The only thing standing in the way of Nero’s control over the Roman empire was his mother Agrippina. While Nero grew up, she took the role of emperor and became the most influential and powerful woman of her time, until she was murdered by her own son. The reason Nero killed his mother is not completely understood, but Suetonius believed that his mother pestered him with “surveillance and criticism.” Other accounts suggest an influence from a mistress named Poppaea, who wanted to marry Nero against his mother’s wish. Whatever the reason, Nero did have a tendency towards paranoia and killed those who threatened, and perhaps his mother’s death is just one more incident where he let fear control him. However, this event did not hurt his …show more content…
He loved playing the lyre, chariot racing, acting, and performing, and some think that this is how he gained support of the people. Even after his mother’s death, he held festivals, which many people attended. These festivals began as private ones, for Seneca and Burrus saw great danger in letting Nero perform in public, but soon were opened to the people. But, these public spectacles soon began to harm Rome’s financial state and Nero’s reputation. While touring in Greece in 67 and 68, Nero neglected all his political duties. Perhaps the biggest example of his artistic priorities was the Golden House, which was a big and magnificent palace composed of many different buildings that Nero planned to build after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. Suetonius writes that the House was filled with gold and decorated beautifully with gardens, lakes, and statues. He also comments that Nero received his funds for this massive endeavor through Rome’s treasury. To acquire the other materials for his Golden House, Nero took land from the poor and from Senators, and perhaps even stole paintings from various places in Rome. , This reckless behavior not only displayed how his artistic and dramatic interests consumed invaded his political life, but it also damaged his public