The Start of Nero's Fall
Nero started to learn to concentrate on the pleasures of life rather
than the responsibilities of running the Empire. Once Nero started to enjoy
life, he made the lives of others miserable. He made a senator kill himself
after defending himself vigorously in an attack by a disguised Nero. Nero
divorced Octavia, his wife, to marry the younger Poppaea. Poppaea told Nero
that his mother was plotting his fall. In fear, Nero consented to kill Agrippina.
Agrippina was used to the ways of the Empire, however, and did not die easily.
First, Nero tried to poison her, but she survived because of her habitual
use of antidotes. Next, he tried to have her drowned, but she swam to the
safety of the shipwreck Nero had supposedly planned to be there. Finally,
Nero's men caught up with Agrippina in her villa; when they seized her,
she told them to plunge their swords into her womb. It took many blows to
kill her. Even though the Senate knew that Nero had had her killed, they
politely overlooked it; she had caused a lot of trouble in her lifetime.
Many years passed and Nero became interested in art, music, and athletics.
He built an amphitheater, a gymnasium, and a magnificent public bath. Nero
then started to compete in games for Rome's viewing, even though Seneca
did not want him to. Really though, Nero wanted to be a great artist and
musician. He dreamed of performing publicly on the water organ, the flute,
and the pipes.
In 62AD imperial agents killed Octavia after she was exiled to Pandateria.
They cut off her head and brought it back to Nero's new wife, Poppaea, for
their reward. Octavia was only twenty-two.
Here is a Picture Of Popaea:
