204
nibal, for which he was severely rated by Marcellus.
nibal, for which he was severely rated by Marcellus.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
NERIO, NERIENE, or NERIENIS, wife of
Isthm. vi. 8 ; Apollod. i. 2. $7; Ov. Met. ii. 10, the Roman god Mars. Very little is known about
&c. ; Virg. Aen. V. 825 ; Hygin. Fub. praef. ) They her, and the ancients themselves were doubtful as
are described as lovely divinities, and dwelling with to the correct form of her name, though Gellius
their father at the bottom of the sea, and they (xiii
. 22) prefers Nerio, which is analogous with
were believed to be propitious to all sailors, and es- Anio. The name is said to be of Sabine origin,
pecially to the Argonauts (Hom. Il. xviii. 36, &c. and to be synonymous with virtus or fortitulo.
140 ; Apollod. i. 9. S 25 ; Apollon. Rhod. iv. 859, (Plaut. Truc. ii. 6. 24; Marrian. Cap. 3 ; L. Lydus,
930). They were worshipped in several parts of de Mens. iv. 42. )
(L. S. )
Greece, but more especially in sea-port towns, such NE'RITUS (Núpitos), a son of Pterelaus in
as Cardamyle (Paus. iii. 26. $ 5), and on the Isth- Ithaca, from whom mount Neriton, in the west of
mus of Corinth (ii. 1. $ 7). The epithets given them Ithaca, was beliered to have derived its name.
by the poets refer partly' to their beauty and partly (Hom. Od. ix. 22, xvii. 207 ; Eustath. ad Hom.
to their place of abode. They were frequently repre p. 1815. )
[L. S. )
sented in antiquity, in paintings, on gems, in re- NE'RIUS, CN. , of the Papinian tribe, accused
lievoes and statues, and commonly as youthful, beau. P. Sestius of bribery in B. C. 56 (Cic. ad Q. Fr. ii.
tiful, and naked maidens, and often grouped together 3. & 5). This Cn. Nerius may be the same as the
with Tritons and other marine monsters, in which Nerius who wils quaestor in B. C. 49, as we learn
they resemble the Bacchic routs. Sometimes, also, from some interesting coins, of which a specimen is
they appear on gems as half maidens and half fish, annexed. The obrerse represents the head of Sa-
like mermaids, the belief in whom is quite analogous turn, with NERI Q. VRB. (i. e. quaestor urbunus ), and
to the belief of the ancients in the existence of the reverse some military standards, with L. LEN(T).
the Nereides. (Hirt, Mythol. Bilderb. p. 150, tabb. C. MAR(C). cos. (i. e. L. Lentulus and C. Mar-
18, 19. )
(L. S. ) cellus, consuls). The head of Saturn on the coin
NEREIS (Nnpnis), daughter of Pyrrhus I. , has evident reference to the temple of that deity,
king of Epeirus, was married, apparently long after the aerarium at Rome, of which the quaestors had
her father's death, to Gelon, the son of Hieron, the charge, and where likewise the standards were
king of Syracuse, by whom she became the kept, to which fact the reverse alludes (comp. Dist.
mother of Hieronymus. It appears that she out-of Ant. s. r. Aerarium). The names of the consuls
lived her niece Deždameia, and was thus the last prove both that the coin was struck in B. C. 49,
surviving descendant of the royal house of the and that Nerius belonged to their party ; and it is
Aeacidae. (Paus. vi. 12. $ 3 ; Polyb. vii. 4. & 5; not improbable that the head of Saturn was em-
Justin. xxviii. 3. § 4 ; Vales. ad Diod. Exc. p. ployed as an emblem in allusion to the treasury
568. ) Her name is found in an inscription on the living been broken open by Caesar, and with a
2
1
## p. 1161 (#1177) ##########################################
NERO
1161
NERO.
9000
Lada
Iride
COIN OP NERIUS.
I.
03-
view of intimating that he had thus violated the without a train, but the popular opinion made up
Kanctity of a temple. (Eckhel, vol. v. pp. 160, 161. ) | for his diminished honours. This great battle,
which probably saved Rome, gave a lustre to the
name of Nero, and consecrated it among the recol-
lections of the Romans.
Quid debeas, o Roma, Neronibus,
Testis Metaurum flumen et Hasdrubal
Devictus.
