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Nerva, Marcus Cocceius

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1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Marcus Cocceius Nerva
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Nerva, Marcus Cocceius

the thirteenth Roman emperor, noted for his kindness to the early Christians, was born at Narnia, in Umbria, in A.D. 27, according to Eutropius (8:1), or in A.D. 32, according to Dion (68:4). His family originally came from Crete; but several of his ancestors rose to the highest dignities in the Roman state. His grandfather, Cocceius Nerva, who was consul in A.D. 22, was a great favorite of the emperor Tiberius, and was one of the most celebrated jurists of his age. We learn from Tacitus that he put an end to his own life (Ann. 6:28). Marcus Cocceius Nerva is first mentioned as a favorite of Nero, who bestowed upon him triumphal honors in A.D. 66, when he was praetor elect. The poetry of Nerva, which is noticed with praise by Pliny and Martial, appears to have recommended him to the favor of Nero. Nerva was employed in offices of trust and honor during the reigns of Vespasian and Titus, but he incurred the suspicion of Domitian, and was banished by him to Tarentum. On the assassination of Domitian, September 18, A.D. 96, Nerva succeeded to the sovereign power, chiefly through the influence of Petronius Secundus, commander of the Praetorian cohorts, and of Parthenius, the chamberlain of the palace. The mild and equable administration of Nerva is acknowledged and praised by all ancient writers. and formed a striking contrast to the sanguinary rule of his predecessor. He discouraged all informers, recalled the exiles from banishment, relieved the people from some oppressive taxes, and granted toleration to the Christians. Many instances of his clemency and liberality are recorded by his contemporary, the younger Pliny. Nerva allowed no senator to be put to death during his reign, and practiced the greatest economy in order to relieve the wants of the poorer citizens. But his impartial administration of justice met with little favor from the Preetorian cohorts, who had been allowed by Domitian to indulge in excesses of every kind. Enraged at the loss of their benefactor and favorite, they compelled Nerva to deliver into their hands Parthenius and their own commander Petronius, both of whom they put to death. The excesses of his guards convinced Nerva that the government of the Roman empire required greater energy both of body and mind than he possessed, and he accordingly adopted Trajan, who possessed both vigor and ability to direct public affairs, as his successor, and associated him with himself in the government. By this action Nerva evinced clearly that he possessed good sense and a noble character. He died January 27, A.D. 98, after a reign of sixteen months and nine days (Dion, 68, 4). Though he had set at liberty those who had been condemned under the intolerant reign of Domitian because they had apostatized from the pagan faith and adopted the new religion, Nerva yet failed to secure to his Christian subjects any lasting benefits, since their religion was not recognised by any public act as a religio licita, and hence the severe persecutions under Trajan may easily be explained. Christianity having been diffused peacefully under Nerva, had spread considerably; no sooner was Trajan on the throne than the fury of its enemies, which had been held in check, broke forth with increased violence. (See TRAJAN). See Schaff, Ch. Hist. 1:163; Hase, Ch. Hist. page 38; Neander, Ch. Hist. 1:96; Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Harper's ed., Index in volume 6); Burton, Eccles. Hist. pages 279, 284, 298, 299; Hagenbach, Kirchengesch. d. ersten drei Jahrhunderte, chapter 7; Tillemont, Hist. des Emnpereurs, volume 2; Smith, Dict. of Greek and Roman Biogr. and Mythol. vol 2:2, s.v. (J.H.W.)