This is the story of Nerva from Emperor till his death.

Empires and their coins, Conquerors and Explorers.

7 Mar 202303:43

Summary

TLDRNerva, also known as Nerva Caesar Augustus, was a Roman Emperor from 96 to 98 AD. Born in Nani, near Rome, he came from a politically influential family with a history of consulships. Nerva's reign marked a significant shift as he was the first emperor elected by the Roman Senate. He aimed to restore freedoms suppressed under Domitian but faced financial and military challenges. His adoption of Trajan as successor initiated the adoptive Emperors system, leading to the peaceful Antonine dynasty. Despite mixed historical assessments, Nerva's legacy lies in his establishment of a stable succession that averted civil war.

Takeaways

👑 Nerva, also known as Nerva Caesar Augustus, was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 96 to 98 AD.
👶 He ascended to the throne at the age of 65, following a career under Nero and the Flavian dynasty.
🕵️‍♂️ Nerva played a key role in uncovering the Pisonian conspiracy of 65 AD during Nero's reign.
🏛️ He served as Consul in 71 and 90 AD under Vespasian and Domitian, respectively.
🏡 Born in Nani, 50 km north of Rome, his family had a history of political influence.
👨‍👩‍👧 Nerva's father was a Consul under Caligula, and his mother was Sergio Plotilla.
🤝 The Nerva family was linked to the Julian-Claudian dynasty through marriage alliances.
🔍 His great-grandfather and grandfather held significant positions during the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius.
🗣️ Nerva was the first Roman Emperor elected by the Senate after the assassination of Domitian.
💼 His reign faced financial challenges and military unrest, leading to the adoption of Trajan as his successor.
⚖️ Despite being seen as wise by ancient historians, modern views portray Nerva as a weak ruler whose reign nearly led to civil war.
🔄 Nerva's legacy includes the establishment of the adoptive Emperor system and the Antonine dynasty, ensuring peaceful transitions of power.

Q & A

Who was Nava and what was his reign known as?
-Nava, also known as Nerva Caesar Augustus, was a Roman Emperor who reigned from 96 to 98 AD.
At what age did Nava take the throne?
-Nava took the throne at the age of sixty-five.
What significant event did Nava play a role in during Nero's reign?
-During Nero's reign, Nava played a crucial role in uncovering the Pisonian conspiracy of 65 AD.
What positions did Nava hold under the Flavian dynasty?
-Nava served as Consul in 71 and 90 AD during the reigns of Vespasian and Domitian, respectively.
Where was Nava born and what was his family background?
-Nava was born in the town of Nani, located 50 kilometers north of Rome. He came from a respected and influential political family, the Coccii.
Who were Nava's parents and what notable positions did they hold?
-Nava's father, Marcus Cocceius Nerva, served as a suffect Consul during the reign of Caligula, while his mother was Sergia Plotina.
What was the significance of the marriage between Cox Air and Lucius Salvia Titianus?
-Cox Air, Nava's sister, married Lucius Salvia Titianus, the brother of the former emperor Otho, linking Nava's family to the imperial family.
How was Nava's family connected to the Julio-Claudian dynasty?
-Nava's family was connected to the Julio-Claudian dynasty through the marriage of Gaius Octavius Lena's brother to Rubellia Bassa, Tiberius' step-great-granddaughter.
What was the historical significance of Nava's election as Emperor by the Roman Senate?
-Nava's election by the Roman Senate marked the first time that the Senate had elected a Roman Emperor.
What challenges did Nava face during his reign?
-Nava's reign was troubled by financial difficulties and his lack of control over the Roman military.
What was Nava's greatest achievement during his reign?
-Nava's greatest achievement was his successful establishment of the adoptive Emperors and the Antonine dynasty, which ensured a peaceful transfer of power after his death.
How did Nava's reign end and who succeeded him?
-Nava passed away due to natural causes just 15 months after taking office. He was succeeded by Trajan, who was deified after Nava's death.

Outlines

00:00

👑 Rise and Reign of Nerva

Nerva, also known as Nerva Caesar Augustus, was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 96 to 98 AD. He ascended to the throne at the age of 65 after a distinguished career under Nero and the Flavian dynasty. During Nero's reign, Nerva was part of the Emperor's entourage and played a key role in uncovering the Pisonian conspiracy of 65. He later aligned with the Flavians, serving as Consul in 71 and 90 under Vespasian and Domitian respectively. Born in Nani, near Rome, Nerva came from a politically influential family with a history of consulships. His father, Marcus Cosius Nerva, was a consul under Caligula, and his mother was Sergia Plotina. Nerva's lineage included ties to the Imperial Court dating back to Augustus. His reign was marked by a promise to restore freedoms curtailed under Domitian, but it was fraught with financial challenges and military unrest. In 97, a revolt by the Praetorian Guard led to Nerva adopting Trajan as his successor. Nerva died of natural causes after 15 months in office, and Trajan succeeded him, marking the beginning of the Antonine dynasty. Historians have varying views of Nerva, with ancient accounts praising him as wise and modern assessments describing him as well-intentioned but weak, whose reign nearly led to civil war. Nerva's legacy includes the establishment of adoptive emperors, ensuring a peaceful transition of power.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Nerva

Nerva, also known as Nerva Caesar Augustus, was a Roman Emperor who reigned from 96 to 98 AD. He is a central figure in the video's narrative, as it discusses his rise to power, his reign, and his legacy. Nerva is noted for being the first emperor elected by the Roman Senate, marking a significant shift in the imperial succession process.

