace him every time he raced.”
As a result, Nero earned many patrons among the wealthy and powerful of Rome. Which allowed him to pursue even more his writing and his love of the theater.
Nero would attend the theater especially if classics such as Lysistrata or Electra were being performed. In addition to poetry he would also write plays three of which have survived to the modern day The Labors of Heracles, The Kidnapping of Helen (of Troy), and finally Agamemnon. The last is considered Nero’s greatest work and has developed quite a following among classical literary historians.
Nero was known as quite the darling of his upper-class patrons during the reign of the Emperor Tiberius II. While Tiberius was known mostly for his austerity and piety Nero was known for his ribald sense of humor. Nero wrote several very explicit love sonnets many of which have survived down to the present day to entertain his hosts and patrons at the various feasts he attended following the chariot races.
Nero sought to avoid the mistake he often accused his mother Agrippina of making, namely meddling in political matters. He assiduously in all his writings and actions steered clear of any sort of involvement in politics. When the Jupiter Riots occurred as at the Great Riot, Nero stood as an interested bystander and chose not to become involved. He would later declare the acts of the rioters to be “pure folly.” Although this comment is thought by many to be a way for Nero to distance himself from any hint that he was sympathetic with the rioters (which his writings plainly indicate he was).
Nero continued to worship the pagan gods of Rome all his life. While he doesn’t mention Christianity by name, he does refer to “those Stoic religions that would have us chaste and eating grass.” Nero did not consider himself a stoic. He was very much a hedonist and indulged himself in various sexual escapades with both sexes, which he also proceeded to write about in his rather voluminous Journal of Love Sonnets.
Although he had several love interests Nero did marry twice. His first wife, Drusilla bore him a son but died of a fever shortly thereafter. His second wife, Anna, is said to have been a former prostitute. She would commit suicide within a month of Nero’s death.
Nero’s fearlessness in racing would be in the end lead to his death. At a race in the Circus Maximus in 54 A.D. Nero attempted to cut off the chariot of another racer on the last turn of the course. His chariot wheel became locked with the other charioteer’s and both chariots were flipped over. Both Nero and the other charioteer would die of their injuries before the day was out.
Nero is said to have met the end with the same careless abandon he did all of life. When he learned he was dying from the attending physician he is said to have murmured, “What a great artist the world is losing in me.”