Famous as the emperor who "fiddled while Rome burned". The first five years of his reign were considered the "Golden Time" of Imperial Rome. However, he displayed greater passion for the arts and chariot racing than for governing the Empire. These traits soon made him extremely unpopular with the army and the Senate. Emotionally and psychologically unstable, with a flare for the dramatic, and possessing nearly unlimited resources, Nero became a truly shocking figure at points during his reign. In the end, several rebellions and mutinies brought about his death by suicide.

Main Roman Coin Book and Other References:

RIC = Mattingly, Harold    The Roman Imperial Coinage
BMC = Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum
RSC = Seaby, H A    Roman Silver Coinage
RCV = Sear, David R    Roman Coins and Their Values
Cr = Crawford, Michael    The Roman Republican Coinage
SB = Sear, David R    Byzantine Coins and Their Values
S = Coins of England and the United Kingdom
WW = Wildwinds.com (reference & attribution site)