Facts About Emperor Nero, One Of Rome’s Greatest Tyrants

Visit Rome and you’ll learn all about great emperors like Julius Caesar and visit historic ancient sites that were frequented by such figures. But the more tyrannical individuals from Ancient Rome are remembered less fondly. Check out these unsettling facts about Nero, who is widely considered to be one of Rome’s most vicious oppressors.

5 He Plotted His Own Mother’s Death

Rome may be Italy’s eternal city but a ton of brutal things have gone down in this legendary destination. Nero, officially known as Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the Emperor of Rome, is considered by many to be one of the most tyrannical Roman Emperors in history. He inherited his ruthless nature from his mother Agrippina, who retreated to Cersei Lannister-like scheming to get her son on the throne. But instilling that brutality into her son came back to bite her.

When Nero and Agrippina became embroiled in a power struggle, Nero plotted to kill his mother. Some sources say that he either had her ship sunk at sea or sent his soldiers to her villa to assassinate her.

4 He May Have Killed His Second Wife

It’s possible that Agrippina wasn’t the only female family member that Nero treated less than respectfully. He divorced his wife to marry a woman named Poppaea Sabina, who was thought to be his great love. But once she fell pregnant, she mysteriously died. Historians of Nero’s time chronicled that he kicked her to death, while modern historians believe it’s more likely that she died of a miscarriage.

It isn’t proven that he killed his second wife, but the possibility also hasn’t been ruled out. And given Nero’s track record of violence, the theory is not totally implausible. Interestingly, following the death of Poppaea, Nero is believed to have fallen in love with a man who resembled her.

3 Legend Has It That He Caused The Great Fire Of Rome

One of the most persistent rumors associated with Nero is that he either caused the Great Fire of Rome that ravaged the city in the year 64 AD or twiddled his thumbs while the city burned. The fire burned for many days, leaving much of the city in a state of destruction.

Immediately after the fire, people began to whisper that Nero purposely started to fire to clear the land and expand his palace. Others said that he accidentally started it with the prisoners that he crucified and set alight. But modern historians have noted that these rumors may have been propaganda designed to defame Nero since little historical evidence exists to support them.

2 His Treatment Of Christians Was Brutal

Nero causing the Great Fire of Rome might be a myth, but Nero’s brutal treatment of Christians is well-documented. After the fire, his first instinct was to blame the Christians, whom he persecuted with viciousness and cruelty. Christians living in the time of Nero could expect to be nailed to crosses and thrown to his dogs.

One of the most infamous punishments Nero handed to the Christians was using them to illuminate his gardens at night. He had them dipped in oil and set on fire before propping them up on his land.

1 He Committed Suicide At The Age Of 30

He is considered to be one of the most malicious rulers to ever ascend over Rome, but Nero’s reign of terror only lasted 13 years. One of the things that many people don’t know about Nero is that he committed suicide at the age of 30 after the Roman senate declared him a public enemy.

Nero got word that the senate supposedly intended to beat him to death, so he ordered his secretary to stab him first. In reality, the senate had been considering ending his life but had ultimately decided to reinstate him. Luckily for the citizens of Rome, Nero panicked when he heard the approaching Senate messenger and didn’t wait to see what the news actually was.

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