Horat. Carin, iv. 4.
In B. c. 201, Nero and others were sent on a
mission to Ptolemaeus, king of Egypt, to announce
the defeat of Hannibal, thank the king for his
fidelity to the Romans, and pray for his support if
NERO, was a cognomen of the Claudia Gens, they should be compelled to go to war with Phi-
which is said to signify, in the Sabine tongue lippus, king of Macedonia.
“fortis ac strenuus. (Sueton. Tib. Nero, l; and The relationship of Nero to the other Claudii
the remarks of Gellius, xiii. 22. )
does not appear. He was censor B. c. 204, with
1. TIB. CLAUDIUS Nero was one of the four sons M. Livius (Liv. xxix. 37).
of App. Claudius Caecus, censor B. c. 312. No- 3. C. Claudius NERO was praetor B. c. 181,
thing is known of him except that he was the pa- and had the province of Sicily (Liv. xl. 18). He
ternal ancestor of the emperor Tib. Claudius Nero may be the son of No. 2.
Caesar. (Sueton. Ner. 3. )
4. APP. CLAUDIUS NERO was praetor B. C.
2. C. CLAUDIUS Nero (Liv. xxiv. 17), the 95 (Liv. xxxiii. 43), with Hispania Ulterior as
fourth consulship of Q. Fabius Maximus, and the his province. Nothing is recorded of his opera-
third of M. Marcellus, B. c. 214, commanded a tions in Spain, and it is doubtful if he went there,
body of cavalry under the consul Marcellus. He for the fear of a Spanish war soon subsided. In
was instructed to attack the rear of Hannibal's B. c. 189, he was one of ten conmissioners (legali)
army near Nola, but he either lost his way or had who were sent into Asia to settle affairs. " (Liv.
not time to come up, and he was not present in xxxvii. 55. )
the engagement in which the consul defeated Han- 5. TiB. CLAUDIUS Nero was praetor B. C.
204
nibal, for which he was severely rated by Marcellus. (Liv. xxix. 11), and had Sardinia for his province.
He is evidently the C. Claudius Nero who was He may have been tbe son of No. 2. In B. C. 202
praetor in the year but one after (Liv. xxv. 1, 2), he was consul with M. Servilius Geminus (Liv.
and was stationed at Suessula, whence he was sum- XXX. 26), and he obtained as his province Africa,
moned by the consuls Q. Fulvius 111. and Appius where he was to have the command against Han-
Claudius (B. C. 212) to assist the of Capua nibal conjointly with P. Cornelius Scipio. But he
(Liv. xxv. 22, xxv. 5. ) Nero was sent in the was not present at the battle of Zama. A violent
same year into Spain (Liv. xxvi. 17; Appian, , storm attacked his fleet soon after he set out, and
Hispan. 17) with a force to oppose Hasdrubal. he put ín at Populonii. He thence passed on to
He landed at Tarraco (Tarragona), but Hasdrubal Ilva (Elba), and to Corsica. In his passage to
eluded his attack, and P. Cornelius Scipio was sent Sardinia his ships suffered still more, and he finally
to command in Spain. Nero commanded as legatus put into Carales (Cagliari) in Sardinia, where he
(Liv. xxvii. 14) under Marcellus B. C. 20. 9, and the was obliged to winter, and whence he returned to
battle in which Hannibal was defeated near Canu- Rome in a private capacity, his year of office baving
sium (Canosa). In B. c. 207, Nero was consul with expired. (Liv. xxx. 39. )
M. Livius II. Nero marched into the south of 6. TIB. CLAUDIUS NERO, praetor, B. c. 178, had
Italy against Hannibal, whom he defeated and the Peregrina Jurisdictio, but he was sent to Pisao
pursued. In the mean time Hasdrubal, who was with a military command to take care of the pro-
in the north of Italy, sent messengers to Hannibal, vince of M. Junius the consul, who was sent into
who was retreating to Metapontum, followed by Gallia to raise troops (Liv. xli. 98), and his com-
Nero. The messengers were taken by the Romans, mand there was extended. (Liv. xli. 18. ) In B. C.
and the contents of their despatches being read, 172 he was sent on a mission into Asia. (Liv. xlii.
