NERO. The Emperor Nero is not to be found by Name in Scripture; but he is expressed by his Title of Emperor, and by his Surname Cæsar. For to him it was that St. Paul appealed, when being seized in the Temple of Jerusalem1, he was sent to Cæsarea to Felix the Governor of Judæa, who there kept him two Years in Prison, and afterwards left him to Festus his Successor in the Government of that Province, who having a Design of delivering him up to the Jews, St. Paul was obliged to appeal to Nero2. He was therefore carried to Rome, and arrived there in the Month of February, in the 60th Year of Jesus Christ. There he continued two Years, preaching the Gospel with great Freedom, till he became famous even in the Emperor’s Court, in which were a good Philip. iv. 22. i. 12, 13.Number of Christians. He salutes the Philippians in the Name of the Brethren who were of the Houshold of Cæsar, that is, of Nero’s Court. We have no particular Information how he got clear of those Accusations that were exhibited against him by the Jews; whether he appeared before Nero, or whether his Enemies the Jews dropt their Prosecutions; but this is certain, that he was set free in the 62d Year of Jesus Christ. He returned to Rome in the 65th Year of Jesus Christ, in the 11th and 12th of Nero; and having, as ‘tis said, made a Proselyte of a Concubine of this Prince, he was seized and put in Prison by his Orders. He appeared before him, and was forsaken by every Body on this important Occasion: 2 Tim. iv. 16, 17.But God delivered him at this Time out of the Mouth of the Lion. He appeared before him a second Time, and was condemned to be beheaded in the 66th Year of Jesus Christ. The Apostle St. Peter was also apprehended, and put to Death by the Orders of the same Prince, and at the same Time as St. Paul. Nero is reckoned as the first Persecutor of the Christian Church; and the Persecution he raised against it in the 64th Year of Christ, is reckoned as the first Persecution by the Roman Emperors. Nero, the most cruel and most savage of all Men, as also the most wicked and depraved, began his Persecution against the Christians on Pretence of the burning of Rome, of which every one thought himself to be the Author. He endeavoured to throw all the Odium on the Christians3, of which they were first seized who were known publickly as such, and by their Means many others were discovered. They were condemned to Death, and even insulted at their Sufferings. Some of ‘em were sewed up in Skins of Beasts, and then exposed to Dogs to be torn in Pieces. Others were nailed to Crosses, others perished by Flames, and were lighted up in the Night Time, to serve as Torches to the People. Nero gave Leave to make Use of his own Gardens, to be the Scene of all these Cruelties. From this Time they began to publish Edicts against the Christians, and a great Number of Martyrs were found in Nero’s Reign, from the Year 64, especially in Italy4. We have already mentioned the Deaths of St. Peter and St. Paul, which were consequent of this Persecution; which probably continued to the Death of Nero, in the 68th Year of Christ, and the 14th of this Emperor, who killed himself the Ninth or Eleventh of June. I shall not enter upon the Particulars of Nero’s Life and Actions, but shall confine my self to what concerns the Christian Religion only, and what may properly belong to a Dictionary of the Bible. The Revolt of the Jews from the Romans happened about the 65th and 66th Years of Christ, and the 12th and 13th of Nero. The City of Jerusalem making an Insurrection in the Year 66, Florus there slew three Thousand six Hundred Persons, and thus began the War. A little while after those of Jerusalem killed the Roman Garrison. Cestius upon this came to Jerusalem, in Order to suppress the Sedition; but he was forced to retire after having besieged it for about six Weeks, and was routed in his Retreat the 8th of November, in the 66th Year of the vulgar Æra. About the End of the same Year Nero gave to Vespasian the Command of his Troops against the Jews. This General carried on the War in Galilee, and in the rest of Judæa, during the 67th and 68th Years of Christ, and the 13th and 14th of Nero. But Nero killing himself the 14th Year of his Reign, the City of Jerusalem was not besieged till after his Death, in the 70th Year of Christ, and the 1st and 2d of Vespasian.
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