About two years after the death of Nero, the Roman empire was startled
by the report that a man claiming to be the deceased monarch, and
closely resembling him in form and features, had appeared in the East,
with the proclaimed intention of resuming the crown which had been
wrested from him by an unjust and felonious act of the Senate.
Tacitus, who has left the most circumstantial account of this
impostor's story, declares him to have been a slave of Pontus in Asia;
but, according to others, he was originally an Italian freeman. Many
different rumours spread through the various provinces of the empire,
causing great alarm, especially in Greece and Asia, where the Roman
power was not yet thoroughly consolidated, many persons firmly
believing, and many feigning to believe, that Nero was still living.
John Zonaras, in the second book of his Greek annals, confirms the
account given by Tacitus, and avers the pretender's name to have been
Terentius Maximus.
This pseudo Caesar, having deceived many people by his resemblance to
the deceased emperor, speedily collected a multitude of rogues,
vagabonds, and fugitives, and having engaged them in his service by
means of grand promises, put to sea. Driven by a tempest on to the
shore of the Island of Delos, he succeeded in gaining over some
soldiery there, who were returning from the East, and with this
reinforcement was enabled to despoil the various traders sheltering in
the port of their merchandize, and to arm all the most resolute of the
slaves. He endeavoured, by all means at his command, to acquire the
confidence of Siana, a centurion of the Syrian army, who was deputed by
the Syrians to go to Rome, to make a treaty with the Pretorian cohorts,
or regiments of the guards. He urged this captain so much that he was
compelled to quit the island and fly, in order to escape the danger
with which he was threatened. This proceeding of the officer greatly
increased the fear which the name of the pseudo Nero began to inspire,
and caused many other discontented spirits to take service under him.
There is no knowing to what extent his power might have increased, had
not chance found an opportunity of causing his overthrow.
The late Emperor Galba had bestowed the government of Galatia and
Pamphilia upon Calphurnius Asprenas; two galleys from the fleet, which
was at Misena, had received orders to escort him to his new post. They
anchored off the coast of Delos, without, however, disembarking their
crews. Perceiving this, the pretender had a great desire to obtain
possession of these two galleys, but not being able to effect his
purpose by force, he had recourse to a ruse. He embarked on board a
vessel, in order to reconnoitre the strange sails himself, and to learn
who they were, never dreaming that there was the governor of a province
on board. He appeared at the prow of his vessel, and in his assumed
character movingly conjured the soldiers who appeared in the galleys to
be faithful to their oath of fidelity, which they had formerly sworn to
him their Emperor, Nero.
The pilots refused to have anything to do with him, saying they were
not the masters; but whilst they thus kept him engaged in conversation,
they informed Calphurnius of what was passing, and on representing to
him the small dimensions of the vessel in which the aspirant to
imperialism appeared, he gave instructions for it to be attacked. The
false Nero, caught in his own snare, fought like a lion, but at last,
being overcome, he killed himself.
His corse, remarkable for its large eyes and beautiful hair, and, above
all, for its ferocity of visage, was carried through Asia to Rome,
where every one was allowed to see it, and admire the daring of him who
had attempted to usurp, by means of a bold imposture, the most powerful
empire of the universe.