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- [00:01]
Carter Roy
In August 2022, a Swedish Instagram influencer posted an experiment for her followers. She said, ask the men in your lives, how often do you think about the roman empire? Her DMs flooded with replies. The answer Often. Real often for me, every three or four days. As thousands of tiktoks revealed, some men think about Rome at least once a day. Pretty quickly, new slang emerged. My Roman Empire. It's something you think about surprisingly often. It's understandable why men are enthralled by the Roman Empire. It's a story of war, conquest, power, and other stereotypically manly things. Take Emperor Nero, for example. From 54 AD to 68 AD, he ruled with monstrous tyranny. He set Rome ablaze just to rebuild it to his liking. He carelessly played the fiddle as his city burned. That cruelty, however, came with a price. After some political bribes and backstabbing, Nero's court named him an enemy of the state to escape a violent execution, Nero died by suicide. But some modern historians believe the popular story of Nero is all wrong. And the truth about Nero and his death? Well, that's my Roman Empire. Welcome to Conspiracy Theories, a Spotify podcast. I'm Carter Roy. New episodes come out every Wednesday. We would love to hear from you, so if you're listening on the Spotify app, swipe up and give us your thoughts. Or check us out on Instagram at the Conspiracy Pod this episode contains discussions of suicide, torture, disaster, violence, and religious persecution. Consider this when deciding how and when you'll listen. To get help on mental health, visit Spotify.com resources stay with us. This episode of Conspiracy Theories is presented by amc. Anne Rice's immortal universe expands with the gritty spy thriller the Secret Order. An enemy has infiltrated the shadowy Talamasca spy agency to find out who is behind it. Secret Agent Guy Anatol descends into an underworld of magic, immortality, and superpower binge. All episodes of the Secret order now on AMC. Learn more@amcplus.com this episode is brought to you by Mint Mobile. Head to mintmobile.com conspiracy to score 3, 6 or 12 month unlimited plans for just $15 a month limited time offer upfront payment of $45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 months or $180 for 12 months $15 per month equivalent taxes and fees extra initial planned term Only greater than 35 gigabytes may slow when network is busy. Capable device required availability, speed and coverage varies. See mintmobile.com this episode of Conspiracy Theories is presented by AMC Anne Rice's Immortal universe expands with the gritty spy thriller the Secret Order. An enemy has infiltrated the shadowy Talamasca spy agency to find out who is behind it. Secret agent guy Anatol descends into an underworld of magic, immortality and superpower binge. All episodes of the Secret order now on AMC. Learn more@amcplus.com.
- [04:06]
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- [04:31]
Carter Roy
Try Spotify portal@backstage.Spotify.com In 64 AD, Rome was in chaos. Flames tore through the city. Strong winds carried embers across 10 districts. Citizens tried to quell the inferno, but strangely, someone wouldn't let them. Reportedly, a gang stalked the city, threatening any neighborhood firefighters. This mob allowed homes, businesses and likely even lives to burn to the ground. Six days later, the fire was finally extinguished, only to somehow reignite for another three days. As the empire burned, one man surveyed the blaze. High in the tower of Mycenus, overlooking the chaos, stood Rome's 26 year old emperor Nero, Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus. Apparently they didn't have a stop button on naming people back then. Elated by the fire's beauty, he played the fiddle and sang an indulgent celebration of the fire because he'd had it set. So Nero had big plans for after the fire cleared the land to build his golden house. A palace with a vineyard, a mile long porch, even a 120 foot high statue of Nero. It was practically a city in itself. All for the low, low cost of turning citizens, homes, livelihoods and families to ash. It wouldn't be too hard to get away with Rome's dry, sweltering climate and crowded cities were a breeding ground for fires. Fire wasn't even uncommon. According to ancient historian Tacitus, the fire began in the heavily crowded slums of Rome. It was easy for the flames to crawl through the tight roads, igniting anything in its reach and a perfect place for Nero's men to start the blaze without anyone being the wiser. When the fire started, Nero himself was 35 miles away on the breezy coast of Anzio. A perfect alibi. Meanwhile, he told his subjects that the true fire starters were members of the burgeoning new religion in town, the Christians. On Nero's order, soldiers rounded up Arrested and even tortured Roman Christians under duress. Some even confessed to starting the fire. And according to Tacitus, they were ripped to shreds by dogs. Others were crucified and lit on fire as lamps for the garden. According to the Catholic church, this included St Peter, the first ever pope, who was not just crucified, but. But crucified upside down. I guess that's even worse. It's a brutal