ABSTRACT
NERO succeeded his stepfather smoothly enough. As anticipated, Burrus played the rôle of Macro. The Praetorian Guards proclaimed the youth Emperor, and a compliant Senate voted him the imperial powers. None of the provincial armies protested the accession of one who was the great-great-grandson of Augustus. To make assurance doubly sure, however, a donative of Claudian dimensions was paid to the Praetorians (15,000 sesterces per man). Nero at once made the customary speech in the Senate, promising that he would model his Principate upon that of Augustus. The odious trials intra cubiculum would be dropped, an end would be put to the venality and power of the court favourites, especially the freedmen, and in particular the privileges, prerogatives and powers of the Senate and individual senators would be respected. As Nero was only sixteen, it is scarcely surprising that this speech was written for him by Seneca.
