Nero
LUCIUS DOMITIUS, called after his adoption CLAUDIUS DRUSUS, Roman emperor; born in Antium, Italy, Dec. 15, 37 A. D. He was the son of Cneius Domitius Ahenobarbus, and of Agrippina, daughter of Germanicus. He had the philosopher Seneca for his teacher; was adopted by Claudius, A. D. 50, and four years after succeeded him on the throne. At the commencement of his reign his conduct excited great hopes in the Romans; he appeared just, liberal, affable, and polished; but this was a mask which soon fell off. He caused his mother to be assassinated, and vindicated the unnatural act to the Senate on the ground that Agrippina had plotted against him. He divorced his wife, and led a most shameless and abandoned life. In 64, Rome was burnt, and popular suspicion pointed to Nero as the author of the conflagration. He charged the Christians with it, and commenced a dreadful persecution of them. His cruelties, extravagance, and debauchery at length aroused the public resentment. Piso formed a conspiracy against the tyrant, but it was dissun wever, Its density is only a fifth that of the earth, its mean distance from the 2,792,000,000 miles, and its year 165 times as long as one of ours. Mr.
Lassell discovered that it has satellite. one