scheme. Start a fire that kills people and kill more people to cover it up. But apparently selfishly, destroying his empire for a new palace wasn't out of character. Nero wasn't very sentimental. He ordered his own mother's murder. He didn't like it when she openly disagreed with his rulings, so he killed her to avoid a power struggle. It gets worse. He also ordered that his wife Octavia be cut with knives, then suffocated in a bath. All so he could marry his mistress, Poppaea, until he kicked her to death while she was pregnant because she asked why he came home late. He eventually remarried, acquiring a third wife and a first husband. But that wasn't enough for Nero. He met a young boy named Sporus, who apparently looked so much like Poppaea, the wife he kicked to death, that Nero became obsessed. He had Sporus castrated, dressed him as his new empress and and started calling him Poppaea. Nero effectively stole Sporus identity, gender and freedom. Now, plenty of Roman emperors are remembered for their brutality. But Nero wasn't only recorded as sadistic. He was also allegedly a poor leader. Apparently, it wasn't his true calling. In Nero's heart, he was an artist, singer, actor, musician, a triple threat. And by some accounts, he wasn't a bad performer. He was known to crave applause and, ironically, audience approval. So much so, he left his post in Rome for a year to tour Greece as an actor. During this sabbatical, he also participated in the Olympics and won the gold for chariot racing. Now, it should be noted he didn't actually finish the race. He fell off the chariot. But considering the other stories about Nero, you can see why they just handed him the prize. Great job, Nero. Great. We love you. Now remember, there's religious persecution, matricide, murdering multiple spouses, and setting a historically devastating fire killing hundreds of people. Nero was obviously not a great guy. So it's no wonder that his Senate decided to end his reign. In 68 AD, a Roman governor, Servius Galba, was gaining the support of Nero's court. It likely wasn't hard. This was four years after the Great Fire. And now There was a food shortage, which citizens also blamed Nero for. And Nero had started killing off his senators, including the famed Stoic philosopher Seneca. Once Nero's trusted advisor, Nero believed Seneca conspired in an assassination plot against him. Despite little evidence, the Emperor ordered Seneca to die by suicide. Nero's senators worried they might be next. Meanwhile, Galba, the man leading the plot, was in his 70s and already a governor of modern day Spain. The Roman Senate likely craved his age and experience. Anything had to be better than the capricious 30 year old Nero. So by June 68 AD, Galba convinced the Senate to pledge their allegiance to him. Then they named Nero an enemy of the state. This gave any citizen, noble or not, free reign to kill Nero on sight with no consequences. Nero probably didn't have to worry too much about your everyday Roman. His major concern was the Praetorian Guard. A minute ago they were his highly skilled bodyguards. Now they were after him. Nero had to run. He fled to a friend's house along with his secretary Epaphroditus and one or two other loyalists. They hid just a few miles outside of Rome. Nero was frantic. He couldn't outrun the guard for long. And once they caught him, he would surely be tortured then executed. The only way to escape torture was was to die before they caught him. He didn't make the decision easily. In what seems like a crazed murderous temper tantrum, Nero ordered one of the men with him to demonstrate how to die by suicide. Yes, he expected the man to kill himself to show Nero how to do it. It's not clear if the man went through with the order or not. Let's hope he didn't. Soon after leaving Rome on June 9, Nero knew his time was up. He was still in hiding with his secretary Epaphroditus. Nero could hear the guards horses galloping towards them. According to one ancient historian. Nero exclaimed, the noise of swift footed horses clatters around my ears. He was quoting Homer's Iliad, a theater kid till the bitter end. Before the cavalry could barge in, Nero ordered Epaphroditus to stab him. Epaphroditus followed the order. As Nero died, he reportedly exclaimed, what an artist dies in me. Nero's ashes were buried in his family tomb. His death marked a pivotal point in Roman history. It ushered in the year of four Emperors. A brutal year long civil war where thanks to a series of suicides and assassinations. Rome had, you would guess, four emperors. The fourth started Rome's Flavian dynasty and the Flavian historians wrote the history books on the year of four emperors. And here's where we get into the conspiracy theory. Nero's exploits were written years, sometimes decades after his death. And they don't all say the same thing. While some say Nero died by suicide, theorists pinpoint a line written by an ancient Christian historian. In the meanwhile, Nero, now hateful even to himself from a consciousness of his crimes, disappears from among men, leaving it uncertain whether or not he had laid violent hands upon himself. Diving back into various accounts, historians began to suspect Nero didn't die by assisted suicide. Perhaps he was murdered.
