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Nero was able to turn the strategic kingdom of Armenia into a client kingdom and this allowed him to secure the borders with Parthia. He also obliged the Parthians to hand over some legion ‘eagles’ or standards that had been captured. Nero’ s success against the Parthians meant that the Eastern frontier was at peace for several decades.<ref> Tacitus. The Annals of Imperial Rome, 56</ref>
However, during his reign, the administration of Judea was poor and contributed to the great Jewish Revolt (66-71 AD). The Jewish historian stated that the Jews believed him to be Nero was a ‘tyrant.’<ref> Josephus. <i>History of the Jewish War</i>, ii</ref> Perhaps his most lasting legacy was his generally pro-Greek policies in the Eastern half of the Empire. He granted ‘liberties’ to many Greek cities in the eastern portion of his empire. This led them to become economically successful and culturally vibrant. <ref> Holland, p. 324</ref> This partly explains why unlike the west that the east did not succumb to Romanization but remained very much influenced by Hellenic culture. Later emperors such as Hadrian imitated Nero’s policies towards the Greek cities.
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