Nero

by David Shotter

First published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Prof. David C.A. Shotter is an emeritus researcher at the University of Lancaster.

He publishes mainly on Roman era Britain, with a particular interest on Northern Britain. In 2007 he appeared on Channel 4's Time Team as an expert on the Roman period, and then in 2014 he was one of the experts in the Rome in the Lakes episode of Walking Through History.

Reviews

[Drianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meant to be a high school-level text (for those doing their NEWTs in Latin or Ancient History or whatever), but although it was never very in depth, it *still* managed to be way over what would be the level of my students (even the good ones). I would not use it for the stated purpose; for my own knowledge, it was insufficient.

[Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn't really say enough about Nero so only two star

[Pete daPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in the series of Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History, 'Nero' by David Shotter 2nd edition published 2005, is again a fast paced ninety page concise summary of this last of the Julio-Claudian emperors. Again I can recommend these books as an ideal introduction, for those interested in the period for the first time.
Was Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus living in the crazy world of Arthur Brown when he played his lyre while Rome burned. No not so.
In fact he wasn't even in the city at the time. Another case of a bad press.
Such a shame, because his princeps began so well. Under the thumb of mother Agrippina and first wife Octavia, with the guiding hand of the philosopher Seneca, the ship of state seemed to sail along quite nicely for a while. Unfortunately, an untimely death here, a few murders there, a touch of paranoia and the shackles were off. Naughty Nero, just like Icarus, went too far and flew with his sun god, only for the whole golden house to come crashing down to earth. He really should have known better, after all he commemorated Salus, the god of Health and Safety on his coinage.