GATION OF THE. (J. H.W.)
Neri'ah (Heb. NeriyaW, ^^"^3, Jehovah is my lamp, or lamp of Jehovah, also [Jer. xxxvi, 14, 32; xliii, G] in the prolonged form Neriya'hu, W^l.? » Sept. 'St)piai; [v. r. 'Si)pi in Jer. xliii, 3J; Vidg. Nerias, but Neri in Jer. xxii, 12), the son of Maaseiah, and father of Seraiah (Jer. li, 59) and Baruch (Jer. xxxii, 12, IG; xxxvi, 4, 8, 14, 32; xliii, 3, 6; xlv, 1). He appears to be the same with Neui (q. v.) in t)ur Lord's maternal ancestry (Luke iii, 27, 28; see Strong's J/armoiiy and Expos, of the Gospels, p. 17). B.C. cir. 620.
Neri'as CSripiac), the (ir.Tccized form (Bar. i, 1) of the name of Neuiaii (t). v.), the father of Seraiah and Baruch (Jer. xlv, 1 ; li, 59).
Another Nerias or Nerinh is mentioned by Josephus (Ant. X, 9, G), and also by tlie .lewish record Seder Olam, as a high-priest, son of Uriah and father of Odcas or
NERO
953
NERO
Hosaiah ; but the reference is probably to Azakiah. 15 (2 Chron. xxxi, 10). See HiGH-ruiEsr.
NerOi a Kotnan emperor, celebrated in the history of the world as a tyrant and a debauchee, figures in ec- clesiastical annals chiefly because of the intolerant and persecuting spirit which he manifested towards the fol- lowers of Jesus in the Eternal City. His full name was Nero Claudius Ceesar Drusus Germanicus (originally jAicins Domitius Ahenobarhus). He was the son of Domitius Ahenobarbus and of Agrippina, daughter of Germanicus, and was born in 37 at Antium. After the marriage of his mother, in third nuptials, with her uncle, the emperor Claudius, Nero was adopted by that priuce, and Nero's name changed as above given. His education was carefully looked after. He was placed under the tuition of the philosopher Seneca (q. v.), and appears to have improved his opportunities. He is said to have persevered in his studies, and to have made great progress especially in the Greek language, of which he exhibited a specimen in his sixteenth year by pleading in that tongue the rights or privileges of the Rhodians and of the inhabitants of Ilium ; but he possessed little oratorical skill (Suetonius, Nej-o, c. 7; Tacitus, Annates, xii, 58). Nero was so much trusted by Claudius that he finally married him to his daughter Octavia. When he was about seventeen years of age Nero's abandoned mother poisoned her husband, Clau- dius, and by means of her criminal favors succeeded in raising her son to the throne (A.D. 54), over whom she expected to exercise the most absolute control. Nero himself shortly after disposed of the rightful heir, Britannicus, by poison, and thus became sole and un- disputed ruler. For the first few years his public con- duct, under the control of Burrhus and Seneca, was un- exceptionable ; in private, however, lie disgraced him- self by the most odious vices, and his mother endeavor- ed to retain her influence by shamefullj- complying with his inclinations. But after a time, even with all her efforts, she perceived her hold to slacken, and noticed how he disregarded her advice and refused her requests. Gradually the two became estranged from each other. Nero was accused of criminal love for /Etia, a woman of low birth, and of improper relations with Poppaja, the wife of Otho, who succeeded Nero on the throne. This maddened his mother, and she frequently abused him with the most contemptuous language; reminded him that he owed his elevation to her, and threatened that she would inform the soldiers of the manner in which Claudius had met his death. Nero was thus kept in constant dread of revolt and assassination, and finally, in A.D. 59, he caused this detestable woman to be mur- dered. Now, fearing no rival in power, he gave full scope to the darkest traits of his character. The low servility into which the Roman senate had sunk at this time may be estimated from the fact that it actually issued an address congratulating the hateful matricide on the death of Agrippina. Nero himself, on the other hand, confessed that he was ever haunted by the ghost of his murdered mother. The affairs of the empire were at this time far from tranquil. In A.D. Gl an insurrec- tion broke out in Britain under queen Boadicea, which was, however, suppressed by Suetonius Paulinus. The following year saw an unsuccessful war against the Parthians in Armenia. At home matters were not much better. The emperor was lampooned in verse ; the senate and priesthood, alike venal, were also satir- ized by audacious malcontents; his most valued friend Burrhus died; and Seneca, disgusted with the licentious- ness of the court, had quitted the capital. And the worst was yet to come. In June, A.D. G4, a terrible conflagration broke out in Rome, and for six days and seven nights the fire raged with the greatest fury; even after it was supposed extinguished it broke forth again and continued for two days longer. A vast territory experienced the results of this conflagration. Out of the fourteen districts into which the cit}' was divided, three were totally destroyed, and in seven of the others