Nero determined not to confine himself to the limits 19. ) Tib. Claudius was praetor again in B. c. 165,
of his command, but to march against Hasdrubal, with Sicily for his province. (Liv. cxv. 16. )
who was intending to effect a junction with Han- 7. Tib. CLAUDIUS NERO served under Cn.
nibal in Umbria. He communicated his design to Pompeius Magnus in the war against the pirates,
the Roman senate, and instructed them how to act. B. C. 67. (Florus iii. 6; Appian, Mithridat. 95. )
Nero joined his colleague M. Livius in Picenum. He is probably the Tib. Nero mentioned by Sal-
A sanguinary battle was fought with Hasdrubal on lust (Bell
. Cat. 50) and by Appian (B. C. ii. 5),
the river Metaurum, in which Hasdrubal fell : in who recommended that the members of the con-
no one battle in the campaign with Hannibal was spiracy of Catiline, who had been seized, should be
the slaughter so great. Nero returned to his camp kept confined till Catiline was put down, and they
in the south, taking with him the head of Hasdru- knew the exact state of the facts.
bal, which he ordered to be thrown before the posts 8. Tib. CLAUDIUS Nero, the father of the em-
of Hannibal, and he sent him two of his captives to peror Tiberius, was probably the son of No. 7. He
tell him what had befallen his brother and his army. was a descendant of Tib. Nero (see above, No. l], the
(Liv. xxvii. 41-51; Appian, Annibul. 52, &c. ) son of App. Claudius Caecus. He served as quaestor
Nero shared in the triumph of his colleague, but as under C. Julius Caesar (B. C. 48) in the Alexandrine
the battle was fought in his colleague's province, war(B. Al. 25; Dion Cass. xlii. 40), and commanded
Livius rode in a chariot drawn by four horses fol- a fleet which defeated the Egyptian fleet at the
lowed by his soldiers ; Nero rode on horseback, Canopic mouth of the Nile. He was rewarded for his
LS
rzt
.
s
Post
16
3
at
ซึ่ง
## p. 1162 (#1178) ##########################################
1162
NERO.
NERO.
services in Caesar's cause by being made a pontifex, no inclination for laborious studies. His character,
in the place of P. Cornelius Scipio, and was employed which was naturally weak, was made worse by his
in establishing, colonies in Gallia north of the education, and when he was in the possession of
Alps, among which Narbo (Narbonne) and Arelate power he showed what a man may become who has
(Arles) are mentioned ; but the colony to Narbo not been subjected to a severe discipline, and who
was a supplementum, for it was settled A. D. 116. in a private station might be no worse than others
On the assassination of Caesar he went so far as to who are rich and idle.
propose that the assassins should be rewarded. He On the death of Claudius, A. D. 54, Agrippina,
was praetor probably in B. C. 42. On the quarrels who had always designed her son to succeed to the
breaking out among the triumviri he fled to Pe- power of the Caesars, kept the emperor's death
rusia and joined the consul L. Antonius, who was secret for a while. All at once the gates of the
besieged there B. c. 41. In this year his eldest son palace were opened, and Nero was presented to the
Tiberius, the future emperor, was born: his mother guards by Afranius Burrhus, praefectus praetorio,
was Livia Drusilla, the daughter of Livius Drusus. who announced Nero to them as their master.
When Perusia surrendered in the following year, Some of them, it is said, asked where was Britan-
Nero effected his escape to Praeneste and thence nicus ; but there was no effort made to proclaim
to Naples, and after having made an unsuccessful Britannicus, and Nero being carried to the prae-
attempt to arm the slaves by promising them their torian camp, was saluted as imperator by the
freedom, he passed over to Sext. Pompeius in Sicily soldiers, and promised them the usual donation.
