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How did the Praetorian Guard help Nero become emperor?
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Nero
Bust of Roman emperor Nero.
The Praetorian Guard played a decisive role in Nero’s accession to the throne in 54 CE. Following the death of the emperor Claudius—which was likely orchestrated by his wife, Julia Agrippina—Agrippina moved immediately to secure the succession for her son, Nero.12
Agrippina ensured the support of the Guard by leveraging her influence over its prefect, Sextus Afranius Burrus, who was her partisan. By having the Praetorian Guard proclaim Nero emperor, Agrippina presented the Senate with a fait accompli, effectively forcing them to accept the 16-year-old as the new ruler. This action bypassed any potential challenges from the supporters of Claudius’s own son, Britannicus, and solidified Nero's position as the new emperor.31