Nero became Emperor at the early age of seventeen, ruling after the death of Claudius. Though he is notorious for his cruelty and corrupt acts, he also provided for the people and the city throughout various disasters. The most well known event during his reign is the great fire of Rome, taking place in 64 CE. Many ancient historians wrote about this catastrophe and the emperor’s role in it, having various accounts of what had occurred. Tacitus, Suetonius, and Cassius Dio all recorded this event and painted Nero in differing lights, with the first having the most extensive account and being the only one to have been alive during the fire.
Tacitus (56-120 CE) was a Roman orator and public official, who used many public records, official reports, and his own experience as the basis for his historical writings. As a writer, it is said that he demonstrated his moral authority and dignity through his works, but also that he controlled the performance of the characters in his writings, making them not necessarily strict history. In Tacitus’ Annals, he states that the disaster could have been “accidental or treacherously contrived by the emperor.” Throughout the account, he depicts Nero to have greatly relieved and aided the people, as well as made
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While writing from a senatorial perspective, he likely borrowed information from other historians and relied on public records. In Cassius Dio’s Roman History, he reports that Nero had secretly sent out men to set the fire in the city to accomplish his desire of making “an end of the whole city and realm during his lifetime.” After describing the devastation of the fire, Cassius Dio mentions nothing of relief from Nero, but only that he sang and played the lyre from the roof of the palace to obtain the best view of the burning
Nero was just sixteen when the emperor Claudius died and was named as princeps after he bribed the Praetorian guards to secure his succession. Wary of any rival to his power, he ordered the execution of Britannicus, Claudius’ son with Messalina, as well as the exile Agrippina, his own mother. Nero’s first five years of reign were generally peaceful but he would soon sink to madness after this. He had his own mother killed, became increasingly corrupt, and wasted Rome’s tax money for his vices.
Occupation: Emperor of Rome Born: December 15, 37 AD in Antium, Italy Died: June 9, 68 AD outside Rome, Italy Reign: October 13, 54 AD to June 9, 68 AD Best known for: One of the worst Emperors of Rome, legend has it he played the fiddle while Rome burned. Biography: Nero ruled Rome from 54 AD to 68 AD. He is one of the most notorious emperors of Rome and is known for executing anyone who didn't agree with him, including his mother.
Nero’s first five years of ruling were led by his tutors, until he split the senatorial elite and it all went bad from there. Until the death of his mother eliminated a giant restraint “Nero relied largely on Seneca and Burrus for guidance”; he also was good to his people and gave to the poor in his first five years of rule (“Nero” 3). “His growing insecurity” led him to eliminate “rivals and lavish expenditures of his later years led him to” steal property , in the crisis of 68 he failed to realize “he still had the support of his people” at which point in time he lost (Scarre
While his reign was marked by controversy and often portrayed negatively in historical accounts, Nero's impact on Rome was substantial in various aspects. Here are some key points to assess his significance: Nero had a keen interest in architecture and urban planning, and he initiated several large-scale construction projects in Rome. One of his most renowned projects was the Domus Aurea, a massive palace complex that covered a substantial portion of the city. This extravagant structure showcased his opulence and artistic tastes, with innovative features such as rotating dining rooms and a massive artificial lake. Additionally, Nero is credited with the construction of the Colossus of Nero, a colossal bronze statue that stood near the
In Brutus’s speech that he gave for the reason for Julius Caesar’s death, he gives examples of logos to persuade the crowd. Brutus says that the reason for Caesar’s death was because of his ambition to become the emperor. But in Antony’s speech, he claims to have presented the crown to him 3 times, and Caesar refused all 3 times. Brutus claims his reason for aiding in the murder of Caesar was, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.” but Anthony also stated “For Brutus as you know was Caesar’s angel.”
One of the most important people in the Roman Empire that helped shape the events in the years 64 and 65 AD was Nero, the Emperor of Rome. Even though he is most remembered by his insanity and cruelty, Nero also helped the people and the city of Rome. He did this by passing laws that made houses and bridges safer. He volunteered to help build canals instead of hiring men to build them for him. He strengthened the economy by almost completely stopping forgery. He took an interest in the arts, especially music.
