Marcus Cocceius Nerva 96-98 AD. Rare Dupondius . Roman Imperial. 11.9 gr/28mm

Description: Nerva(/nrv/; originallyMarcus Cocceius Nerva; 8 November 30 27 January 98) wasRoman emperorfrom 96 to 98. Nerva became emperor when aged almost 66, after a lifetime of imperial service underNeroand the succeeding rulers of theFlavian dynasty. Under Nero, he was a member of the imperial entourage and played a vital part in exposing thePisonian conspiracyof 65. Later, as a loyalist to the Flavians, he attainedconsulshipsin 71 and 90 during the reigns ofVespasianandDomitian, respectively. On 18 September 96, Domitian was assassinated in a palace conspiracy involving members of thePraetorian Guardand several of hisfreedmen. On the same day, Nerva was declared emperor by theRoman Senate. As the new ruler of theRoman Empire, he vowed to restore liberties which had been curtailed during the autocratic government of Domitian.Nerva's brief reign was marred by financial difficulties and his inability to assert his authority over theRoman army. A revolt by the Praetorian Guard in October 97 essentially forced him toadoptan heir. After some deliberation Nerva adoptedTrajan, a young and popular general, as his successor. After barely fifteen months in office, Nerva died of natural causes on 27 January 98. Upon his death he was succeeded anddeifiedby Trajan. Although much of his life remains obscure, Nerva was considered a wise and moderate emperor by ancienthistorians. Nerva's greatest success was ensuring apeaceful transition of powerafter his death by selecting Trajan as his heir, thus founding theNervaAntonine dynasty. He was the first of theFive Good Emperors.Marcus Cocceius Nerva was born in the village ofNarni, 50kilometers north of Rome, as the son ofMarcus Cocceius Nerva,suffect consulduring the reign ofCaligula(3741), and Sergia Plautilla.He was born on 8 November,]but the exact year is disputed. Ancient sources report the date as either 30 or 35.He had at least one attested sister, named Cocceia, who marriedLucius Salvius Otho Titianus, the brother of the earlier EmperorOtho.[2]LikeVespasian, the founder of theFlavian dynasty, Nerva was a member of a newer Italian nobility rather than one of the Julio-Claudians.Nevertheless, theCocceiiwere among the most esteemed and prominent political families of the lateRepublicand early Empire, attaining consulships in each successive generation. The direct ancestors of Nerva on his father's side,all named Marcus Cocceius Nerva, were associated with imperial circles from the time of EmperorAugustus(r.27 BCAD 14).Hisgreat-grandfatherwas consul in 36 BC (in replacement, and abdicated), and Governor ofAsiain the same year.His grandfatherbecame suffect consul in July of either 21 or 22, and was known as a personal friend of EmperorTiberius(r.1437), accompanying the emperor during his voluntary seclusion onCaprifrom 23 onwards, dying in 33. Nerva's father finally attained the consulship under the Emperor Caligula. The Cocceii were connected with theJulio-Claudian dynastythrough the marriage of Sergia Plautilla's brotherGaius Octavius Laenas, andRubellia Bassa, the step-great-granddaughter of Tiberius. Imperial service Not much of Nerva's early life or career is recorded, but it appears he did not pursue theusual administrativeor military career. He waspraetor-elect in the year 65 and, like his ancestors, moved in imperial circles as a skilled diplomat and strategist.As an advisor to EmperorNero, he successfully helped detect and expose thePisonian conspiracyof 65. His exact contribution to the investigation is not known, but his services must have been considerable, since they earned him rewards equal to those of Nero's guard prefectTigellinus. He receivedtriumphal honors which was usually reserved for military victories and the right to have his statues placed throughout the palace.According to the contemporary poetMartial, Nero also held Nerva's literary abilities in high esteem, hailing him as the "Tibullusof our time".Another prominent member of Nero's entourage wasVespasian, an old and respected general who had celebrated military triumphs during the 40s. It appears Vespasian befriended Nerva during his time as an imperial advisor, and may have asked him to watch over Vespasian's youngest sonDomitianwhen Vespasian departed for theJewish warin 67. The suicide of Nero on 9 June 68 brought the Julio-Claudian dynasty to an end, leading to the chaoticYear of the Four Emperors, which saw the successive rise and fall of the emperorsGalba,OthoandVitellius, until the accession of Vespasian on 21 December 69. Virtually nothing is known of Nerva's whereabouts during 69, but despite the fact that Otho was his brother-in-law, he appears to have been one of the earliest and strongest supporters of the Flavians.