Thorsten Opper

One of the best-known figures from Roman history, Nero (r. AD 54-68) is most often characterised as a tyrannical and ineffectual ruler who fiddled while Rome burnt. Such a reputation has, however, been shaped by ancient literary sources written by his adversaries and enemies and, in light of new research, can be considered crudely reductive. This publication, and the exhibition...

One of the best-known figures from Roman history, Nero (r. AD 54-68) is most often characterised as a tyrannical and ineffectual ruler who fiddled while Rome burnt. Such a reputation has, however, been shaped by ancient literary sources written by his adversaries and enemies and, in light of new research, can be considered crudely reductive. This publication, and the exhibition...