Before Jerusalem Fell - EntreWave

Clement of Alexandria 71
In the Syriac The Histo~ of John the Son of Zebedee Nero is called
“the unclean and impure and wicked king.” 16 Nero’s notoriety was
long remembered, and with peculiar loathing. Surely this is why
Clement could write merely “the tyrant” when he made reference to
the emperor of the banishment!
Furthermore, Nero was widely suspected of intentionally starting
the fire (which began on July 19, A.D. 64) that caused the horribly
destructive burning of Rome. Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79), Suetonius,17
the writer of the Octavia (c. A.D. 75), and Dio Cassius (A.D.
150-235)’8 allege his culpability in this regard. And Tacitus indicates
the allegations were contemporary with the fire. 19
Among the ancient pagan written traditions exhibiting a hatred
and mockery of Nero are: The Octavia,*” Suetonius,21 Pliny the Younger
(A.D. 62-113),22 Juvenal,23 Martial (c. A.D. 38-85), 24 Statius (A.D.
40-96) , 25 Marcus Aurelius (A.D. 120-180),26 Aulus Persius Flaccus
(A.D. 34-62),27 Vulcacius (First Century),28 Epictetus (A.D. 60-
140) , 29 Marcus Annaeus Lucan (A.D. 39-95),30 and Herodian (A.D.
165-235) .31 A poetic epigram by Martial, written in the reign of
16. William Wright, Apowy~hal ActJ # the Apostkx, vol. 1 (Amsterdam: Philo, [1871]
1968), p. 55.
17. Suetonius, Nero 38: lff.
18. Dio Cassius, Rom Hi.stmy 72: 16:1K
19. Tacitus, Annals 15:39, See discussion of these references in Griflin, Nero, pp. 132K
20. Miriam T. Griffin analyzes the presentation of Nero in The Odawh thus: “Nero is,
in fact, the proverbial tyrant, robbed of any personal characteristics, a mere incarnation
of the will to evil, unaffected by advice or influence” (Griffin, Nero, p. 100).
21. Suetonius, Domitian 14.
22. Pliny, Panegyrias 53.
23. Juvenal, Satires 438.
24. Martial Epigrams 7:21, 21:33. Marcus Valerius Martialis was “the greatest of
epigrammatists, and the father of the epigram as we understand it” (Walter C. Kerr,
trans., Martial: Epigrams, Loeb Classical Library [Cambridge Harvard University Press,
1967] 1 :vii). Martial wrote: ‘This is that day which, conscious of a great birth, gave
Lucan to the nations, and Polls, to thee. Ah, Nero! cruel, and for no death more hateful!
this deed at least should not have been permitted thee!”
25. Statius, Silvae 2:7.
26. Marcus Aurelius, Meditattom 3:16.
27. Preserved in Suetonius’s On Poets – Aulur Persius Flaau.s.
28. Persius Flaccus, Li> of Cassius 8:4, and Capitolirws 28:10.
29. Epictetus 45:17.
30. Preserved in Suetonius’s On Poets – Lucan.
31. Herodian, 1:3:4 and HrMoria Augusta at Marcw 28:10, Auidius Cassius 8:4, and
Cornrnodus 18.