[9]For services unknown, he was rewarded with a consulship early in Vespasian's reign in 71. This was a remarkable honour, not only because he held this office early under the new regime, but also because it was an ordinary consulship (instead of a less prestigious suffect consulship), making him one of the few non-Flavians to be honoured in this way under Vespasian.After 71 Nerva again disappears from historical record, presumably continuing his career as an inconspicuous advisor under Vespasian (6979) and his sonsTitus(7981) and Domitian (8196). He re-emerges during therevolt of Saturninusin 89. On 1 January 89, the governor ofGermania Superior,Lucius Antonius Saturninus, and his two legions atMainz,Legio XIV GeminaandLegio XXI Rapax, revolted against the Roman Empire with the aid of a tribe of theChatti.Thegovernor ofGermania Inferior,Lappius Maximus, moved to the region at once, assisted by the procurator ofRhaetia,Titus Flavius Norbanus. Within twenty-four days the rebellion was crushed, and its leaders at Mainz savagely punished. The mutinous legions were sent to the front ofIllyricum, while those who had assisted in their defeat were duly rewarded.Domitian opened the year following the revolt by sharing the consulship with Nerva. Again, the honour suggested Nerva had played a part in uncovering the conspiracy, perhaps in a fashion similar to what he did during the Pisonian conspiracy under Nero. Alternatively, Domitian may have selected Nerva as his colleague to emphasise the stability andstatus quoof the regime.The revolt had been suppressed, and the Empire could return to order.On 18 September 96, Domitian was assassinated in a palace conspiracy organised by court officials.TheFasti Ostienses, the Ostian Calendar, records that the same day the Senate proclaimed Marcus Cocceius Nerva emperor.This was the first time theRoman Senateactually chose a new emperor rather than simply ratifying formally a choice made by either a previous emperor in his testament or an army or thePraetorian Guard.Despite his political experience, this was a remarkable choice. Nerva was old and childless, and had spent much of his career out of the public light, prompting both ancient and modern authors to speculate on his involvement in Domitian's assassination, although his probable lack of involvement would have made him acceptable to the Domitianic faction. According toCassius Dio, the conspirators approached Nerva as a potential successor prior to the assassination, which indicates that he was at least aware of the plot.Suetoniusby contrast does not mention Nerva, but he may have omitted his role out of tactfulness. Considering the works of Suetonius were published under Nerva's direct descendantsTrajanandHadrian, it would have been less than sensitive of him to suggest the dynasty owed its accession to murder.On the other hand, Nerva lacked widespread support in the Empire, and as a known Flavian loyalist his track record would not have recommended him to the conspirators. The precise facts have been obscured by history,but modern historians believe Nerva was proclaimed Emperor solely on the initiative of the Senate, within hours after the news of the assassination broke.Although he appeared to be an unlikely candidate on account of his age and weak health, Nerva was considered a safe choice precisely because he was old and childless. Furthermore, he had close connections with the Flavian dynasty and commanded the respect of a substantial part of the Senate. Nerva had seen theanarchywhich had resulted from the death of Nero; he knew that to hesitate even for a few hours could lead to violent civil conflict. Rather than decline the invitation and riskrevolts, he accepted.The decision may have been hasty so as to avoid civil war, but neither the Senate nor Nerva appears to have been involved in the conspiracy against Domitian.Following the accession of Nerva as emperor, the Senate passeddamnatio memoriaeon Domitian: his statues were melted, hisarcheswere torn down and his name was erased from all public records.In many instances, existing portraits of Domitian, such as those found on theCancelleria Reliefs, were simply recarved to fit the likeness of Nerva. This allowed quick production of new images and recycling of previous material.In addition, the vast palace which Domitian had erected on thePalatine Hill, known as theFlavian Palace, was renamed the "House of the People", and Nerva himself took up residence in Vespasian's former villa in theGardens