Challenges to Nero's reign

• Despite his excesses and his desire to break traditions there was very little opposition to Nero.
• Tacitus gives us the most complete account of the Pisonian conspiracy, here he gives clear indication of the motivations of the conspirators, although this could be Tacitus' attempt to air his own criticisms of Nero through the members of the plot and its broad support.
• One of the most significant events in Nero's reign is the Great Fire of Rome.
• The fire broke out on the 18th-19th July and was documented by both Tacitus and Suetonius.
• Although fires were common in Rome owing to overcrowding and poorly built insulae this was one of the worst Rome had ever faced.
• The fire caused mass destruction with only four districts of city left untouched by disaster over a period of 6 days and 7 nights.
• Suetonius account: Describes that Nero then enters the tower in the gardens of Maecenas and changing into his tragedian costume. Then, while he was enraptured by 'the beauty of the flames', and played The Sack of Ilium.
• Tacitus account: Tacitus has a more measured account where he also talks about the lack of precautions and susceptibility of Rome to fire. He also addresses the actions of the people as selfish, and how Nero was at Antium at the time.
• Tacitus account:

  • he states that shops packed with flammable, where it started near the Circus
  • he states that no one tried to combat the fire and instead actively stoked the fire to possibly allow them to loot afterwards
  • Nero was at Antium and did not return until it was nearing the Palatine hill. He also claims he opened places like the field of mars and his own gardens for the populace to take shelter, and the price of grain was reduced significantly.
• Tacitus also recounts the rumour of Nero singing of the Fall of Troy on his private stage rather than actively try to fight the fire.
• Tacitus also suggests that Nero also allowed the fire to spread into areas he wished to found a new capital in his name, his Domus Aurea (Golden House).
• Later in Nero's rent there was growing discontent in the provinces.
• Boudicca had rebelled in Britannia in 61.
• Judaea revolted in 66.
• The most impactful was the revolt of Gaul under Vindex that would bring about Nero's downfall.
• The Annals breaks off in 66 show we rely on Suetonius and Dio for this rebellion.
• Denarius of Vindex 68 - victory standing on a globe, with a wreath in her right hand and a palm in her left 'salvation of the human race'. Therefore, Vindex is presenting his rebellion as an act of fighting for freedom and of benefit for the whole Roman world. It also does not have an imperial portrait on, maybe adding weight to the republican virtues the revolt, and attempting to present the revolt as less Gallic or provinval.