10 Positive Qualities of Nero and His Reign People Don’t Know

Nero is without doubt one of the most controversial emperors in Roman historical past. His rule was marked by violence, extravagance, and tyranny. He was undoubtedly a merciless, heartless emperor, and only a few would query this declare.

Nonetheless, many individuals don’t know that he additionally had some optimistic qualities as an individual and ruler which have been overshadowed by his violence and enraged nature. Nero did many optimistic issues for Rome throughout his early reign. He was fairly an excellent chief and received the love of the Roman folks. Later, he grew to become a very merciless man… however that’s one other story.

Associated: 10 Details That Present Why Caligula Was Rome’s Craziest Emperor

10 Nero Helped Rebuild Rome After the Fireplace

Consider it or not, through the fireplace in Rome, Nero was a really beneficiant chief and helped rebuild Rome after the devastation.

In AD 64, an incredible fireplace destroyed a lot of Rome, leaving lots of of 1000’s of individuals dwelling on the streets and numerous Roman residents lifeless. Nero was no stranger to this tragedy. He was outdoors Rome and returned instantly to take cost of the state of affairs.

Regardless of his status as a tyrant, Nero was fairly variety to the Romans, who misplaced every little thing. He typically went out of his approach to assist these in want, even offering meals to the folks. And after the fireplace, he improved the infrastructure of Rome and made many reforms that enhanced the city design of the “everlasting metropolis.”[1]

9 Nero Set New City Guidelines for Rome

Nero is without doubt one of the most notorious rulers in historical past, thanks partly to the legend that he “fiddled whereas Rome burned.” However, it later turned out that he was not even within the metropolis—and that it was in all probability an try of the Senate to discredit him.

One factor that has by no means been in query is that after the fireplace that devastated Rome, Nero took the chance to set some new city guidelines for Rome. He decreed that every one buildings should be constructed of brick or stone, with tiled roofs to stop future fires.

He additionally created extensive streets and open areas to assist enhance circulation and forestall congestion. Because of Nero’s city planning, Rome emerged from the ashes as a safer and extra environment friendly metropolis that has by no means skilled a hearth of the identical proportions in its historical past.[2]

8 He Considerably Lowered Taxes

Nero accomplished a major tax reform throughout his reign. He inherited a authorities that was deeply in debt. He realized that one of the simplest ways to lift income was to encourage financial development and in addition please the individuals who would love him much more by having a major discount of their taxes—though this might earn him the hatred of the Senate.

To this finish, he lowered taxes on companies and people, making it simpler for folks to earn a dwelling. He additionally carried out a sequence of public works initiatives that created jobs and boosted the financial system.

Nonetheless, after the fireplace, he modified the Roman financial insurance policies to rebuild town, rising taxes once more to take care of the catastrophe Rome needed to face.[3]

7 He Constructed the Greatest Roman Palace on the Time: The Golden Home or Domus Aurea

After the fireplace, Nero constructed many new public buildings and monuments. However probably the most spectacular was the Golden Home, a lavish palace that was some of the luxurious buildings ever in-built Rome.

The truth is, he was an bold builder who left an enduring legacy in Rome. The palace, or Domus Aurea, was a large advanced constructed in what would have been the stays of a neighborhood consumed by fireplace and burned to ashes.

Nonetheless, the development of this palace was seen as a nasty joke as he took benefit of such an enormous tragedy to construct the palace. It shortly grew to become some of the talked-about buildings in Rome. Some contemporaries praised Nero for his imaginative and prescient and engineering prowess. In distinction, others denounced him as a megalomaniac who had squandered public assets on an extravagant private undertaking that was removed from being the precedence.[4]

6 Nero Relentlestly Promoted Creative Expression

Nero was additionally an incredible patron of the humanities. He inspired inventive expression and supported many artists throughout his reign. He even composed music and poetry himself and, shockingly, carried out in entrance of the folks and senators! Though he compelled his viewers to take heed to him, some acknowledged that he had some musical and poetic expertise.

Throughout his reign, he commissioned artworks by among the most well-known artists of the day, together with a statue of himself, the Colossus of Nero.

Nero could have been a merciless ruler, however he was additionally an artist… And even on the time of his loss of life, his final phrases have been: “What an artist perishes in me!”[5]

5 Nero Backed and Inspired Athletic Occasions

Nero was an enormous fan of athletics and did every little thing he might to assist and encourage athletic occasions. He even was a charioteer himself and as soon as received a chariot race on the Olympic Video games… After all, he cheated, and no one dared to beat him.

In any case, he was an excellent athlete, and only a few rulers can declare to have received the Olympic Video games. Along with collaborating, he loved watching sports activities. So he promoted sports activities and their position in Roman society, ensuing within the folks filling the arenas to see the chariot races that flourished through the time of Nero.[6]

4 Nero Allowed Slaves to Complain Towards Their Grasp

In historic Rome, slavery was a truth of life. Slaves have been used for every little thing from handbook labor to offering leisure, and so they had few rights. Nonetheless, underneath the rule of Emperor Nero, slaves have been allowed to file complaints in opposition to their masters when it was regular for slaves to be handled like animals.

This may occasionally appear small, however it was a major step ahead for the rights of slaves. Earlier than Nero, slaves had no authorized recourse in the event that they have been severely mistreated by their homeowners. By permitting them to lodge complaints, Nero helped to guard them from abuse and gave them a voice in Roman society.

This helped to raise the standing of slaves in Roman society and sowed the seeds for future reform.[7]

3 Hundreds of thousands of Folks Beloved Him… Even After His Loss of life!

Nero was a preferred ruler of Rome even supposing he was not preferred by the Senate. Hundreds of thousands of individuals liked him as a result of he was very beneficiant to the Roman folks and an incredible entertainer.

Nero was certainly recognized for his generosity. He would typically give cash to the poor and assist these in want. Nonetheless, the Senate hated him, and so they believed that he was too wasteful—and so they have been proper.

Nero continuously demanded more cash from the Senate, forcing them to kowtow to his each whim. Because of this, the Senate noticed Nero as a hazard to their energy and place and a risk to the steadiness of Rome itself, whereas in public eyes, he was a hero.[8]

2 Nero Enhanced the Greek Tradition

As an artist, Nero had an incredible appreciation for Greek tradition. He enhanced the tradition by inviting Greek students to Rome and commissioning copies of Greek statues. Nero additionally constructed his Domus Aurea, incorporating a number of facets of each Roman and Greek structure.

By mixing the perfect of each cultures, Nero created a really distinctive and spectacular setting.

There isn’t a doubt that Greek tradition had a profound affect on Nero’s life and reign. As emperor, Nero made certain that Greece remained an vital a part of the Roman Empire and the affect of Greek artwork and tradition in Rome grew even additional.[9]

1 His Diplomatic Talents Ended the Battle Towards the Parthian Empire

Nero additionally had a eager political thoughts, and he was typically in a position to dealer peace agreements with Rome’s enemies. One in all his most well-known peace offers was with the Parthians over the management of Armenia.

Nero oversaw a interval of nice peace and prosperity, partly as a result of his profitable negotiations with the Parthian Empire (positioned in Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkey at present). The Parthians have been a significant risk to Roman territory within the East, and Nero realized that it was in Rome’s greatest curiosity to achieve a peaceable decision.

He dispatched envoys to the Parthian court docket, the place they efficiently negotiated a peace treaty. This treaty allowed Rome to focus its assets on different areas, equivalent to increasing its territories in Britannia.

Because of this, Nero’s reign was an important interval in Roman historical past, throughout which the empire achieved new heights of energy and stability.[10]

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Darci Heikkinen