Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the fifth and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruled the Roman Empire from AD 54 to 68. He was thrust into the highest seat of power at the age of sixteen after being adopted by Emperor Claudius, his stepfather. While Nero enjoyed popularity among the lower classes and the Praetorian Guard, who benefited from his patronage, the Roman aristocracy and Senate viewed him with contempt. Ancient historians portray him as a tyrannical and self-indulgent ruler, notorious for his extravagance, cruelty, and disregard for tradition. His reign ended in disgrace when the Senate declared him a public enemy, leading to his suicide at the age of thirty.
Born in AD 37 in the coastal town of Antium, Nero was the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger, a great-granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. His father died when he was only two years old, and his mother soon remarried, securing a position of influence at the imperial court. When Agrippina married Emperor Claudius, she maneuvered to have her son adopted as his heir, ultimately sidelining Claudius' biological son, Britannicus. Following Claudius' suspicious death in AD 54—widely believed to have been orchestrated by Agrippina—Nero ascended the throne with the backing of the Senate and the powerful Praetorian Guard.
In the early years of his reign, Nero was heavily influenced by a triad of advisers: his ambitious mother Agrippina, the philosopher and statesman Seneca the Younger, and the Praetorian prefect Sextus Afranius Burrus. Initially, the empire benefited from their guidance, as Nero enacted policies that were generally seen as moderate and pragmatic. However, as he grew older, he sought to rule independently, resenting the influence of his mother.