Here's a good digest on Nero:
NERO
AN EMPEROR LOVED BY THE PEOPLE
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J.-Ch. Pichon suggests that Nero was the Antechrist, that is, the one who comes before the Christ... Nero was not the hysterical monster depicted by his detractors. He was well-versed in Egyptian mythology and other Oriental religions. His wife Poppaea Sabina was Jewish (Pichon calls her "prosélyte du seuil") and he enjoyed philosophical chatters with Seneca, (Jewish) Flavius Josephus, etc.
As for Jesus, Pichon claims that, at the time, Palestine counted over 40 preachers by the name of Yoshua (=Jesus). Besides, the name "Yoshua" used to be a shibboleth among Jews, that is, a codeword they whispered to recognize each other...
Most astrologers of the 1st century AD claimed that a new "divine era" had started since the sun had entered a new constellation --the Pisces constellation. Hence the "Fish" symbol of the early Christians. Nero merely intended to be the last avatar of the so-called Christ-Emperor and, accordingly, tried to enforce the Christian "mantra". Nero somehow was the first "Communist" ruler: all historical accounts testify of his egalitarian agenda.
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