Description

Future emperor Nero had an unstable childhood. His family was banished from Rome and their wealth and estates were seized by Caligula. Raised by his forceful and noble-born mother Agrippina, Nero did not know a father due to his death when he was two years old.
The assassination of Caligula brought Agrippina and Nero back to Rome and their estates returned. The execution of Empress Messilina brought
additional benefits when Emperor Claudius married
Agrippina. Claudius went on to adopt the young Nero
making him his heir apparent.
In 54 AD Agrippina poisoned Emperor Claudius and with the aid of her two associates, Seneca and Praetorian Commander Sextus Burrus, placed the 17 year old Nero on the throne.
Initially Agrippina was closely involved in the running of the empire. However, little by little Nero removed his mother from her positions of power and eventually had her
assassinated.
For some time, with the advice of his counselors Seneca and Burrus, the empire ran smoothly and able men like generals Corbulo and Seutonius Paulinus fought and won the serious battles that threatened the empire.
With the death of Burrus in 62 AD Seneca alone could no longer control the increasingly megalomaniacal conduct of the emperor. Nero’s sensual and artistic obsessions as well as the power over the emperor that the ruthless and ambitious Tigellinus exercised, brought the empire close to rebellion.
Between 65 AD and 68 AD many conspiracies evolved leading Nero to take his own life in 68 AD.