Emperor Marcus Cocceius Nerva was a Roman Emperor who had a major influence in Roman history.He became the emperor at the age of 66 and ruled for just two years. Despite that, he managed to gain a very important place in the history of Rome, and helped to shape its path.It is said that Nerva was one of the five good emperors that this Empire had. He was also the first to adopt an heir who was not biologically related to him. Trajan, his adopted son and the successor to his throne, is considered to be one of the greatest emperors to don the Roman crown.On September 18, 96 AD, the then Emperor of Rome, Domitian, was assassinated following a political conspiracy. Immediately after, Marcus Cocceius Nerva, who served under Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus during the years between 54-68 AD, was made the new emperor. Unlike other emperors who took the throne after their ancestors, Nerva was chosen by the Roman Senate. History says that this was the first time something like this had happened in Roman culture.As soon as he came to power, Nerva put forward many well-intended policies. He banned trials based on treason and refused to put any senators to death. Though he ruled only for two years, he gained a concrete place in Roman history. Some experts say that Emperor Nerva was a small necessary distraction between the dynasties of Trajanic and Antonine.Life History Of NervaBefore succeeding Emperor Domitian, Nerva was an imperial serviceman under the rule of Nero. He was born to an Italian noble family and rose slowly in ranks of the political system in Rome. Here are some facts about the life history of this ruler.Nerva was born in a small village about 31 mi (50 km) from Rome, and he was the son of Marcus Cocceius Nerva. An interesting fact about the individuals from his father’s side of the family is that all male members were named Marcus Cocceius Nerva!There is some confusion about which year Nerva was born in. Some experts think the correct date is November 8, 30 AD, while others think it is November 8, 35 AD.Nerva’s life was fairly straightforward and he was inclined towards politics and royal service as his family, the Cocceii, was considered one of the most influential and prominent political families in that period.Nerva’s great-grandfather held the position of Consul in 36 AD. His great-grandfather played an important role in improving the family’s position in the Empire.It is said that Nerva had a sister who was married to royalty, a man named Lucius Slavius Titanus Otho. He was the brother of Emperor Otho, and this improved the family’s political standing.Nerva’s grandfather was considered to be a very close friend of as well as advisor to Emperor Tiberius, who ruled between the years 14-37 AD.Most of the male members from Nerva’s father’s side of the family were Consuls. The position of Consul was the highest elected position in the office of the Roman Republic.Some experts believe that Nerva was aware of the plan to assassinate Domitian, and had been told about it by his court officials, and also that he was already informed that he would be taking up the throne. Other experts disagree and state that he was not aware of these conspiracies.It is a common opinion that Nerva was chosen to be the next ruler because he was already old and childless. Thus, it would be easy for the court officials to decide the future emperor who would succeed Nerva.Marcus Cocceius Nerva did not marry and did not have any biological children. However, he did adopt a child named Trajan, who managed to succeed the throne after Nerva’s death.Contribution Of Nerva To The Roman EmpireNerva had just two years to rule the Roman Empire, after which he passed away. As a result, he was not able to contribute anything significantly new to the country. He did, however, manage to fast-forward certain improvements that the last government had started. Here is a list of contributions that Nerva made to the Roman Empire.Unlike most other emperors who ruled Rome, there is not much information about this ruler. He could have made other significant contributions to the country that were not recorded anywhere; only a few historians have written about Nerva.It is said that the first several months of his rule were spent trying to put right everything that Domitian had done wrong.The great leader Nero, under whom Nerva served, passed away in 67 AD. This marked the end of the dynasty of Julio Claudian and the beginning of the dynasty of the Four Emperors. There is not much information about what Nerva did during this period. Some believe that since Otho’s brother was the brother-in-law of Nerva, he could have been a supporter of the Flavian Dynasty.Nerva resurfaced and received a Consulship in 71 AD, when Emperor Vespasian took over. Vespasian was considered the last of the Four Emperors and was a Roman Emperor who founded the Flavian Dynasty. Domitian was the son of Vespasian.Emperor Domitian was a very harsh ruler and the senators under him were treated very harshly. Nerva, after his accession, chose to be different. It is said that he was quick to take back punishments, and that he promised to treat the senators well. This could be because he believed he had come to power due to the court officials, and he did not want to anger them in any way.One of the most significant contributions Nerva made before his reign as an emperor was to help Emperor Nero identify the Pisonian Conspiracy of 65 AD. His contribution to identifying the conspirators was so considerable that the king