3. Nero

Nero was 17 when he became emperor of Rome in 54 A.D. He turned out to be a ruthless ruler who had his mother killed. But at first Nero was good-natured and a sensible leader. He focused on improving trade and the cultural life of the empire. However, as time went on, Nero became more violent and unpredictable.

According to rumours, he laid a fire that destroyed most of Rome. He blamed Christians for setting the fire and persecuted them throughout his reign. In 68 A.D. Nero saw that he no longer had the support of the Senate and committed suicide.



Words

  • according to = as said or shown by ...
  • blame = to say it is someone else's fault
  • commit suicide = to kill yourself
  • focus = concentrate on
  • had his mother killed = he ordered someone else to kill her
  • improve = to make better
  • persecute = to treat someone cruelly or badly over a certain time because of their religion or what they think
  • reign = time in power
  • rumour = information that is passed on from person to person and does not always have to be true
  • ruthless = cruel, violent, cold-blooded
  • sensible = reasonable ; to make good decisions
  • support = approval, help
  • trade = to buy and sell things
  • unpredictable = a person who changes their ideas a lot, so that you never know what they really think