Nero the Beast

Key words

• Dynasty: a series of rulers or leaders who are all from the same family

The Mogul dynasty ruled over India for centuries.

• Persecution: unfair or cruel treatment over a long period of time because of race, religion, or political beliefs

They left the country out of fear of persecution.

• Marked: obvious or noticeable

His recovery was marked by a rapid return to normal activities.

• Embodiment: someone or something that represents a quality or an idea exactly

He was the embodiment of a true gentleman.

• Legacy: a person who is blamed for something that someone else has done

The captain was made a scapegoat for the team's failure.

Read the article to find the answers

1. How is the origin of Rome linked to Greece?
2. Who founded the Julio-Claudian dynasty?
3. What was Nero's nickname?
4. What is the system in which letters have numerical values?

Rome

The history of Rome begins with the mythological flight of Aeneas, son of the goddess Aphrodite, from the fall of Troy. A female descendant of Aeneas had two sons with Mars, the god of war. Romulus and Remus, were raised by a wolf and founded Rome as a monarchy with Romulus as its first king. It later became a republic, but Julius Caesar centralised power as a dictator and the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar was followed by the Julio-Claudian dynasty, which included the first five Roman emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero.

There are seven kings, five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, it will be for a little while.

Julius Caesar's adopted son, Augustus, became the first Roman emperor and was worshipped as a god after his death. His stepson, Tiberius, was Roman emperor during Jesus's lifetime. Caligula was known for his cruelty and insanity. Claudius is remembered for his conquest of Britain, and his adopted son Nero was the sixth Caesar.

Nero was notorious for his persecution of Christians. His reign ended with chaotic civil wars in a period known as the Year of Four Emperors. Vespasian ended the civil wars, took the title "Caesar" and established the stable Flavian dynasty. His son destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Nero

Anyone who worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or hand will receive God's wrath.

The reign of Emperor Nero was marked by cruelty and excess. His brutal persecution of both Christians and his fellow countrymen led to him being portrayed as the embodiment of evil and nicknamed the Beast. He murdered family members and forced people to worship a statue of him in the Temple of Mars.

After the Great Fire of Rome, Nero scapegoated Christians. They were subjected to horrific punishments, including being crucified, burned alive or fed to wild animals in public spectacles.

Irenaeus was a prominent early Christian who grew up with people who had heard directly from the Apostle John. Early Christian writers, including Irenaeus, wrote that Nero was the beast described in the Book of Revelation.

Gematria

The number of the beast is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

The association of Nero with the number of the beast, 666, comes from a practice known as gematria, where letters have numerical values. Nero's name in Hebrew was "Neron Caesar" (נרו קסר). This adds up to 666.

Hebrew Letters and Their Values

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Discussion questions

• Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
• Are you familiar with the Bible passages used in this article?
• Do you know any other examples of gematria?
• What do you know about the Great Fire of Rome?
• What is the most famous dynasty from your country?

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