💡Flavian Dynasty

The Flavian Dynasty refers to the ruling family of the Roman Empire from 69 to 96 AD, including Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian. In the context of the video, Nerva is mentioned to have served under the Flavians, particularly as Consul during the reigns of Vespasian and Domitian, highlighting his long career in Roman politics before becoming emperor.

💡Pisonian Conspiracy

The Pisonian Conspiracy of 65 AD was a plot to overthrow Emperor Nero. Nerva played a crucial role in uncovering this conspiracy, as mentioned in the script, which would have been a significant event in his early political career and contributed to his reputation and trust within the Roman political sphere.

💡Consul

In ancient Rome, a Consul was one of the highest-ranking public officials, responsible for governing the republic and later the empire. Nerva served as Consul in 71 and 90 AD, under Vespasian and Domitian respectively, indicating his prominence and experience in Roman governance.

💡Nani

Nani is the town where Nerva was born, located 50 kilometers north of Rome. This geographical detail provides context to Nerva's origins and social standing, as it was common for Roman politicians to be associated with particular regions or cities.

💡Kochi Family

The Kochi family was a respected and influential political family from which Nerva hailed. The video script mentions that the family had held consulships in each generation, indicating a long-standing tradition of political involvement and power within the Roman Empire.

💡Julia Claudian Dynasty

The Julia Claudian Dynasty refers to the lineage of Roman emperors from Julius Caesar to Nero. Nerva, unlike some of his predecessors, did not belong to this older line of nobility, which is significant as it suggests a break from the traditional power structures within the Roman Empire.

💡Adoptive Emperors

The concept of 'Adoptive Emperors' is introduced in the video as Nerva's greatest achievement. He established a system where emperors could adopt their successors, ensuring a peaceful transfer of power. This was a novel approach in Roman imperial politics and led to the establishment of the Antonine Dynasty.

💡Antonine Dynasty

The Antonine Dynasty succeeded the Flavian Dynasty and began with Nerva's adoption of Trajan as his successor. This marked a period of stability and prosperity in the Roman Empire, and the video credits Nerva's innovative approach to succession for this period of success.

💡Praetorian Guard

The Praetorian Guard was an elite unit of the Roman army that served as the emperor's personal bodyguards. In the video, it's mentioned that a group of conspirators including members of the Praetorian Guard were involved in the assassination of the Roman Emperor, leading to Nerva's proclamation as emperor.

💡Civil War

The term 'Civil War' is used in the video to describe a potential outcome of Nerva's reign, suggesting that his lack of control over the military and financial difficulties could have led to internal conflict within the Roman Empire. However, his establishment of the adoptive system helped to avoid such a scenario.

Highlights

Nerva, also known as Nerva Caesar Augustus, was a Roman Emperor who reigned from 96 to 98 AD.

He took the throne at the age of 65 after a long career serving under Nero and the Flavian dynasty of emperors.

Nerva played a crucial role in uncovering the Pisonian conspiracy of 65 during Nero's reign.

He served as Consul in 71 and 90 during the reigns of Vespasian and Domitian, respectively.

Nerva was born in the town of Narni, located 50 kilometers north of Rome.

His father, Marcus Cossutius Nerva, served as a suffect Consul during the reign of Caligula.

Nerva's mother was Sergia Plotilla, and he was born on November 8, either in 30 or 35 AD.

He came from a respected and influential political family, the Coccii.

Nerva's family had held consulships in each generation from the late Republic to the early Empire.

His paternal predecessors had affiliations with the Imperial Court dating back to the reign of Emperor Augustus.

Nerva was proclaimed Emperor by the Roman Senate after the assassination of Emperor Domitian in 96 AD.

He promised to restore freedoms that were restricted during Domitian's rule.

Nerva's reign faced financial difficulties and a lack of control over the Roman military.

In October 97, the Praetorian Guard led by Cassius Longinus revolted, leading Nerva to adopt Trajan as his successor.

Nerva passed away 15 months after taking office due to natural causes and was deified.

Trajan succeeded him as Emperor, continuing the peaceful transfer of power established by Nerva.

Nerva's establishment of adoptive Emperors and the Antonine dynasty ensured stability in the Roman Empire.

Ancient historians regarded Nerva as a wise and reasonable emperor, while modern historians see him as well-intentioned but weak.