(comp. Suet. Clau. 4, and Dion Cass. xlviii. 15). His The senate confirmed the decision of the soldiers,
wife and child, scarcely two years old, accompanied and the provinces quictly received Nero as the new
Nero in his flight. At Naples, while they were emperor. (Tacit. Ann. xii. 69 ; Dion Cass. lxi.
secretly trying to get a ship, they were nearly be- 1, &c. )
trayed by the cries of the child. Nero, not liking Nero showed at the commencement that he had
the reception that he met with from Pompeius, not all the acquirements which the Romans had
passed over to M. Antonius in Achaea, and, on a been accustomed to see in their emperors His
reconciliation being effected between M. Antonius public addresses were written by Seneca, for Nero
and Octavianus at the close of the year (B. C. 40), he was deficient in one of the great accomplishments
returned with his wife to Rome. Livia, who pog- of a Roman, oratory. The beginning of his reign
sessed great beauty, excited the passion of Oc- was no worse than might be expected in an ill-
tavianus, to whom she was surrendered by her educated youth of seventeen ; and the senate were
husband, being then six months gone with child of allowed to make some regulations which were sup-
her second son Drusus. Nero gave Livia away as posed to be useful (Tac. Ann. xiii. 4). The affairs
a father would his daughter (B. C. 38), but he must of the East required attention. The Less Armenia
have formally divorced her first. The old and the was given to Aristobulus, a Jew, and son of Herodes,
new husband and the wife sat down together to king of Chalcis. Sophene was given to Sohemus.
the marriage entertainment. When Drusis was The follies and crimes of Nero were owing to
born, Caesar sent the boy to his father, for, being his own feeble character and the temper of his
begotten during Nero's marriage with Livia, Nero mother. This ambitious woman wished to govern
was his lawful father. Caesar, who was a man of in the name of her son, and she received all the
great method, made an entry in his memorandum- external marks of respect which were due to one
book, to the effect “ that Caesar sent to Nero his who possessed sovereign power. Seneca and Bur-
father the child that was born of Livia his wife. ” rhus exerted their influence with Nero to oppose
(Dion Cass. xlviii. 44; Tacit. Annal. i. 10, v. I. ) | her designs, and thus a contest commenced which
Nero died shortly after, and left Caesar the tutor of must end in the destruction of Agrippina or her
his two sons. If Tiberius was born in B. C. 42 (see opponents. Nero began to indulge his licentious
Clinton, Fasti, B. C. 42), Nero died in B. C. 34 or inclinations without restraint, and one of his boon
33, for Tiberius, his son, pronounced his funeral companions was an accomplished debauchee, Otho,
oration in front of the Rostra, when he was nine who afterwards held the imperial power for a few
[G. L. ) months. Nero assumed the consulship A. D. 55,
NERO, Roman emperor, A. D. 54–68. The with L.
Isthm. vi. 8 ; Apollod. i. 2. $7; Ov. Met. ii. 10, the Roman god Mars. Very little is known about
&c. ; Virg. Aen. V. 825 ; Hygin. Fub. praef. ) They her, and the ancients themselves were doubtful as
are described as lovely divinities, and dwelling with to the correct form of her name, though Gellius
their father at the bottom of the sea, and they (xiii
. 22) prefers Nerio, which is analogous with
were believed to be propitious to all sailors, and es- Anio. The name is said to be of Sabine origin,
pecially to the Argonauts (Hom. Il. xviii. 36, &c. and to be synonymous with virtus or fortitulo.
140 ; Apollod. i. 9. S 25 ; Apollon. Rhod. iv. 859, (Plaut. Truc. ii. 6. 24; Marrian. Cap. 3 ; L. Lydus,
930). They were worshipped in several parts of de Mens. iv. 42. )
(L. S. )
Greece, but more especially in sea-port towns, such NE'RITUS (Núpitos), a son of Pterelaus in
as Cardamyle (Paus. iii. 26. $ 5), and on the Isth- Ithaca, from whom mount Neriton, in the west of
mus of Corinth (ii. 1. $ 7). The epithets given them Ithaca, was beliered to have derived its name.
by the poets refer partly' to their beauty and partly (Hom. Od. ix. 22, xvii. 207 ; Eustath. ad Hom.
to their place of abode. They were frequently repre p. 1815. )
[L. S. )
sented in antiquity, in paintings, on gems, in re- NE'RIUS, CN. , of the Papinian tribe, accused
lievoes and statues, and commonly as youthful, beau. P. Sestius of bribery in B. C. 56 (Cic. ad Q. Fr. ii.
tiful, and naked maidens, and often grouped together 3. & 5). This Cn. Nerius may be the same as the
with Tritons and other marine monsters, in which Nerius who wils quaestor in B. C. 49, as we learn
they resemble the Bacchic routs. Sometimes, also, from some interesting coins, of which a specimen is
they appear on gems as half maidens and half fish, annexed. The obrerse represents the head of Sa-
like mermaids, the belief in whom is quite analogous turn, with NERI Q. VRB. (i. e. quaestor urbunus ), and
to the belief of the ancients in the existence of the reverse some military standards, with L. LEN(T).
