One of ancient Rome’s most notorious emperors murdered his own mother, and there's a dark reason why

Nero’s villainy was a “deliberate political strategy” says historian Tom Holland, speaking on the HistoryExtra podcast. According to Holland, even Nero’s infamous crimes as leader of the Roman Empire – including the murder of his own mother – were calculated acts of political theatre, designed to project a new, populist vision of imperial power.

A mother’s ambition and a son’s ascendancy

To understand Nero, you also have to understand his mother.

Agrippina the Younger was born into the ruling Julio-Claudian dynasty. She was the great-granddaughter of Augustus and the sister of the erratic emperor Caligula. Her third marriage – to her uncle, the emperor Claudius – scandalised ancient Roman society, but it was ruthlessly strategic.

Once married to Claudius, Agrippina ensured that her son Nero was adopted as heir, pushing aside Claudius’s biological son, Britannicus.

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When Claudius died suddenly in AD 54 (possibly even poisoned by Agrippina herself) Nero was just 16 years old. His mother moved quickly, orchestrating a smooth transition and assuming the role of regent.

For a brief period, coins and imperial artwork depicted mother and son as ruling partners, their profiles facing each other in a rare display of maternal power.

Agrippina’s public prominence was extraordinary and deeply unsettled Rome’s male elite. She donned imperial colours, appeared in state ceremonies and walked alongside her son in public. But as Nero aged and sought independence, the partnership began to fracture.

“It’s a deliberate political strategy”

Nero’s deteriorating relationship with Agrippina extended far beyond family drama and became a clash of competing political identities.

According to Holland, Nero deliberately crafted his image as a shocking alternative to Rome’s conservative expectations: and in doing so, helped shape his own infamy.

“Political careers in Rome are less about policy and more about vibe,” Holland says.

Nero, with his flair for the dramatic, played the role of a rebellious populist to perfection.

There had always been two currents in Roman politics: the traditionalists, who upheld senatorial dignity and elite control, and the populares, who appealed directly to the people. While earlier emperors had maintained the illusion of republican values, Nero smashed through it.

“Caligula and Nero are both populares,” Holland notes. “They're people who scorn the Senate and who want to make themselves the darlings of the people.”

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Nero embraced the power of spectacle. He starred in the arts, singing, acting and playing the lyre, as well as racing chariots in public. Though this likely horrified his critics, it would have captivated the Roman public.

“He is clearly the most tremendous showman in a way that is calculated to be shocking to his fellow senators,” Holland says. “Emperors are not meant to tread the stage … but Nero does all that.”

To put it in modern terms, Holland says, “It’s as though a US president were to star in an Oscar-winning film, headline Glastonbury or win a race in Formula 1.”

The struggle for power – and independence

As Nero grew older and bolder, his mother’s influence became an intolerable burden.

He wanted to govern on his own terms and assert his masculinity and authority in traditional Roman fashion. In Roman culture, any ruler seen as overly submissive to a woman risked being viewed as weak, effeminate and even illegitimate.

Agrippina, however, was not easily sidelined. When Nero attempted to strip her of public visibility and authority, she continued to assert her presence. She had clawed her way to the centre of Roman power and had no intention of fading into the background.

The result was a slow-motion collision between two towering figures of Roman politics.

Tensions escalated further when Nero fell in love with Poppaea Sabina, a woman Agrippina despised and deemed unworthy. Agrippina’s interference in Nero’s personal life reinforced his sense of being trapped by her influence.

By AD 59, the rift was irreparable. What followed was one of the most notorious crimes in Roman imperial history: the murder of Agrippina.

The theatre of matricide

First, Nero allegedly attempted subterfuge, inviting his mother aboard a specially designed boat rigged to collapse and sink while at sea. But Agrippina survived the ordeal and swam to safety.

Humiliated and panicked, Nero resorted to brute force. He sent assassins to her villa, where they murdered her.

But remarkably, Nero didn’t conceal the crime. In fact, he flaunted it.

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“I think the reason he's doing that is because murdering your mother is the kind of thing that a hero would do in Greek tragedy,” says Holland.

By aligning himself with mythic figures like Orestes (the Greek mythic son who avenges his father by killing his mother) Nero cast himself as more than a man.

“Nero is essentially presenting himself as a figure from myth, as a figure who is a throwback to the ancient days.”

The price of Nero’s performance

Nero had successfully removed the most powerful check on his authority. But the long-term cost was his reputation.

After his death in AD 68, rival claimants and new emperors quickly denounced Nero as a tyrant. The historian Suetonius, writing under a new regime, amplified the horror stories, with little incentive to offer a balanced account. He described how Nero would go on to murder his pregnant wife Poppaea, and would execute wealthy Roman citizens in order to claim their wealth.

“Suetonius is working for an imperial system that’s founded on the ruins of Nero's reputation and career,” Holland explains. “So there's nothing for Suetonius in trying to redeem Nero's reputation.”

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Yet, Holland believes that even within the hostile sources, hints to Nero’s motives remain.

“As with Caligula, as with Tiberius, his portrait of Nero gives the historian enough clues to enable the historian to kind of work out probably why Nero was doing what he was doing … but you've got to read between the lines.”

Nero’s use of symbolism as power

Holland posits that Nero can’t be dismissed simply as ‘mad’, as is the common conception – at least not in the sense of being irrational. He was an emperor who understood that power in Rome required performance, and he acted that out.

His actions – including the murder of Agrippina – were appalling and shocking. But they were also calculated, and intentional, designed to cement his status as a figure bigger than Rome itself.

Journey through the heart of ancient Rome with historians Tom Holland and Mary Beard at In Conversation at Kew Gardens on 5 September 2025. Presented by HistoryExtra and hosted by Ellie Cawthorne, dive into the captivating story of how Rome transformed from republic to mighty empire – from gripping tales of Caesar's power plays to imperial scandals, uncover politics, battles and betrayals that shaped history. Find out more and book now

This article is based on an interview with Tom Holland, speaking to Rob Attar on the HistoryExtra podcast. Listen to the full conversation.

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