HISTORY-Nero Emperor Nero Arguably the Worst Emperors of Rome Nero’s life was not the best but he also was not the best person. He also dealt with fires and multiple disasters. He made people listen to him sing, made them suffer being burned at the stake, and more. He is also arguably one of the world’s worst Roman emperors in the entire history of Rome. I say arguably because he also did many things in the beginning of his rein of power like lowering the taxes, plays, and games.
Brutus and Booth-Noble Purgers Throughout history, people have sacrificed their lives, reputations, and honor to do what they believe is just, regardless of what others think. John Wilkes Booth, the assassin that killed President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 has been viewed as a traitor throughout American history; however, in Booth’s eyes, he was saving a nation from the injustices of an unfit leader. Similarly, the fictional character Brutus in the Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar murdered his close friend, the Roman emperor Caesar, to uphold the Roman Republic. Brutus and Booth may be murderers, but they show their honorable intentions and selfless character traits through their effective use of logos and ethos.
There have been many deranged world leaders through the course of history, but few rival Nero, the fifth Roman Emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. To begin his insane rule during his quest for power, Nero is said to have killed both his mother and wife in cold blood. Nero is infamous throughout history for being the Emperor who watches his own capital of Rome burn while playing the fiddle. However, the absurdity of these stories leads people to question the authenticity. Nevertheless, Nero’s unpopularity within the elite of Rome led to his tragic death.
The Consequences of Honor Being an honorable person requires one to follow a code of ethics for the greater good, even at the cost of his own life. If one breaks his code of ethics, he believes that living with the shame of breaking it for the rest of his life would be a “fate worse than death”. These selfless individuals care more about the needs of others than their own personal desires. However, there are people who take advantage of one’s honorable nature and use it for their own gain. This concern of acting honorably is shown in Brutus, the main character in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Caesar is killed by conspirators who fear for the safety of rome. Brutus who helped in the assassination tried to calm down the overlookers who had just witnessed the assassination by using logos and ethos by saying how it was logical for them to kill caesar saying the power would go to his head and we would become a dictator destroying rome. Using ethos by saying they will remember the “good times”, how they were great friends but it had to be done and as well saying that it was for the good of rome and the people which goes into a little more logos. Antony a “dumb jock” asked to speak but was asked to say nothing bad about anyone or anything but by using pathos he tried to make everyone believe that what
He describes how the fire allowed Emperor Nero to carry out his ambitious plans for rebuilding the city, but also how Nero was blamed for starting the fire and subsequently persecuted Christians as scapegoats (Tacitus, Annals 15). Tacitus is known for his critical approach to the Roman Empire and its ruler, Nero. For example, Tacitus describes how the fire began and spread, the efforts of the people to extinguish it, and the destruction caused by the flames. He describes the fire as a catastrophic event that lasted for six days and seven nights destroying much of the city. Tacitus describes the fire as a devastating event that destroyed much of Rome and left many citizens homeless.
Julius Caesar was a Powerful Roman politician and general, who served as a god to the Romans. He played a key role in the events that led to the downfall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman empire. His reign from 49 B.C to 44 B.C illustrated his dominance in controlling a commanding army and ruling a nation. Many historians have different opinions on Caesar's command. Some saw him as a leader for the people, whereas others saw him as a man searching for power and power alone.
In the play "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" by Shakespeare, two individuals named Brutus and Antony give a funeral oration to the people of Rome in concern of the justification of Caesars death. Both of them share an opposite view towards the death of Caesar, Antony thinks his death was unjustified, while Brutus believes in the opposite. Despite the fact that Brutus was able to deliver a better ethical appeal. Antony delivers a more persuasive rhetorical speech since he appeals to the crowd more with his emotional and logical appeal Ethical appeal was used by both individuals in their funeral orations, evidently Brutus was able to execute a better ethical appeal than Antony. Brutus wanted to make the people of Rome feel like the death of Caesar was necessary for the sake of Rome.
Brutus and Cassius are two prominent conspirators in the play Julius Caesar; one of these two fits Aristotle's depiction of a tragic hero. The difference between a normal hero and a tragic hero is that the latter will have a tragic flaw that keeps them from succeeding. These characters are often sympathetic and will cleave to the reader's pity. Firstly, we shall discuss Cassius. He was a man of questionable character.