ordered his statues to be placed in the imperial palace.His detective skills didn’t stop there. It is said that he also managed to identify another conspiracy, termed the Revolt of Saturninus, in 89 AD. On January 1, 89 AD, the governor of an imperial province in Rome (known as Germania Superior) decided to revolt against the Empire. The governor joined hands with a tribe group called Chatti.Nerva managed to quickly quell the revolt in 24 days, and the governor and his team were severely punished. History says that Nerva was the key brain behind identifying and breaking up the revolt. Domitian showed his appreciation for Nerva by giving him the Consulship.Picking Cocceius Nerva as Emperor so rapidly was an action that is believed to have been done for a purpose. It prevented a civil war from threatening the dynasty.Some people still believe that Nerva accepted the invitation to rule the Empire so as to avoid a civil war at all costs.Nerva’s reign was very different from that of Domitian. He was liberal, especially with the senators who helped to choose him. He also granted release for most prisoners in the Roman Empire who were in jail for treason.One thing that Nerva did after he came to power was to pass the ‘damnatio memoriae’ rule. According to this rule, all statues, memoirs, and arches of Domitian were destroyed and burnt. The idea was to erase the name of this Emperor from all records.Nerva also did not have the right education to rule as a Roman emperor. He had no military skills and was not very knowledgeable about foreign affairs. It is said that he was greatly dependent on the court counsels to manage the kingdom.Marcus Cocceius Nerva did not have the time to work extensively on the betterment of Rome. However, he did order extensive repairs to the Roman road system. He also added a number of aqueducts throughout the Roman Empire to help bring water from other places to the country.He also reduced the tax burden on the Jews and banned/limited the playing of public games.What is Nerva known for?Nerva is known for being the Emperor who laid the foundations for a new and golden age in Rome. It was only after him that Rome reached great heights. Here are a few points of information about things for which Nerva was and will be known.Once he gained the throne, Nerva was officially called Nerva Caesar Augustus and that remained his name until his death.Even before his accession to the throne, Nerva was well-known in political communities for his family name. The family was connected to the Julio-Claudian dynasty through marriage.Did you know that Nerva was known for his literary skills? In fact, it is mentioned that Emperor Nero called him the ‘Tibullus of our time.’ Albius Tibullus was a renowned writer and poet in the Ancient Roman Empire.One problem that the Roman Emperor faced was his inability to control the Roman army. It is said that in the two years of his reign, the army began revolting, wanting to establish their power. In fact, it was the army that forced the Emperor to adopt a son.Nerva is also known to have caused a strain in Rome’s economy during his reign. He was so grateful for being given the throne that his gifts were very generous. It is said that he allocated lands worth millions to the poor and gave out loans very freely.In fact, after becoming the Emperor, he ordered that vessels containing 75 denarii (Roman currency during that period) be gifted to all citizens.The story of Nerva adopting Trajan is interesting. The Roman army began putting a lot of pressure on Nerva to adopt a popular and military-friendly successor to the throne, as Nerva did not have a direct descendant. The unanimous choice was Trajan.Until the very end, the army was faithful to Domitian and was not very pleased to serve an emperor with no military skills. It is said that the army was paid well during the previous reign, and that they refused to obey Nerva.Trajan was a very popular Roman Emperor, and it is said that all other emperors who ruled after him strove to be better in comparison. It is not clear whether Nerva and Trajan shared a healthy bond with one another, or if he was adopted only because Nerva had no other choice.Place Of Burial Of NervaEmperor Nerva suffered a stroke on January 1, 98 AD, when he was meeting court officials. This developed into a fever, and after 26 days of treatment, he died on January 27, 98 AD, in his own villa.His body was cremated, and the ashes were placed at the Mausoleum of Augustus. This is a tomb that was built in 28 BC in Rome.The Mausoleum of Augustus was built by Emperor Augustus and housed the mortal remains of many Roman emperors. However, Cocceius Nerva was the last emperor to be laid to rest there. The Mausoleum was not opened for any of the other emperors who ruled ancient Rome.A lot of people spoke well of Nerva after his death. Historian Tacitus was recorded saying that Nerva’s reign made people think of what was once unattainable: sovereignty and freedom. Even though he lacked the necessary skills to rule, Nerva is remembered as one of the best emperors that Rome had during that period.You can find two modern statue installations of Nerva today. One is in England in Gloucester, and one is in the birthplace of the Emperor. Since he did not have any children, there were no real successors who could carry out his good work.Trajan seemed to have held the Emperor in high regard since some sources say he dedicated a tree to Nerva.
Emperor Marcus Cocceius Nerva was a Roman Emperor who had a major influence in Roman history.