of Sallust. Despite Nerva's measures to remain popular with the Senate and the Roman people, support for Domitian remained strong in thearmy, which had called for hisdeificationimmediately after the assassination.In an attempt to appease the soldiers of thePraetorian Guard, Nerva had dismissed their prefectTitus Petronius Secundus one of the chief conspirators against Domitian and replaced him with a former commander,Casperius Aelianus.Likewise, the generousdonativumbestowed upon the soldiers following his accession was expected swiftly to silence any protests against the violent regime change. The Praetorians considered these measures insufficient, however, and demanded the execution of Domitian's assassins, which Nerva refused.Continued dissatisfaction with this state of affairs would ultimately lead to the gravest crisis of Nerva's reign. While the swift transfer of power following Domitian's death had prevented acivil warfrom erupting, Nerva's position as an emperor soon proved too vulnerable, and his benign nature turned into a reluctance to assert his authority. Upon his accession, he had ordered a halt to treason trials, but at the same time allowed the prosecution ofinformersby the Senate to continue. This measure led tochaos, as everyone acted in his own interests while trying to settle scores with personal enemies, leading the consulFrontoto famously remark that Domitian's tyranny was ultimately preferable to Nerva's anarchy.Early in 97, a conspiracy led by the senatorGaius Calpurnius Piso Crassus Frugi Licinianusfailed, but once again Nerva refused to put the conspirators to death, much to the disapproval of the Senate.The situation was further aggravated by the absence of a clear successor, made more pressing because of Nerva's old age and sickness.He had no natural children of his own and only distant relatives, who were unsuited for political office. A successor would have to be chosen from among thegovernorsorgeneralsin the Empire and it appears that, by 97, Nerva was considering toadoptMarcus Cornelius Nigrinus Curiatius Maternus, the powerful governor ofSyria.This was covertly opposed by those who supported the more popular military commanderTrajan, a general of the armies at theGerman frontier.In October 97 these tensions came to a head when the Praetorian Guard, led by Casperius Aelianus, laidsiegeto the Imperial Palace and took Nerva hostage.He was forced to submit to their demands, agreeing to hand over those responsible for Domitian's death and even giving a speech thanking the rebellious Praetorians. Titus Petronius Secundus and Parthenius, Domitian's former chamberlain, were sought out and killed. Nerva was unharmed in this assault, but his authority was damaged beyond repair.Trajan later dispatched those commanders who had ordered the guard to besiege Nerva in his home. He realized that his position was no longer tenable without the support of an heir who had the approval of both the army and the people.Shortly thereafter, he announced the adoption ofTrajanas his successor,and with this decision all butabdicated.Trajan was formally bestowed with the title of Caesar and shared the consulship with Nerva in 98; in Cassius Dio's words: Thus Trajan became Caesar and later emperor, although there were relatives of Nerva living. But Nerva did not esteem family relationship above the safety of the State, nor was he less inclined to adopt Trajan because the latter was a Spaniard instead of an Italian or Italot, inasmuch as no foreigner had previously held the Roman sovereignty; for he believed in looking at a man's ability rather than at his nationality. Contrary to the view here popularized by Cassius Dio, however, Nerva had in fact little choice with regard to his successor. Faced with a major crisis, he desperately needed the support of a man who could restore his damaged reputation. The only candidate with sufficient military experience, consular ancestry, and connections was Trajan.Likewise,Edward Gibbon's assertion that Nerva hereby established a tradition of succession through adoption among theFive Good Emperorshas found little support among modern historians. On 1 January 98, at the start of his fourth consulship, Nerva suffered astrokeduring a private audience.[51]Shortly thereafter he was struck by a fever and died at his villa in the Gardens of Sallust, on 27 January.[57]He was deified by the Senate,[58]and his ashes were laid to rest in theMausoleum of Augustus.