claim: Nero's death never sparked a brief period of civil wars.
evidence: Nero -LRB- -LSB- ˈnɪəroʊ -RSB- Latin  : Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ; 15 December 37 AD -- 9 June 68 AD -RRB- was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68 AD , and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty .. Claudius. Claudius. Julio-Claudian dynasty. Julio-Claudian dynasty. Latin. Latin. Roman Emperor. Roman Emperor. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor , and like him , became emperor with the consent of the praetorian guard .. Claudius. Claudius. adopted by. Adoption in Ancient Rome. praetorian guard. praetorian guard. Nero 's mother , Agrippina the Younger , was implicated in Claudius ' death and Nero 's nomination as emperor .. Claudius. Claudius. Agrippina the Younger. Agrippina the Younger. She dominated Nero 's early life and decisions until he cast her off ; five years into his reign , he had her murdered .. His reign began well .. At first he was content to be guided by his mother , his tutor Lucius Annaeus Seneca and his Praetorian Prefect , Sextus Afranius Burrus .. Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Seneca the younger. Sextus Afranius Burrus. Sextus Afranius Burrus. As time passed , he played a more active and independent role in government and foreign policy .. During his reign , the redoubtable general Corbulo conducted a successful war and negotiated peace with the Parthian Empire .. Corbulo. Corbulo. successful war. Roman–Parthian War of 58–63. Parthian Empire. Parthian Empire. His general Suetonius Paulinus crushed a major revolt in Britain .. Suetonius Paulinus. Suetonius Paulinus. revolt in Britain. Boudicca#Boudica's uprising. Suetonius. Suetonius. The Bosporan Kingdom was briefly annexed to the empire , and the First Jewish -- Roman War began .. Bosporan Kingdom. Bosporan Kingdom. Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy , trade and the cultural life of the empire , ordering theatres built and promoting athletic games .. He made public appearances as a poet , musician and charioteer ; in the eyes of traditionalists , this undermined the dignity and authority of his person , status and office .. His extravagant , empire-wide program of public and private works was funded by a rise in taxes , much resented by the middle and upper classes .. Various plots against his life were revealed , and their ringleaders were executed ; most were Nero 's own courtiers .. In 68 , the governor Vindex in Gaul rebelled , with the support of Galba , Governor of Hispania Tarraconensis .. Galba. Galba. Vindex. Vindex. Gaul. Gaul. Hispania Tarraconensis. Hispania Tarraconensis. Vindex 's revolt failed in its immediate aim but Rome 's discontented civil and military authorities declared for Galba , and chose him as emperor .. Rome. Rome. Galba. Galba. Vindex. Vindex. Nero fled Rome .. Rome. Rome. He committed suicide on June 9 , 68 AD when told that he had been tried in absentia and condemned to death as a public enemy -LRB- The first Roman Emperor to do so -RRB- .. suicide. suicide. Roman Emperor. Roman Emperor. in absentia. Trial in absentia. His death ended the Julio-Claudian dynasty , sparking a brief period of civil wars known as the Year of the Four Emperors .. Julio-Claudian dynasty. Julio-Claudian dynasty. Year of the Four Emperors. Year of the Four Emperors. Nero 's rule is usually associated with tyranny and extravagance ; his more infamous executions include that of his mother .. Most Roman sources , such as Suetonius and Cassius Dio , offer overwhelmingly negative assessments of his personality and reign ; Tacitus claims that the Roman people thought him compulsive and corrupt .. Suetonius. Suetonius. Cassius Dio. Cassius Dio. Tacitus. Tacitus. Many Romans believed that the great Roman fire of 64 was instigated by Nero to clear the way for his planned palatial complex , the Domus Aurea .. great Roman fire of 64. Great Fire of Rome. Domus Aurea. Domus Aurea. He was said to have seized Christians as scapegoats for the fire and burned them alive , seemingly motivated not by public justice but by personal cruelty .. Some modern historians question the reliability of the ancient sources on Nero 's tyrannical acts .. A few sources paint Nero in a more favourable light .. There is evidence of his popularity among the Roman commoners , especially in the eastern provinces of the Empire , where a popular legend arose that Nero had not died and would return .. At least three leaders of short-lived , failed rebellions presented themselves as `` Nero reborn '' , to enlist popular support .