The Neronian Persecution
The Roman Empire had been relatively well governed during the time of
the Emperor Claudius. In the thirteen years of his reign (41-54 AD) the
Church enjoyed remarkable growth and relative peace. But these years
were to come to an abrupt end through the machinations of Claudius’ niece
and wife, the incestuous Julia Agrippina.
Agrippina had been previously married to the sinister Domitius
Ahenobarbus, and from him had one child, later renamed Tiberius Claudius
Nero. Nero was five years younger than Claudius’ own son from a previous
marriage, Britannicus, but Agrippina was determined that Nero would
succeed as Emperor. Her constant scheming soon came to the attention of
Claudius, forcing Agrippina to act swiftly and murder her beloved husband
with a dish of poisoned mushrooms. After having Nero proclaimed
Emperor in October 54, Agrippina then poisoned Britannicus the following
year.
Being only sixteen years old at the time of his ascension to the throne, Nero
could not govern in his own right. In his stead, the philosopher Seneca and
the Praetorian Prefect Burrus governed the Empire ably for the next five
years. However, while Rome flourished during these years, Nero’s pride
and psychopathic megalomania was growing. In the spring of 59 AD, he
had his manipulative mother murdered, with the consent of Seneca and
Burrus. He then divorced and murdered his wife Octavia and married his
mistress Poppaea. Seneca and Burrus could still exercise some restraint
over Nero, but when Burrus died Nero forced Seneca into retirement. In the
place of Burrus, Nero appointed the vicious Tigellinus, a man who did not
hesitate to execute any one Nero believed had criticized him. Unrestrained,
Nero began to insist more and more on being publicly glorified for his
imagined sporting and artistic talents: a 38 meter statue of himself was
erected in the Imperial Palace; enormous parties were held to celebrate his
athletic “victories”; and the Roman nobility were forced to attend his
musical performances and praise his efforts.
Nero had hitherto been unconcerned about the Christians, dismissing them
as just an aberrant Jewish sect. The critical moment for the Christians
would come after the night of July 18, 64 AD. The fires begun on that night
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