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- [15:35]
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- [16:02]
Carter Roy
According to most history books, the Roman emperor Nero died by suicide. Sometimes it's mentioned how his servant Epaphroditus helped him. But nevertheless, the death is ruled as self inflicted, a desperate attempt to escape execution by the Senate and the Praetorian Guard. But some wonder if that story is a cover up. Perhaps Galba, leading a coup for the throne, had Nero secretly assassinated. Because it wouldn't be the first time someone tried to kill him. Enter a zealous freedwoman named Epicaris. In 65 AD, Epicaris was involved with a group of Roman senators, soldiers and everyday citizens who had enough of Nero. The reasons varied. Some believed he started the Great Fire last year. Some wanted to avenge his mother's murder. Many senators involved despised how he went over their heads in decision making. Others thought he was too much of a show off. See, by ancient Roman standards, acting and singing for the public, yearning for their applause and validation was not becoming for a leader. Epicaris wanted Nero dead because she believed he was destroying Rome. As Tacitus reports, she wanted him to pay the penalty for the ruin of his country. Okay. Now, it's unclear how Epicharus, a freed slave, joined a conspiracy fueled by elites. Some believe she was the mistress of Seneca's brother, an equestrian. In ancient Rome, an equestrian was a government position and often a stepping stone to senatorship. It's possible that Epicharis rubbed enough elbows through this affair that she joined the assassination plot. It's also possible, though unclear, if Seneca himself was involved. The plot relied on Subrius Flavius, a member of Nero's guard. His mission set Nero's palace on fire. Nero and his men would run out of the blaze and into the streets. The men would then do their duty and try to put out the flames. This would leave the emperor unguarded, allowing Flavius to strike with a dagger. He wanted Nero to die in the streets like any ordinary man. Once Nero was out of the way, a nobleman named Gaius Calpurnius Piso could take the throne. He was a well connected senator who the conspirators thought could bring honor back to Rome. Ironically, Piso was another showboating actor. He just did it in private. But Piso was eager to take the throne and Flavius was ready to strike. Allegedly. You see, Flavius dragged his feet for months. The perfect moment to set Nero's palace on fire and kill him. If there is such a thing. Just never happened. And Epicharis got antsy. Just kill the guy before he burns down the rest of Rome. One night she went to Misenum, a naval base in the Bay of Naples. There she found Captain Volusius Proculus. It's unclear if Proculus and Epicharus were acquaintances before this, or if they were just quick to gossip. In either case, they began sharing their grievances against the emperor. Now, years earlier, Proculus helped Nero assassinate Nero's mother. He expected a promotion for such a high profile job, but felt cheated. According to a biography of Nero written by Jacob Abbott, Proculus did receive a naval crew of a thousand men. But apparently this was chump change. Epicharis, seeing an opportunity in this bitterness, agreed. She went on with her own complaints how Nero brought shame to Rome. Then, without naming names, Epicharis told Proculus about the plot to kill the emperor. Perhaps she thought if he joined the cause, he could enlist some of those worthless thousand men. Maybe then they'd have enough power to carry out the plan already. Hell, let's skip the conspiracy altogether. According to some, Epicharis point blank asked Proculus to carry out the hit himself. Why are we spending all this time, talking