![]() ![]() After divorcing his wife he married his new girl friend, Poppaea. When Nero became attracted to another woman (the wife of his best friend) he had his own wife imprisoned on a island and his friend sent to govern a remote region. When Britannicus collapsed, Nero told those at the dinner that his brother was having a seizure and had the body taken out and quietly buried.Ī large part of Nero's claim to the throne was based upon his marriage to Octavia - the daughter of Claudius and his half-sister. ![]() Britannicus, the full son of Claudius, was poisoned while dining with Nero. ![]() He was only 16 years old when he came to power but it took him a mere four months to eliminate his half-brother and potential rival to the throne. Although it was through family ties Nero eased into the reign of world power, Nero showed little compassion for his family members. Nero Claudius Caesar became emperor of Rome when his adopted father and father-in-law, Claudius Caesar died in 54 AD. Despite the atrocities he carried out on that population, people became convinced that Nero's soldiers had started the fire. Afterwards, to assuage the throngs of homeless Romans, Nero tried to use the Christian population as scapegoats and blame the fire on them. There were reports that Nero climbed a tower in a stage costume and played the lyre while exulting in "the beauty of the flames". The true story of The Great Fire of 64 is debated but many believe Nero had the fire started to build his monumental "Golden House". Nearly everyone has heard of Nero "fiddling while Rome burned". ![]()
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