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There has been some more recent arguments that Nero wasn't all that terrible, but more so disinterested in the job. Coupled with two facts that the article ment

There has been some more recent arguments that Nero wasn't all that terrible, but more so disinterested in the job. Coupled with two facts that the article mentions (upper class Romans despised him for acting below his station; Christians despised him for putting them to death), it is no wonder all the records of his reign are incredibly negative. The people who hated him wrote the history. This is not to say he was a morally "good" person, but he also doesn't appear to been the tyrant he is made out to be. Both "Nero: Emperor and Court"[0] as well as "Rome is Burning"[1] are great reads on the topic [0] https://www.amazon.com/Nero-Emperor-John-F-Drinkwater/dp/1108472648 https://www.amazon.com/Nero-Emperor-John-F-Drinkwater/dp/110... [1] https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691172316/rome-is-burning https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691172316/ro...

RichEO 3y ago
He was also the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, who traced a (mostly adopted) line of authority back to Julius Caesar. Nero’s eventual successors, the Flavian Dynasty (who had no connection to the first emperors) had plenty of reason to delegitimise him, as a means of legitimising themselves.
batch12 3y ago
> Christians despised him for putting them to death Burned alive slowly after being dipped in wax/oil if I recall correctly.
hunter2_ 3y ago
Off topic: I'm reminded of "Nero Burning ROM," the CD burning software. Clever name, that.
- miobrien 3y ago
  Very clever. Definitely didn't occur to me when I was in middle school at the time!
- kijin 3y ago
  Nero Burning ROM still seems to be available from its original developer, Nero AG: https://www.nero.com/eng/products/nero-burning-rom/ https://www.nero.com/eng/products/nero-burning-rom/ The modern packaging doesn't show the iconic "coliseum on fire" icon, but I'm pretty sure it will be in there somewhere once you install it. :)
  - toyg 3y ago
    Iirc NBR was thoroughly enshittified with time.
mensetmanusman 3y ago
Nero was analogous to the head of ISIS when you consider how crucification was used to maintain the power structure.
- Loic 3y ago
  Crucifixion ist still done in Saoudi Arabia...
  - mensetmanusman 3y ago
    Yep, but ISIS used it about 1 to 2 orders more. Interesting talk by Rome historian Tom Holland on YouTube about it.

RichEO 3y ago

He was also the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, who traced a (mostly adopted) line of authority back to Julius Caesar. Nero’s eventual successors, the Flavian Dynasty (who had no connection to the first emperors) had plenty of reason to delegitimise him, as a means of legitimising themselves.

batch12 3y ago

> Christians despised him for putting them to death Burned alive slowly after being dipped in wax/oil if I recall correctly.

hunter2_ 3y ago

Off topic: I'm reminded of "Nero Burning ROM," the CD burning software. Clever name, that.

miobrien 3y ago
Very clever. Definitely didn't occur to me when I was in middle school at the time!
kijin 3y ago
Nero Burning ROM still seems to be available from its original developer, Nero AG: https://www.nero.com/eng/products/nero-burning-rom/ https://www.nero.com/eng/products/nero-burning-rom/ The modern packaging doesn't show the iconic "coliseum on fire" icon, but I'm pretty sure it will be in there somewhere once you install it. :)
- toyg 3y ago
  Iirc NBR was thoroughly enshittified with time.

mensetmanusman 3y ago

Nero was analogous to the head of ISIS when you consider how crucification was used to maintain the power structure.

Loic 3y ago
Crucifixion ist still done in Saoudi Arabia...
- mensetmanusman 3y ago
  Yep, but ISIS used it about 1 to 2 orders more. Interesting talk by Rome historian Tom Holland on YouTube about it.