COINS REFLECT HISTORY Nero Fiddled, Found Immortality

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31007, 12 March 1966, Page 5

COINS REFLECT HISTORY Nero Fiddled, Found Immortality

r TI IE NAMES of some Roman emperors stand out because of events associated with their names.

We are told that “Nero 1 fiddled while Rome burned.” : What manner of man was Nero? He was an adopted son of Emperor Claudius. Nero • married at 16 years of age, , and at 17 his mother Aggrip- ( pina secured his succession in place of Britannicus, son of Claudius, and she assumed power. To remove restrictions ; Nero arranged for Britannicus to be poisoned and his , mother to be murdered. He sated himself in every form of luxury; he wrote poems and encouraged the arts. He stole another’s wife, Poppaea, and in a fit of temI The secund of a series of articles on coins and medals which will be published from time to time in “The Press/*] per in 65 A.D. he kicked her when with child and she died. There was a great fire in Rome in 64 A.D. and some Romans blamed Nero. Presumablv that was when he fiddled. He organised the rebuilding of Rome, including a splendid palace for himself, and in it he placed a statue of himself 120 ft high. He! found money by extortion, and by robbing temples. His prodigality made him) unpopular, as did the revolt in Britain led by Boadicea in 61 A.D. In 68 A.D. Galba, in Spain, and Vindex, in Gaul, revolted. When Galba was carried to

the gates of Rome in a litter, Nero fled and killed himself on the outskirts of the city. Marcus Aurelius Antonius was Emperor in 161 A.D. He was a soldier, philosopher and writer, but he persecuted Christians. His son Aurelius Commodus was a thoroughly bad lot. At 19 years he assumed office; retribution came when a mistress, whom he doomed to death, poisoned him with a slow poison, but to make the job complete the athletic Narcissus strangled him. Severus, who was Emperor from 192 A.D. to 211 A.D. originally held military commands. and he ranged widely with his armies. He spent two years in Britain and died in York. His son Caracalla and his brother Geta succeeded, but Caracalla obtained power by killing his brother, and in 217 A.D. Caracalla was himself murdered, and so the story goes on. The Romans conferred many benefits on civilisation, but these were not always matched by the standards set by their Emperors. Usually Emperors who had been adopted by ruling Emperors as their successors : were more successful than I sons of Emperors. For nearly 1100 years from Nerva in 96 ' A.D. to Commodus there was comparative peace in Europe under adopted sons. It has been well said: “The bust outlasts the throne; the coin, Tiberius.” —DENARIUS.

free, fled to isolated parts of the island, where they defended themselves against capture and, if cornered, committed suicide.

Gradually they came out of hiding and set themselves up along the beaches in what are today the straggling Creole villages. Here they still live on fish and sleep in the deep shade of the banyan trees, a pleasant easy-going people. The strong, home-distilled rum which they imbibe deeply releases dance and song and sometimes reveals, in the set of a head or the twist of a shoulder, the trace of some grand seigneur ancestor. Two Peoples Bitterness between the Creoles and the pure-blood French long ago died, leaving a lingering, even a yearning affection between the two peoples. They understand each other, and both are Roman Catholic, but affection cuts off sharply where the educated Creole enters the current of island life as an equal and competitor. The prejudice that is then manifest creates a poisonous inferiority complex in the ambitious mixed-blood and in-

Across I—The others take father in for a good meal. (6) 4—A mob around the East made a triumphant noise. (6) 9—One who makes an agreement to build underwater craft? (13) 10— Lift up the beams, we hear. (5) 11— Father’s taking a clever man for a sea-trip. (7) 12 & 8 Down German marches (5-5). 13 —Put a greasy coat on a variant of 5. (5) 18—Capital part of a name. (7) 20 — It’s dark when the thing is destroyed. (5) 21— Are his army exercises boring? (5-8) 22 It’s irresponsible to desire no backing. (6) 23 One’s entire property established in a ship. (6)

Standing ostensibly for a policy of liberal socialism, it provides an outlet both for the ambitious Creoles and the people of Eastern origin. In practice, however, the policy is less liberal than bitterly exclusivist and seeks, under forthcoming independence, to oust the pure French. Sank Ships

The French Mauritians, forced in self-defence towards ultra - conservatism, oppose independence, thus adding fuel to their opponents’ bonfire and isolating them also from current English policy. Officially, there have been no French on the island since 1810, when the French sank some British ships in what the English referred to as “a piece of impertinence” and the French as “a glorious victory.” Britain thereafter annexed the island, though actually all she wanted of it was an ensurance of her sea-route to India. Her terms of treaty scarcely disturbed the island life. The sugar planters retained their freehold to the land and also their social, economic and religious freedom.

In fact Mauritius enjoyed a

Down 1— Holiday place to put in a new category? (6) 2 Just the opposite of a private view! (6, 7) 3 Fire-raisers? (7) 5 Half read a manuscript—pages and pages! (5) 6 Certainly not how the Archbishop would pray before a meal! (4, 1,3, 5) 7 & 15 Dn—Roof-light made by Mr Dowd with no wire! (6-6) B—See 12 Across. 14 — Does a supervisory job as a fellow gets older. (7) 15— See 7 Down. 16— Runs away from unpleasant little jumpers, one hears. (5) 17— America says. (6) 19—... it’s a cold place to live where one has endless darkness. (5) (Solution on page 12)

the almost risible contradictions of the situation will probably serve as a buffer against violence.

Classic Way

Britain battles on, trying with the help of a commission working behind closed doors at Government House to find her classic middle-of-the-road way through the jungle. What the island really needs