The reign of Nero is often judged to be the embodiment of the extravagance and corruption that have, for many, come to symbolize ancient Rome. David Shotter provides a reassessment of this view in this accessible introduction to Nero, emperor of Rome from AD 54 to AD 68. All the major issues are discussed including: * Neros early life and accession to power * Neros perception of himself * Neros domestic and international policies * the reasons for Neros fall from power and its aftermath. This new edition has been revised throughout to take account of recent research in the field. Also included is an expanded bibliography and a new index.