Nero Redivivus legend

The Nero Redivivus legend was a belief popular during the last part of the 1st century that the Roman emperor Nero would return after his death in 68 AD. The legend was a common belief as late as the 5th century.^[1] The belief was either the result or cause of several imposters who posed as Nero leading rebellions.

Nero impostors

At least three Nero impostors emerged leading rebellions. The first, who sang and played the cithara or lyre and whose face was similar to that of the dead emperor, appeared in 69 during the reign of Vitellius.^[2] During the reign of Titus (c. 79–81) there was another impostor, who appeared in Asia and also sang to the accompaniment of the lyre and looked like Nero but he, too, was exposed.^[3] Twenty years after Nero's death, during the reign of Domitian, there was a third pretender. Supported by the Parthians, who hardly could be persuaded to give him up,^[4] the matter almost came to war.^[5]

Legend

Several variations of the legend exist, playing on both hope and fear of Nero's return. The earliest written version of this legend is found in the

• The Beast of Revelation
• Sebastianism

References