about it. Just do it. Proculus was intrigued. He may have even agreed. At the end of their conversation, Epicharis likely strutted home. And Proculus went right to Nero. Proculus told Nero everything. Nero was understandably outraged. He ordered his men to capture Epicharis for questioning. What preceded was a game of he said, she said. Proculus claimed she wanted to kill the king. Epicaris claimed she said no such thing. Since no one witnessed their conversation, Proculus couldn't prove it. Epicharis was, for all intents and purposes, innocent. But innocence in ancient Rome didn't mean much. Even without proof, Nero was suspicious. He probably considered Proculus a good soldier. He'd helped kill Nero's mom, after all. He wouldn't have made up this story if Epicharus was his advisor, Seneca's brother's lover. Nero may have known her, but he likely thought of her as just another man's mistress. Her word wouldn't be as good as one of his men. So Epicharis was jailed until Nero could find figure out the truth. With Epicharis jailed, the other Piso conspirators panicked. She wasn't naming anyone else involved. But surely she was being tortured. This was Nero, after all. The man fed innocent Christians to dogs. How long could Epicharus hold out? How long did they have to survive? They floundered. Flavius wasn't stabbing Nero anytime soon. Maybe they needed a new plan. They could assassinate Nero in Piso's house. While being a senator, Pizo hosted Nero numerous times. He wouldn't suspect a thing. Pizzo, however, refused, saying it'd be improper to assassinate a guest. Kill the man, sure, but be a bad host. A bridge too far. So the men chose a new plan. There was an upcoming celebration at the Circus Maximus, the giant arena for chariot racing and gladiator duels. Nero would be in the audience. During the celebration, one of the conspirators would approach Nero, dropping to his knees, pleading for help. He'd then tackle the emperor, holding him down while the rest of Piso's men mobbed around him. Then Scaevinus, another member of the Praetorian Guard, would strike the fatal blow with a dagger. In the days leading up to the games, however, Scaevanes servants noticed he was acting strangely. He held secret meetings. He alternated between bouts of fear, feverish speech, and looking off in quiet thought. He even finalized his will. Then, the night before the games, he pulled one servant aside. He needed him to do 2. Stock up on bandages and sharpen his Knife. The servant did as he was told, but knew something was up. After discussing it with his wife, they figured out that Scavenus was gearing up to keep kill Nero. Compelled by a moral duty and probably hoping for a lucrative reward, the servant reported the conspiracy. Nero immediately arrested Scaevinus. Under torture, Scaevina spilled everything, and unlike Epicharis, he named names. Nero rounded up the conspirators around 66. Seven people under torture. They ratted each other out. Some were only exiled, but many, especially senators and guards, were executed, including Scaevinus. Piso was commanded to die by suicide. It's worth noting Piso didn't originate the conspiracy. It's unknown who did. But he did plan to become the next emperor. In a way, Piso's death was like if a US President executed a political party's nominee just for winning the primaries. Epicharis fate was even more brutal. Even when Nero knew the truth, she still refused to name names. In fact, she claimed she knew nothing. For this, Nero had her put on a giant wheel that pulled each of her limbs until. Until they snapped. She was then given first aid so she could recover overnight, only to receive the same torture the next day. Eventually, Epicharis died by suicide during the night. She never gave up her fellow conspirators. Perhaps