Nero's Values Analysis

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The people of Ancient Rome aimed to live by five values: Pietas, meaning an uphold of dutiful conduct towards one’s parents, relatives, ancestors, gods, and country, Gravitas, maintaining a serious attitude towards life through decision-making of somber reasoning as well as an acceptance of personal responsibilities, Simplicitas, frankness in speech and lifestyle as well as holding a single purpose or direction accompanied with honesty, Virtus, physical courage and moral virtue, and Dignitas, maintaining personal reputation and upholding one’s family honor (Lippitt 17). All citizens of Ancient Rome strove to exemplify the Roman values. Most accessible for speculative observation is the behavior exhibited by Rome’s emperors, the rulers of the world’s first empire. …show more content…

Reacting to nearly everything in mockery of the Roman values, the intentions of Nero’s positive displays of the values have been questioned throughout time. Following Nero’s suicide, in July of 69 CE while in Egypt gaining control of grain supply, Nero’s general Vespasian concluded the Year of Four Emperors with the eastern legions’ decision that he was to be Rome’s new emperor (“History”). Leaving for Rome that December and returning in 70 CE Vespasian’s removal of his own sandals upon arrival would stand out as one of his greatest examples of moral uprising over Nero. While Vespasian utilized the Roman values with approach to his personal affairs to better the empire by doing the greater good for the greatest number throughout his rule that lasted until his death in 79 CE, Nero’s concept of a greater good was hedonistic while his greatest number, he believed, was the number of one (“Nero”). Ultimately, Nero thought of himself as a

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