Suetonius’s work perhaps furnished a more amiable account of Nero than Tacitus’s or Dio’s. 1985. [19] The nature versus nurture argument could reasonably be applied here, which substantiates my theories. Cambridge: Hardvard University Press. Short URL for this page: 92, Fig. 3 quadringena α‎: quadra- β‎ (.xl. For the next several years his mother would parade him in public when it was convenient or beneficial to her. Or there may have been a different messianic pretender in Rome. From this substance abuse, it is likely that Nero suffered from CS, which has an irregularly high comorbidity with BPD. Both text and translation are in the public domain. Few likely would dispute that Nero exhibited traits popularly and clinically associated with HPD (Histrionic Personality Disorder), but his actions are less diagnostically histrionic. (Besemer, Pereira and Smit 2011) This creates a compounded cyclical effect, where one leads to the other and simultaneously stimulates an increase in the other. Tiberius and Caligula, for instance, are two of the most notable Julio-Claudian emperors concerning their eccentricities, but even they did not go to the lengths of performing in a theater for personal satisfaction. His book on the life of Nero, when compared with the other books in The Twelve Caesars, appears to be rather typical of the biographical details he finds worthy of recording. 2 quadringenos] quadra- GRCH c D c (quadrig- Hac), Nero 10. “Diagnostic Categorization of Psychiatric Disturbance in Cushing’s Syndrome.” American Journal of Psychiatry 142 (8): 911-6. A man who displayed such rebellion and arrogance seems irreconcilable with one so self-conscious and concerned with the public’s opinion of him, as described by Suetonius. (Dio, 61.21.2; Champlin, 2013). Suetonius is one of three key Roman authors who may refer to early Christians, the other two being Pliny the Younger and Tacitus. Many Christians considered him to be the Antichrist because he persecuted and blamed them for starting the Great Fire in 64, which burned for six days in the heart of the city. Grafton, Anthony, Glenn W Most, and Salvatore (Eds.) Antike Veränderungen an Bronzemünzen Des Kaisers This was roughly one year after his great uncle and then emperor, Claudius I, adopted him. “Psychiatric Symptoms as a Clinical Presentation of Cushing’s Syndrome.” Annals of It was this shocking change during his coming-of-age that likely solidified many of the mental disorders that would one day plague the young man. During the largest scale reconstruction that Rome had undergone, Nero also insisted that the buildings be primarily concrete rather than wood to provide protection against the recurrence of such massive conflagration. What we know of Nero’s childhood is rather macabre; Nero’s father died and his mother was exiled by the time that Nero was three years old. Of special importance is Nero’s actions during the death of Brittanicus, at which time he is said to display little emotion. A special case is The preceding imagery illustrates the more common problems that have troubled modern historians. Life. This attempt was rather successful in the case of Nero, being that only a few historical accounts survive which reflect remarkable negative bias. 71. 25, Fig. Where words are blue and underlined, there is also a hyperlink to another site. [3] This portrays Nero as a young man having recently obtained legal majority and donning the toga virilis for the first time. I will often provide more than one image of a coin as an example of a particular year because it is occasionally necessary to do so in order to convey a representative sample of the variations in that year. I elected to represent mint year 64-65 in a series of three coins because there is a great deal of extant coinage minted in that year that is available for study and these three images do represent a wide array of variables in his facial profile. If he did have difficulty producing an erection, he would not necessarily have been unable to engage in sexual intercourse at all times. Notably, unlike Tacitus, Suetonius does not associate this punishment with the fire that swept Rome. Suetonius also tells us that Nero would hear legal cases, he would withdraw and have his counselors each prepare his own opinion in writing, for Nero to review in private, and based on these opinions he would then make a judgment in the case. Tacitus goes on to claim that all of the other sources agreed with Cluvius’s version of events. A man so invested in his own convictions would likely have some rather tenacious opinions on the matter himself, which would invariably lead to subjective historical accounts. As noted by Bergmann, this likely was due to the fact that he had only a wispy, thin beard, which would have been painted onto statues, but would have been optional for die makers to include. The very fact that he was so skilled at lyre-playing, singing, and performing alone demonstrates his need for excessive admiration. 32, chap. His overindulgence lead to hypercortisolism, which includes several mental and physical symptoms. Rudich, 1993, p 41 and 211; B. Baldwin, 1979.) Fig. Dio discussed this point as well, saying that Nero was awarded the crown for lyre-playing at the Neronia and was afterwards granted the crowns for those contests by default, even those which he did not compete in. Wiley-Blackwell Publsihers Ltd. Fendrich, Michael, Virginia Warner, and Myrna M Weissman. 2)[4] was minted shortly after he had become emperor and included his mother’s portrait facing his own on the obverse of the coin, with her inscriptions displayed prominently around their heads. Nero comes across as a monster - a homicidal, deluded pervert whom, 'after the world had put up with such a ruler for nearly fourteen years, it at last cast him off': As in his biography of Claudius, Suetonius starts his account The fact that Nero also ordered the suicide of Seneca and lacked surprise at the sudden death of his step-brother, Brittanicus, points to the conclusion that perhaps he was not an entirely balanced individual. 2-4 p.1-2) It stands to reason that when he took power over the empire at seventeen his mother was heavily influential, probably made problematic by the usual rebellious spirit of adolescence. biography describes the murder of Agrippina, I have put it It was not long before Agrippina began plotting the death of Nero’s younger brother, Brittanicus. (Jones 2000, Suetonius, Nero) He at the very least could not be considered easily suggestible beyond the time he accessed the throne, since he ordered the death of his advisors, his mother and his tutor. Images with borders lead to more information. At one time he described Nero as hated by all mankind, then continued to indicate his extravagances and failures throughout his Naturalis Historia. Tacitus maintains a traditional Roman perspective of history in his book by relating only the information that was pertinent to Rome itself at the time. Some believed that he avoided writing opinionated works in order to avoid gaining Nero’s attention, which his nephew would later confirm, saying that it had been a dangerous time to write any elevated works.