this allowed some of them to evade capture, gearing up for a new assassination plot. Even those who were caught may have wanted to try again with renewed vigor. While at least 13 senators were executed, many were only exiled. And instead of changing his ways after the plot was uncovered, Nero doubled down on the tyranny. According to author Hesham Amras, while Nero was executing the Piso conspirators, Rome experienced a series of unspecified natural disasters. Nero thought these were a punishment from the gods. He figured the only way to appease them was to kill more senators. There aren't records of Nero killing anyone for this specific reason, but it was one more reason his senators wanted him gone. By any means necessary. Plenty of people had reason to kill Nero. So the question becomes, who had the opportunity first? Epaphroditus, the man who officially assisted with Nero's suicide. Maybe it wasn't an assist, but an attack. Writer AJ Kingston notes that some people believe Epaphroditus himself thought Nero was a danger to Rome. He joined Nero in his escape to keep tabs on him. And as Nero's secretary, he likely knew the other government officials that joined Galba. Who's to say that they didn't bring him into the fold and task him with an Assassination. According to Kingston, at least one ancient historian backs up the claim that Epaphroditus murdered Nero. And here's the best evidence. 25 years after Nero's death, Epaphroditus was executed for the crime of of murdering a past emperor. He was found guilty of murdering Nero and killed for it. But what's odd here is the timeline. Why would Epaphroditus suddenly be punished for a decades old crime? It's not like he was hard to find. After the year of four emperors, Epaphroditus stayed in government. He was actually the secretary of the emperor who had him executed for killing Nero. Glad I don't work for these guys. Well, here's where we get into disagreeing sources again. Some accounts state that Paphroditus crime was actually failing to prevent Emperor Nero's death. He should have let the emperor be tortured by the Praetorian Guard. Speaking of, they're the next suspects in this ancient murder mystery. Among the first people to pledge allegiance to Nero's successor, Emperor Galba, were the Praetorian Guard. They may have been Nero's bodyguards, but many members had been involved in the failed piso plot. While it was the Senate that declared Nero an enemy of the state, the Praetorian Guard were the ones chasing him. According to Kingston, it's possible the guards caught up to Nero and murdered him. It turns out the Praetorian Guard had a reputation for assassinating emperors, to name a few. They played a hand in the murder of emperors. Caligula, Commodus, Caracalla, Elagabalus. In terms of killing Nero, what's one more emperor? The Praetorian Guards weren't just bodyguards. They were soldiers with ranks. Their commander was called a prefect, essentially a government. Elite Prefects were also judges who determined the fate of anyone charged with treason. When it came to judging if an emperor was fit to rule, the whole guard took that job seriously. According to historian Edward Gibbon, once the guards started to disavow their emperor, it was all downhill. Especially if a new would be emperor offered them a payout. One theory suggests Galba and the Senate bribed the guards to find Nero and bring him back alive. But once they found Nero, they went rogue and killed him like they did to so many other emperors. So to cover their tracks, they said Nero committed suicide. But there's one more theory about Nero's death and it is even wilder that he didn't actually die. He was just waiting to come back.
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- [31:09]
Carter Roy
Cause there's always something new.
