Nero ruled the Roman Empire from 54-68, his time in power best known for it’s tyrrany and extravagance.
When a Roman Senator was murdered by one of his slaves the rest of the Roman Senate demanded the execution of his remaining slaves, according to Roman law. The fact that there were four hundred slaves didn’t change their sentence.
The populace, upon hearing of the sentence, demanded the release of the slaves. In order to stop a potential mob, Nero deployed the Roman army to enforce the sentence and all four hundred slaves were killed.
What did the ancient Romans do with four hundred dead bodies? The logistical problems alone seem to be a deterrent in such a mass execution but since the officials were the ones calling for the murder of the slaves the people of the city were fighting a losing battle.
The entire situation brings to mind when Eisenhower sent in the US Army to enforce the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. This isn’t to equate the murder of hundreds of slaves to the integration of a high school; rather it brings to light the responsibility of those in charge to uphold sentences passed down by another branch of government.
It’s hard to imagine Nero had any qualms whatsoever with the mass execution, given his reputation.
