Nerva (Roman emperor)

Nerva was Roman emperor from 96 to 98 CE, succeeding Domitian after his assassination. He founded the Nerva–Antonine dynasty by adopting Trajan as his successor.

Domitian: Domitian was Roman emperor from 81 to 96 CE, whose autocratic rule ended with his assassination. His assassination created the vacancy that brought Nerva to power.
Trajan: Trajan was Roman emperor from 98 to 117 CE and the first emperor born outside Italy. Nerva adopted him as heir to secure support from the army and Senate.
Domitianic persecution: Domitianic persecution describes measures under Domitian against people accused of disloyalty, including executions and confiscations. Nerva reversed the climate of fear associated with Domitian’s final years.
Pliny the Younger: Pliny the Younger was a Roman senator and writer whose surviving letters and speeches document imperial society. His Panegyricus praises Trajan and contrasts the new regime with Domitian’s.
Assassination of Domitian: The assassination of Domitian in 96 CE ended his reign and triggered a succession crisis. The plot’s aftermath explains how the Senate selected Nerva.
Adoptive emperorship: Adoptive emperorship was a system in which an emperor selected and adopted a successor rather than relying on hereditary succession. Nerva’s adoption of Trajan became its defining early precedent.
Damnatio memoriae: Damnatio memoriae was the Roman practice of officially condemning a person’s memory, often by erasing inscriptions and images. Nerva restored the standing of some senators punished under Domitian, rather than extending his predecessor’s reprisals.
Tacitus: Tacitus was a Roman historian whose works include accounts of the early empire and its political culture. His histories and later reputation frame the Senate’s hopes at Nerva’s accession.
Roman Senate: The Roman Senate was Rome’s governing assembly, composed chiefly of elite male citizens. Senators proclaimed Nerva emperor after Domitian’s death.
Revolt of the Praetorian Guard under Nerva: The Praetorian Guard’s revolt in 97 CE forced Nerva to yield men responsible for Domitian’s death. The revolt showed that Nerva could not command the Guard without compromise.

Linked from 3 pages