- [31:10]
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- [31:12]
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- [31:53]
Carter Roy
One day during Nero's rule, a court astrologer read the stars. They said Nero's reign would eventually end, but fear not, he'd rise again in the east, ready to reclaim the throne. It's unclear when this prediction was made or if it was widely known to the public. However, when Nero died, some refused to believe he was dead. Surprisingly, while the senators hated Nero, the common people did not. He enjoyed theater just like them. In fact, Nero was so beloved by the common man that the emperors after him built statues of Nero to please anyone still in mourning. On that note, his grave was well stacked with flowers long after his death. I'm sorry, hold on, wait. This is the Nero? The Nero we're talking about that people liked this Nero the tyrannical mother murdering spouse murdering Christian persecuting arsonist that Nero is okay? Well, yes, apparently that Nero. According to British Museum curator Thorsten Opur, everything we know about Nero could be the product of a 2000 year old smear campaign. And Oper is far from the only modern historian re examining this. And it might just be the best evidence for his murder. People are less likely to look into the suicide of a monster than the sudden death of a popular leader being hunted for his crown. One makes them say good riddance, the other makes them go, well, that's kind of fishy. As we mentioned earlier, most historical recordings of Nero's reign were written well after his death. After the regime change, many writers weren't even alive during Nero's reign. One, Suetonius, just missed it. Born the year after Nero's demise, and when it came to Nero, Suetonius and other historians may not have cared much about the truth. According to Francesca Bologna, another curator with the British Museum These writers were pressed to make their current administration look as good as possible and the previous Nero's as bad as possible. Think of the situation in terms of present day politics. Politicians often attack the leaders of the other party and the past administration. It's a way to solidify that you want them to pilot the country, not the other guy. According to Opper, speaking to the New Yorker, this was common practice in ancient Rome. They had a term for it, vituperatio, or vituperation, which meant that you could say anything about your opponent. You can really invent all manner of things just to malign that character. So maybe the Flavians had their writers depict Nero's death as a suicide so people wouldn't seek revenge on his killers. And it's not just the story of his death that may have been rewritten to suit the next regime. Remember the great fire which Nero started to help his construction project? It might not have gone like that. When the fire started, Nero was 35 miles away in the city of Anzio. Once news of the fire reached him, he rushed back home. Now, some people believe he only came back because the fire reached his palace. His plan was for Anzio to be his alibi while his men secretly burned Rome to the ground. Set everybody's home on fire, but not mine. However, lesser known historical accounts say Nero was actually extremely proactive in trying to douse the flames. He put up firebreaks, obstacles to stop the fire from progressing through town. He looked for survivors in the wreckage. He let citizens whose homes burned down live in his gardens. He lowered the price of food. He also implemented new building codes. Now Roman structures needed to be built with fireproof materials and in a way that allowed streets and homes to be less overcrowded. Also, even though ancient writings don't mention it, let's talk about the fiddle. Nero definitely didn't play one while the city burned. He couldn't have. The instrument wasn't invented yet. Now, it is possible he played the lyre, his instrument of choice. But historian John F. Drinkwater interprets this act a different way. Drinkwater believes that Nero wasn't playing an arsonist victory song. Rather, he was doing what artists do in process it through their art. So did he also somehow fake his death? One ancient writer says everybody wishes he were still alive, and the great majority do believe that he is. The hope was that Nero somehow escaped. He was cremated, and his funeral was a private affair. Why couldn't his subjects pay their respects or see his body? Well, as writer E.K. mcFall wonders, maybe because it wasn't Nero's body. If Nero knew the guard was after him, he knew his execution was near. Why would he bother leaving town to die by suicide? Perhaps he hid so he could meet up with a lookalike. One that was so loyal he'd be willing to die in Nero's place so Nero could escape. Maybe this is where the tale of Nero asking one of his men to die by suicide as he watched comes from. Sounds like a great Hollywood twist. Probably too good to be true. Until you hear about a Greek naval ship that landed on Kythanos Island. It was a year after Nero's supposed suicide. The ship's captain got off the boat and ran into some soldiers. He told them to join his crusade. If they refused, he'd put them to death, for his name was Nero. Apparently the man looked like Nero. He could sing and play music like him. And he must have had some kind of strength. His ship was filled with an army. Plus there was that rumor going around that Nero never died. Hey, if it looks like a Nero, sings like a Nero, commands