the Nereides. (Hirt, Mythol. Bilderb. p. 150, tabb. C. MAR(C). cos. (i. e. L. Lentulus and C. Mar-
18, 19. )
(L. S. ) cellus, consuls). The head of Saturn on the coin
NEREIS (Nnpnis), daughter of Pyrrhus I. , has evident reference to the temple of that deity,
king of Epeirus, was married, apparently long after the aerarium at Rome, of which the quaestors had
her father's death, to Gelon, the son of Hieron, the charge, and where likewise the standards were
king of Syracuse, by whom she became the kept, to which fact the reverse alludes (comp. Dist.
mother of Hieronymus. It appears that she out-of Ant. s. r. Aerarium). The names of the consuls
lived her niece Deždameia, and was thus the last prove both that the coin was struck in B. C. 49,
surviving descendant of the royal house of the and that Nerius belonged to their party ; and it is
Aeacidae. (Paus. vi. 12. $ 3 ; Polyb. vii. 4. & 5; not improbable that the head of Saturn was em-
Justin. xxviii. 3. § 4 ; Vales. ad Diod. Exc. p. ployed as an emblem in allusion to the treasury
568. ) Her name is found in an inscription on the living been broken open by Caesar, and with a
2
1
## p. 1161 (#1177) ##########################################
NERO
1161
NERO.
9000
Lada
Iride
COIN OP NERIUS.
I.
03-
view of intimating that he had thus violated the without a train, but the popular opinion made up
Kanctity of a temple. (Eckhel, vol. v. pp. 160, 161. ) | for his diminished honours. This great battle,
which probably saved Rome, gave a lustre to the
name of Nero, and consecrated it among the recol-
lections of the Romans.
Quid debeas, o Roma, Neronibus,
Testis Metaurum flumen et Hasdrubal
Devictus.
Horat. Carin, iv. 4.
In B. c. 201, Nero and others were sent on a
mission to Ptolemaeus, king of Egypt, to announce
the defeat of Hannibal, thank the king for his
fidelity to the Romans, and pray for his support if
NERO, was a cognomen of the Claudia Gens, they should be compelled to go to war with Phi-
which is said to signify, in the Sabine tongue lippus, king of Macedonia.
“fortis ac strenuus. (Sueton. Tib. Nero, l; and The relationship of Nero to the other Claudii
the remarks of Gellius, xiii. 22. )
does not appear. He was censor B. c. 204, with
1. TIB. CLAUDIUS Nero was one of the four sons M. Livius (Liv. xxix. 37).
of App. Claudius Caecus, censor B. c. 312. No- 3. C. Claudius NERO was praetor B. c. 181,
thing is known of him except that he was the pa- and had the province of Sicily (Liv. xl. 18). He
ternal ancestor of the emperor Tib. Claudius Nero may be the son of No. 2.
Caesar. (Sueton. Ner. 3. )
4. APP. CLAUDIUS NERO was praetor B. C.
2. C. CLAUDIUS Nero (Liv. xxiv. 17), the 95 (Liv. xxxiii. 43), with Hispania Ulterior as
fourth consulship of Q. Fabius Maximus, and the his province. Nothing is recorded of his opera-
third of M. Marcellus, B. c. 214, commanded a tions in Spain, and it is doubtful if he went there,
body of cavalry under the consul Marcellus. He for the fear of a Spanish war soon subsided. In
was instructed to attack the rear of Hannibal's B. c. 189, he was one of ten conmissioners (legali)
army near Nola, but he either lost his way or had who were sent into Asia to settle affairs. " (Liv.
not time to come up, and he was not present in xxxvii. 55. )
the engagement in which the consul defeated Han- 5. TiB. CLAUDIUS Nero was praetor B. C.
204
nibal, for which he was severely rated by Marcellus. (Liv. xxix. 11), and had Sardinia for his province.
