The life of Nero; Treachery, Murder & More...

Nero was a controversial man to put it lightly, whose reputation has lasted the ages. If you're a blood-thirsty, power-hungry murderer I would assume your reputation would stick. And, for Nero, he is the most volatile yet confusingly intricate man I have discovered in the period of Ancient Rome to date...

The Emperor Nero reigned for 14 years from 54 AD to 68 AD. Nero's reign did not start in a way of natural succession of power. It was by his mother Agrippina killing Emperor Claudius (her husband - and her uncle). Yet there remained the inconvience of his step-brother who could still succeed to power. What was Agrippina and Nero's natural reaction? Kill him! Of course! Such a simple solution. So, he died too. Suddenly, might I add, and many believe he was poisoned. Based off of this very brief, very short introduction to Nero's climb to power, it is safe to assume that his mother wasn't a great role model and had a murderous streak. I'm sure everyone was hoping it wasn't hereditary. However, Nero took everything one step further than his mother, and unfortunately for Rome, it was indeed a strong DNA trait...

There was a woman named Locusta - coined the worlds first serial killer. She used arsenic and death-cap mushrooms, which could cause liver and kidney failure as well as death. She was Nero's personal Assassin. Yes, you did read that correct, his personal assassin. Because, if you're an emperor like Nero, forget a world renowned chef in your villa, or a perfect tailor within your establishment. A murderous woman to accompany a murderous man's desires was much more fitting for him. In Garrett Ryan's book Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators and War Elephants (which is an absolutely brilliant book - 10/10 recommend, I learnt so much about Nero from Ryan!), he details how Nero gave Locusta a villa to live in for her wonderful services, and little assassin apprentices. This is not a joke.

With this in mind, Nero did not want to stop at killing his male role-model and step-brother, he then wanted to assassinate his mother. This was due to Agrippina not approving of his affair with Poppaea Sabina who was to be his second wife. (His first was Claudius Octavia - Claudius' daughter - who he kicked to death). So, for her disdain, she was to die. Nero sent her on a ship that was designed to sink. Lucky Agrippina, she payed attention in year 3 swimming lessons and swam to shore (treading water for five minutes in denim shorts and a swimming hat is clearly vital everyone... take this as an example). Depending on what source that you read, she either died at sea or Nero sent soldiers to her house to finish her off. Before this, he reportedly tried to collapse her bedroom ceiling on her when she was sleeping... brutal.

His blood-thirsty nature does not just stop at blood relations. Oh no, that would have been far to loving of Nero. He was renowned for crucifying Christians from 64AD and using them as human candles in his garden during parties. This has definitely got to be one of the most absurd murderous activities he has completed - perhaps why it has stuck in my mind when I think of Nero. Not really the association you would want people to remember you by.

Also, Rome made the executive decision to frown upon Pederastic relationships. These were founded in Greece. Pederasty was when a man and a boy would go to the Gymnasium, and the Erastes (the adult male) would exchange political and military connections, and advice for sexual favours from the Eromenos (the younger boy). Nero reverted back to the Greek Pederasty, and took it 14,000 steps too far and castrated a boy to resemble his dead wife. Even weirder considering that he killed her.

Nero was a man who did not stop doing inhumane, unthinkable acts of cruelty for his own entertainment until he died. One of the more lighthearted acitivies of Nero (I use lighthearted very loosley here...) would occur when he would drink. He would dress as a slave, wander around Rome with gladiator guards, and make friends (I would assume he didn't have many at home), and beat up pedestrians and loot shops. So, even when he wasn't acting as Nero, he was still at the very heart of himself a formidable man.

Interestingly, yet not unsurprising, when he died he was buried with his child nurses. These would have played a vital role in his childhood. And, consdiering he killed most of his family, it is safe to assume that the family tomb was out of bounds. Nero was *such* an individualist he wanted to rename the month April after himself and call Rome 'Neropolis', meaning 'Nero City Centre'. With this personaility trait, you would assume he would have wanted his own tomb. There was a walnut tree that grew over it, and locals claimed that there was an infestation of demons that would beat them up (just like Nero did). The Pope exorcised the tree and apparently demons fled out of the branches. Nero's ashes were recovered from underneath and put in the river Tiber. He was a man that caused chaos in life and death.

He did random things too - things that you wouldn't typically think to do - he swam shore to shore of the Marcia aqueduct. Now, this may have sounded like a nice little river swim on a hot sunny day - very appealing isn't it? Except, Nero knew this was Rome's source of water. He contracted rheumatic fever and had a near death experience. Karma.

Now, thankfully, not every Emperor was as bad as Nero. But his story is certainly interesting for all the wrong reasons. From murder, to assassins, to demons, to the pile of 10 million sesterces that he piled up just to see how it would look - he is a well rounded man of volatile actions.

His treachery has lived on with interest for thousands of years now, and I can't imagine the interest will dissolve.

Nero was a man whose power errupted from murder, as he murdered, and then he committed suicide. He went from death, to death, to death.

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