an army like a Nero, might just be a Nero. Some of the men on Kithonos pledged allegiance. They weren't the only ones. According to historian Tacitus, this new Nero's fame was increasing from day to day. His popularity soon drew the attention of the Roman governor. Whether he thought this man was Nero or was just concerned about his burgeoning army, the governor had him executed. At the time of Tacitus writing, it was unconfirmed if the man was truly Nero back to reclaim his empire. But the rumor he lived continued. Two more alleged Neros arose, gained a following, and were promptly executed. Whether any of these men were Nero or not, it does suggest that Nero wasn't as terrible as the historians made him out to be. It seems more likely someone started a smear campaign to cover up an assassination. Especially because we haven't even told you the worst rumor about Nero. He was the Antichrist. Around 96 AD, almost 30 years after Nero's death, his reputation with the Christians continued to decline. For years, stories of Nero's persecution were passed down. Enter a man named John. He reportedly received visions of the Apocalypse and saw Nero at the reins. With that premonition, John officially started writing the Bible's Book of Revelation. Now, Revelation doesn't outright name Nero as the Antichrist, but according to Christian scholars, the clues are all there. Firstly, the Bible states the Antichrist will wage war on God's people, that is Christians, which by persecuting them for the fire Nero already had done. Then, perhaps most famously, John writes, calculate the number of the beast, for it's the number of a man. That number is 666. So scholars took the Hebrew transliteration of Nero's name and calculated it. They used Gematria, the system of assigning Hebrew letters to numbers. Carry the three, add the N. What does Nero calculate to in Gematria? You guessed it. Six. Six. Six. Always wondered where that came from. Now, maybe that's just a coincidence. After all, some ancient copies of Revelation use the number 616 for the beast. But as it turns out, that's the Gematria number associated with Nero's Roman name. He's two for two. And there's more. In one passage, the Antichrist is described as a beast with seven heads and necks, one of which has a healed, fatal wound. Could this be Nero's throat wound? According to one Roman historian, even if Nero did put an end to himself with a sword, his wound was cured and his life preserved to be sent forth again. Near the end of the world. The Antichrist is supposed to die and return. And the popular rumor about Nero's death was that he'd return. It lines up. And then, one last coincidence. Revelation also calls the beast seven heads, seven mountains. And back in Nero's day, Rome was called the city on seven hills. Okay, you might be thinking, if Nero really was the Antichrist, why didn't they use his name? Well, the Book of Revelation was written not that long after Nero's death. Releasing a religious text outright calling an emperor the Antichrist may have been dangerous, as Tacitus believed Christians were already persecuted over their beliefs. They didn't need more trouble. Hence they needed to write in code. Scholars have hypothesized the theory since antiquity. As early as around 100 AD, poets and historians ran with the idea that Nero was the Antichrist. It even stretches to the 20th century. The the 1951 film Quo Vadis begins with a voiceover in this the early summer of 64 AD in the reign of the Antichrist, known to history as the Emperor Nero. And a quick Google shows the theory on plenty of online forums. Now, is this all proof that Nero was the Antichrist? The thing is, Revelation doesn't have any a timeline. It's a prediction of the future, not a record of the past. By the theory's own logic, we won't really know until the Apocalypse. And if that happens, we might have different priorities. So who really killed Nero? John F. Drinkwater's book Emperor and Court points out that quote the whole course of events smells of treachery, and the Senate pushed Nero in the direction they wanted him to take. Nero was terrorized into killing himself. With Galba getting more support, Nero was already paranoid that his end was near. Legally, anyone in Rome could kill him, and he never got the Senate and guards off his tail. According to one ancient historian, the Roman Senate sent a letter to Nero at his hiding spot. It detailed the torture he'd endure once the guard arrived. He was destined to be, quote, fastened by the neck in a fork and beaten to death with rods while naked. Reading this, Nero may have seen death as inevitable. Even if the senators didn't kill him physically, they ultimately caused his death. After all, history is written by those in power, those with an agenda, the victors. And however he died, Nero was not a victor. Thank you for listening to conspiracy theories. We're here with a new episode every Wednesday and be sure to check us out on Instagram. He conspiracypod if you're watching on Spotify, swipe up and give us your thoughts. Until next time, remember, the truth isn't always the best story, and the official story isn't always the truth. This episode was written by Brandon Rizzuto Edited by Maggie Admire Researched by Sapphire Williams Fact checked by Sophie Kemp Engineered by Alex Button Video edited and sound designed by Jamie Yukic I'm your host, Carter Roy.
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Carter Roy
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