He is evidently the C. Claudius Nero who was He may have been tbe son of No. 2. In B. C. 202
praetor in the year but one after (Liv. xxv. 1, 2), he was consul with M. Servilius Geminus (Liv.
and was stationed at Suessula, whence he was sum- XXX. 26), and he obtained as his province Africa,
moned by the consuls Q. Fulvius 111. and Appius where he was to have the command against Han-
Claudius (B. C. 212) to assist the of Capua nibal conjointly with P. Cornelius Scipio. But he
(Liv. xxv. 22, xxv. 5. ) Nero was sent in the was not present at the battle of Zama. A violent
same year into Spain (Liv. xxvi. 17; Appian, , storm attacked his fleet soon after he set out, and
Hispan. 17) with a force to oppose Hasdrubal. he put ín at Populonii. He thence passed on to
He landed at Tarraco (Tarragona), but Hasdrubal Ilva (Elba), and to Corsica. In his passage to
eluded his attack, and P. Cornelius Scipio was sent Sardinia his ships suffered still more, and he finally
to command in Spain. Nero commanded as legatus put into Carales (Cagliari) in Sardinia, where he
(Liv. xxvii. 14) under Marcellus B. C. 20. 9, and the was obliged to winter, and whence he returned to
battle in which Hannibal was defeated near Canu- Rome in a private capacity, his year of office baving
sium (Canosa). In B. c. 207, Nero was consul with expired. (Liv. xxx. 39. )
M. Livius II. Nero marched into the south of 6. TIB. CLAUDIUS NERO, praetor, B. c. 178, had
Italy against Hannibal, whom he defeated and the Peregrina Jurisdictio, but he was sent to Pisao
pursued. In the mean time Hasdrubal, who was with a military command to take care of the pro-
in the north of Italy, sent messengers to Hannibal, vince of M. Junius the consul, who was sent into
who was retreating to Metapontum, followed by Gallia to raise troops (Liv. xli. 98), and his com-
Nero. The messengers were taken by the Romans, mand there was extended. (Liv. xli. 18. ) In B. C.
and the contents of their despatches being read, 172 he was sent on a mission into Asia. (Liv. xlii.
Nero determined not to confine himself to the limits 19. ) Tib. Claudius was praetor again in B. c. 165,
of his command, but to march against Hasdrubal, with Sicily for his province. (Liv. cxv. 16. )
who was intending to effect a junction with Han- 7. Tib. CLAUDIUS NERO served under Cn.
nibal in Umbria. He communicated his design to Pompeius Magnus in the war against the pirates,
the Roman senate, and instructed them how to act. B. C. 67. (Florus iii. 6; Appian, Mithridat. 95. )
Nero joined his colleague M. Livius in Picenum. He is probably the Tib. Nero mentioned by Sal-
A sanguinary battle was fought with Hasdrubal on lust (Bell
. Cat. 50) and by Appian (B. C. ii. 5),
the river Metaurum, in which Hasdrubal fell : in who recommended that the members of the con-
no one battle in the campaign with Hannibal was spiracy of Catiline, who had been seized, should be
the slaughter so great. Nero returned to his camp kept confined till Catiline was put down, and they
in the south, taking with him the head of Hasdru- knew the exact state of the facts.
bal, which he ordered to be thrown before the posts 8. Tib. CLAUDIUS Nero, the father of the em-
of Hannibal, and he sent him two of his captives to peror Tiberius, was probably the son of No. 7. He
tell him what had befallen his brother and his army. was a descendant of Tib. Nero (see above, No. l], the
(Liv. xxvii. 41-51; Appian, Annibul. 52, &c. ) son of App. Claudius Caecus. He served as quaestor
Nero shared in the triumph of his colleague, but as under C. Julius Caesar (B. C. 48) in the Alexandrine
the battle was fought in his colleague's province, war(B. Al. 25; Dion Cass. xlii. 40), and commanded
Livius rode in a chariot drawn by four horses fol- a fleet which defeated the Egyptian fleet at the
lowed by his soldiers ; Nero rode on horseback, Canopic mouth of the Nile. He was rewarded for his
LS
rzt
.
s
Post
16
3
at
ซึ่ง
## p. 1162 (#1178) ##########################################
1162
NERO.
