Chapters
| Names | Marcus Cocceius Nerva |
|---|---|
| Ruled as | |
| Reign | 18 September 96 – 25 January 98 CE |
| Born | 8 November 30 CE |
| Died | 27 January 98 CE |
Nerva was born on November 8, 30 CE in Narni (an Etruscan city north of Rome) under the name of Marcus Cocceius Nerva.
He was Roman Emperor from 96 – 98 CE and founder of the Antonine Dynasty, which lasted for nearly a hundred years. This dynasty took its name from the ruling in the middle of the 2nd century CE Antoninus Pius. The reign of this dynasty is described as the “golden age of the empire,” during which Italy and almost the entire empire were free from armed conflict, except for a few frontier wars, and enjoyed extraordinary prosperity.
Origin and career
He came from a distinguished senatorial family, though not belonging to the Roman elite, in which from grandfather Nerva, members reached the consulate. His grandfather, father and himself became famous as experts in the subtleties of the law, and all of them were appreciated by successive emperors. During the reign of Nero he was his close friend. However, he did not participate in his adolescent antics. He not only gave him his talent as a poet (he composed poems for Nero) but also, as a lawyer, gave him considerable services in discovering the plot of Pisano. He received high decorations (triumphal decorations) as a reward.
From his youth, Nerva was characterized by diligence, meticulousness, clarity of views and the ability to win over people. He had friends in all spheres.
In 65 CE, while holding the office of praetor, he discovered and foiled the plot of Gaius Piso to murder Nero. He was consul with Vespasian in 71 CE and with Domitian in 90 CE.
After the murder of Domitian, the conspirators appointed him emperor on September 18, 96 CE, possibly because of his advanced age (61) and childlessness. There was no question of reviving the republic. Firstly, none of the living remembered the old system as it had ruled 150 years earlier, and secondly, the main military force in the capital – Praetorians, already attached to the person of the emperor, would not agree, and the Senate had to take them into account.
However, another reason is also given. Apparently, it was about the horoscope presented by a certain astrologer Nerva. He said that the certain present alignment of the stars foretells Nerve’s reign. Considering the age of Nerva, Domitian spared the unfortunate, which was to enable him to come to power.
Reign
After his accession to the throne, Nerva pursued a much softer policy than his predecessor. He has endured a crime for offending majesty. It was mainly through her that Domitian won such hatred of the Senate, which supposedly wanted to completely remove him from history, destroying all signs that prove his existence. However, no one succeeded in such a maneuver, and probably no one would succeed in the future. The former emperor’s generous savings in the treasury for buildings, games, etc. quickly melted, and Nerva had to start austerity. He increased taxes, did not hold games for a while, limited the amount of free grain, and even sold unnecessary imperial properties. Thanks to such actions, the treasury quickly regained its former glory, and Rome could afford to bear these inconveniences.
In addition, Nerva released prisoners accused of treason, forbidding such accusations in the future, restored confiscated estates, strengthened the importance of the senate, and banned denunciation. He helped poor Italian farmers.
Nerva tried to exercise his rule in accordance with the vision of an ideal ruler (optimus princeps), who not only fulfilled the duties related to the position entrusted to him,