Nero

"Although Nero's personality has fascinated both historians and writers of fiction, it is the nature of his reign and its context within the Julio-Claudian dynasty that has even greater importance for historians of the Roman Empire. Nero's final collapse brought to an end the dynasty Augustus had founded and placed in jeopardy the political system he had devised. To what extent does Nero's failure reveal not only his own ineptitude but the tensions and problems inherent in that system? Why did this actor-emperor find the role of princeps so difficult to play? These are the questions confronted by Miriam Griffin in her wide-ranging study. Dividing her book into two distinct yet related parts, Griffin first analyzes the reign of Nero in terms of the Emperor's attitude and initiative and then provides a diagnosis of his fall in which his personality is seen interacting with the political institutions he inherited. The accent is on Nero, but he is never viewed in isolation: the example of his family and predecessors, the influence of his advisers and rivals, and the effect upon those who had to follow him--all give a broad focus to this work."--Jacket.