Julio Claudians II

I) Claudius 41-54 ad
  A) uncle of caligula
  B) wanted to do the Romans right
  C) was a scholar and historian - wrote 41 books
  D) Rome was well governed under Claudius
  E) Problems
    1) was not an impressive leader
      i) could not speak or walk well
      ii) easy to make fun of ( only reason he survived Caligula was to be made fun of)
    2) was hard to respect this man
    3) was hard to believe this man would be a god
    4) was not strong and decisice
    5) easily persuaded
    6) wives
      i) 2nd wife dies
      ii) took a young pretty girl Mesalina - was a relative
      iii) she did not like him so she cheated
        a) undermined his authority even more
        b) she is very open about her cheating - she even does a mock marrige to a man
      iv) people convince Claudius that Rome is in trouble
        a) Mesilina is accused to treason and excecuted
    7) Remarries niece Agropina
      i) she was convinced she knew how to run the govt.
      ii) wrapped Claudius around her finger
      iii) Claudius was still very indecisive
      iv) she wants someone strong on the throne
      v) Agropina has a son from a prevoius marriage
      vi) convinces Claudius to adopt Nero
      vii) Poisons Claudius and Nero becomes emperor
II) Nero
  A) was only 16 at the time he became emperor
    1) Agropina runs the govt. while Nero grows up
  B) Nero's marrige
    1) Agropina favors octavia - she has links to the Julio Claudians
    2) Nero want to divorce her and marry his mistress
    3) If he divorces, his authority will fall
    4) Nero is afraid of his mother - so he want to kill her
      i) builds a collapsable ship and makes sure Agropina drowns
        a) Agropina survives
        b) Nero is now scared of her
      ii) Nero give the direct assassination order
        a) Agropina is killed
  C) Nero wants to get rid of Octavia
    1) accuses her of adultry and treason and she is executed
    2) head is given to his mistress as a present
  D) Nero loved the theater
    1) loved to perform - thought he was a great actor and singer
    2) attended perfomances of plays
      i) he would get bored and throw bricks on people below for amusement
    3) spent too much time at the theater
  E) Informers come back
    1) put people to death
  F) Mismanaged provinces
    1) Britian
      i) king leaves land to Rome - expects Roman suppport
      ii) Roman governer just treats Britians like conquered people
      iii) Nero wasnt paying any attention
    2) Judea
      i) incompetatn governers cause revolt that kills one million people
  G) Great Roman Fire
    1) decides to harp while Rome burns
    2) thought the fire was a great backdrop to his performance
    3) Nero was accused of starting the fire
* Public opinion falls
  H) Nero worried about assassination
    1) starts skilling people out of fear
    2) Nero wants to kill Carbulo - who was a great general
      i) had done nothing to Nero but be a great general
    3) all other generals rise up against Nero
      i) all march their armies against Rome
      ii) leaves borders unattended
  I) Nero commits suicide
    1) "What a great artist the world is losing"
*Rome goes through 4 emperors in the next year
 - generals and men of ambition try to take power
 - Rome was in a state of dissarray