NERO.
services in Caesar's cause by being made a pontifex, no inclination for laborious studies. His character,
in the place of P. Cornelius Scipio, and was employed which was naturally weak, was made worse by his
in establishing, colonies in Gallia north of the education, and when he was in the possession of
Alps, among which Narbo (Narbonne) and Arelate power he showed what a man may become who has
(Arles) are mentioned ; but the colony to Narbo not been subjected to a severe discipline, and who
was a supplementum, for it was settled A. D. 116. in a private station might be no worse than others
On the assassination of Caesar he went so far as to who are rich and idle.
propose that the assassins should be rewarded. He On the death of Claudius, A. D. 54, Agrippina,
was praetor probably in B. C. 42. On the quarrels who had always designed her son to succeed to the
breaking out among the triumviri he fled to Pe- power of the Caesars, kept the emperor's death
rusia and joined the consul L. Antonius, who was secret for a while. All at once the gates of the
besieged there B. c. 41. In this year his eldest son palace were opened, and Nero was presented to the
Tiberius, the future emperor, was born: his mother guards by Afranius Burrhus, praefectus praetorio,
was Livia Drusilla, the daughter of Livius Drusus. who announced Nero to them as their master.
When Perusia surrendered in the following year, Some of them, it is said, asked where was Britan-
Nero effected his escape to Praeneste and thence nicus ; but there was no effort made to proclaim
to Naples, and after having made an unsuccessful Britannicus, and Nero being carried to the prae-
attempt to arm the slaves by promising them their torian camp, was saluted as imperator by the
freedom, he passed over to Sext. Pompeius in Sicily soldiers, and promised them the usual donation.
(comp. Suet. Clau. 4, and Dion Cass. xlviii. 15). His The senate confirmed the decision of the soldiers,
wife and child, scarcely two years old, accompanied and the provinces quictly received Nero as the new
Nero in his flight. At Naples, while they were emperor. (Tacit. Ann. xii. 69 ; Dion Cass. lxi.
secretly trying to get a ship, they were nearly be- 1, &c. )
trayed by the cries of the child. Nero, not liking Nero showed at the commencement that he had
the reception that he met with from Pompeius, not all the acquirements which the Romans had
passed over to M. Antonius in Achaea, and, on a been accustomed to see in their emperors His
reconciliation being effected between M. Antonius public addresses were written by Seneca, for Nero
and Octavianus at the close of the year (B. C. 40), he was deficient in one of the great accomplishments
returned with his wife to Rome. Livia, who pog- of a Roman, oratory. The beginning of his reign
sessed great beauty, excited the passion of Oc- was no worse than might be expected in an ill-
tavianus, to whom she was surrendered by her educated youth of seventeen ; and the senate were
husband, being then six months gone with child of allowed to make some regulations which were sup-
her second son Drusus. Nero gave Livia away as posed to be useful (Tac. Ann. xiii. 4). The affairs
a father would his daughter (B. C. 38), but he must of the East required attention. The Less Armenia
have formally divorced her first. The old and the was given to Aristobulus, a Jew, and son of Herodes,
new husband and the wife sat down together to king of Chalcis. Sophene was given to Sohemus.
the marriage entertainment. When Drusis was The follies and crimes of Nero were owing to
born, Caesar sent the boy to his father, for, being his own feeble character and the temper of his
begotten during Nero's marriage with Livia, Nero mother. This ambitious woman wished to govern
was his lawful father. Caesar, who was a man of in the name of her son, and she received all the
great method, made an entry in his memorandum- external marks of respect which were due to one
book, to the effect “ that Caesar sent to Nero his who possessed sovereign power. Seneca and Bur-
father the child that was born of Livia his wife. ” rhus exerted their influence with Nero to oppose
(Dion Cass. xlviii. 44; Tacit. Annal. i. 10, v. I. ) | her designs, and thus a contest commenced which
Nero died shortly after, and left Caesar the tutor of must end in the destruction of Agrippina or her
his two sons. If Tiberius was born in B. C. 42 (see opponents. Nero began to indulge his licentious
Clinton, Fasti, B. C. 42), Nero died in B. C. 34 or inclinations without restraint, and one of his boon
33, for Tiberius, his son, pronounced his funeral companions was an accomplished debauchee, Otho,
oration in front of the Rostra, when he was nine who afterwards held the imperial power for a few
[G. L. ) months. Nero assumed the consulship A. D. 55,
NERO, Roman emperor, A. D. 54–68. The with L.