[59]He was the last Roman emperor to be interred there. Nerva was succeeded without incident by his adopted son Trajan, who was greeted by the Roman populace with much enthusiasm. According toPliny the Younger, Trajan dedicated a temple in honour of Nerva,[60]yet no trace of it has ever been found; nor was a commemorative series of coins for the Deified Nerva issued until ten years after his death. According to Cassius Dio, however, theGuard prefectresponsible for the mutiny against Nerva, Casperius Aelianus, was dismissed upon Trajan's accession.[61] Due to the lack of written sources on this period, much of Nerva's life has remained obscure. The most substantial surviving account of the reign of Nerva was written by the 3rd-century historianCassius Dio. HisRoman History, which spans nearly amillennium, from the arrival ofAeneasin Italy until the year 229, was composed more than one hundred years after Nerva had died. Further details are added by an abridged biography from theEpitome de Caesaribus, a work attributed to the 4th-century historianAurelius Victor. A more comprehensive text, presumed to describe the life of Nerva in closer detail, is theHistories, by the contemporary historianTacitus. TheHistoriesis an account of the history of Rome covering three decades from the suicide of emperorNeroin 69 until the death of Domitian in 96. However, a substantial part of the work has been lost, with only the first five books covering theYear of the Four Emperorsremaining. In the introduction to his biography ofGnaeus Julius Agricolahowever, Tacitus speaks highly of Nerva, describing his reign as "the dawn of a most happy age, [when] Nerva Caesar blended things once irreconcilable, sovereignty and freedom".The surviving histories speak equally positively of Nerva's brief reign, although none offer a substantial commentary on his policies. Both Cassius Dio and Aurelius Victor emphasize his wisdom and moderation,with Dio commending his decision to adopt Trajan as his heir.]These views were later popularized by the 18th-century historianEdward Gibbonin hisHistory of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Gibbon considered Nerva the first of theFive Good Emperors, five successive rulers under whom the Roman Empire "was governed by absolute power, under the guidance of wisdom and virtue" from 96 until 180. Nevertheless, even Gibbon notes that, compared to his successors, Nerva may have lacked the necessary qualifications for a successful reign: Nerva had scarcely accepted the purple from the assassins of Domitian before he discovered that his feeble age was unable to stem the torrent of public disorders which had multiplied under the long tyranny of his predecessor. His mild disposition was respected by the good; but the degenerate Romans required a more vigorous character, whose justice should strike terror into the guilty. Modern history has expanded upon this sentiment, characterizing Nerva as a well-intentioned but weak and ineffectual ruler. The Roman Senate enjoyed renewed liberties under his rule, but Nerva's mismanagement of the state finances and lack of authority over the army ultimately brought Rome near the edge of a significant crisis.The mutiny led by Casperius Aelianus was never intended as acoup, but a calculated attempt to put pressure on the emperor.The adoption of Trajan expanded his power base with a respected, reliable general as his successor. Murison concludes that Nerva's real talents were in fact ill-suited to the emperorship: Nerva was, it would seem, the ultimate "committee" man. He was not, apparently, a great orator, and one has the impression that he functioned better in small groups, where his generally calm approach to problems will have impressed people. [...] What is well-known today, however, is that, more often than not, if the "super committee man" takes on an important administrative job, the result is quite dreadful. Rome was, indeed, spared catastrophe; but for all that near-contemporary writers were "careful" about what they said, Nerva's administration was fairly inept. It would not be unfair to say that he was a textbook illustration of what nowadays is called the "Peter Principle". His place in Roman history is therefore summarized as a necessary, if tumultuous stop-gap before the Trajanic-Antonine dynasties.Even the only major public work completed during his reign, theForum of Nerva, ultimately became known as theForum Transitorium, or transitional forum.Two modern statues which commemorate Nerva can be found in towns associated with him. There is an equestrian statue inGloucester, England, a town which was founded in his honour. It is at the entrance to Southgate Street. There is also a statue at his alleged birthplace,Narniin Italy, at Cocceio Nerva street

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