The story goes that he hypocritically invited her to a party by the sea, and then even more hypocritically said good bye to her when she sailed back to rome. He then had to publicly accuse her ofa treason, so that he could then arrange for an executioner to stab her to death. She was said to have pointed at belly and say, stab me there, where the monster had been nurture. Is there any tlave of that insect? No. As as wa wic it soundly rumid or well, i think it just fits neatly as the sort of climatic moment of the difficulties in the relationship. But clearly there was a political dimension to
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life of Nero (37-68 AD) who became Emperor at the age of 16. At first he was largely praised for his generosity yet became known for his debauched lifestyle, with allegations he started the Fire of Rome, watching the flames as he played the lyre. Christians saw him as their persecutor, an anti-Christ, and the number of the Beast in the Book of Revelation was thought to indicate Nero. He had confidence in his own artistry, took up acting (which then had a very low status) and, as revolts in the empire grew, killed himself after the Senate condemned him to die as a slave, on a cross.
With
Maria Wyke
Professor of Latin at University College London
Matthew Nicholls
Fellow and Senior Tutor at St John’s College, University of Oxford
And
Shushma Malik
Lecturer in Classics at the University of Roehampton
Producer: Simon Tillotson