Nero #43 – To the Deuce!

Sep 30, 2022

It’s 67 CE. Before he sets out for his World Tour of Greece, Nero first needs to insult the Senate, then he needs to deal with a new conspiracy, this one involving Corbulo. While Greece, he becomes unhappy with Vespasian who apparently doesn’t clap loudly enough at...

Nero #42 – Dude Looks Like A Lady

Sep 17, 2022

data-episode-id="1043048" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> Nero gets, not one, but TWO new wives. One of them is a dude. The Complete Premium Caesar: (Protected...

Nero #41 – The Stuff of Genius

Aug 30, 2022

Nero’s first attempt at building a single property that covered his estates on the Palatine Hill and the Esquiline Hill was The Domus Transitoria, the House of Passage. It burned down in the Great Fire. He replaced it with the Domus Aurea (Golden House), designed by...

Nero #40 – The Golden House

Aug 20, 2022

Nero built his Domus Aurea between 64-68 and, in doing so, revolutionised Roman architecture. He also built a massive statue of himself, because, hey, why not? data-episode-id="1034211" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> The Complete...

Nero #39 – Closing His Janus

Aug 12, 2022

Nero was a lover, not a fighter. Not a great leader of armies. He thought of himself as an artist. He wanted to be on stage, not on horseback. He was very proud that he closed his Janus. data-episode-id="1031719" data-theme="light" data-height="190"...

Nero #38 – A Woman Woo’d

Jul 23, 2022

If you want to marry a woman, remember to kill her husband first data-episode-id="1024518" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> The Complete Premium Caesar: (Protected...

Nero #37 – “Spare your ears”

Jun 20, 2022

The Stoics Thrasea and Soranus go on trial. And we run out of Tacitus. data-episode-id="1010647" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> The Complete Premium Caesar: (Protected...

Nero #36 – Two Options

Jun 11, 2022

When you’ve been up to no good, and you get caught out, you have two options. Nero, like Ray, is a Number 2 kind of guy. In this episode, he goes after two significant Stoics, Thrasea Paetus and Barea Soranus, with trumped up charges. And we farewell one of our fans...

Nero #35 – A Monotony Of Disaster

May 24, 2022

 A family commits suicide together to escape Nero’s prosecution, while others just get stabbed to death. But Tacitus’ explanations for Nero’s behaviour still leave us scratching our heads. data-episode-id="999434" data-theme="light" data-height="190"...

Nero #34 – A Reckless Spirit

May 14, 2022

Nero launches a series of attacks that result in the demise of certain members of the Roman elite. But why these particular people? And why now? We tease apart Tacitus to try to work out what’s really going on. data-episode-id="993422" data-theme="light"...

Nero #33 – Michael Tremblay On Stoicism (part 2)

Apr 28, 2022

This is the second and final part of our interview with philosopher Michael Tremblay, talking about Seneca and stoicism. Check out the Stoa Meditation app that Michael has been working on.  data-episode-id="987376" data-theme="light" data-height="190"...

Nero #32 – Michael Tremblay On Stoicism (part 1)

Apr 16, 2022

With the recent demise on our show of Nero’s favourite Stoic, Seneca, we wanted to go balls deep on Stoicism. To help us out, our guest Michael Tremblay, who has a PhD in philosophy, where he studied Stoic ethics and education, came on and talk to us about the...

Nero #31 – Wife Kicker

Mar 31, 2022

In the year 66, Nero gets taken on a wild goose chase, performs some lovely poetry and harp concerts… oh yeah, and he kicks his wife to death. data-episode-id="977141" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> The Complete Premium Caesar:...

Nero #30 – High Praise

Mar 19, 2022

This episode is brought to you by – legal weed!The Pisonian Conspiracy is over. Rewards are handed out to those who remained loyal. The Senate wants to make Nero a living god. data-episode-id="971979" data-theme="light" data-height="190"...

Nero #29 – Seneca Falls

Mar 2, 2022

Next on the chopping block is Seneca, Nero’s old tutor and adviser and leading Stoic. Historians seem to think he wasn’t directly involved in the conspiracy – but he probably knew about it. data-episode-id="964210" data-theme="light" data-height="190"...

Nero #28 – Piso Falls

Feb 19, 2022

Nero hunts down the main conspirators. Some of them are captured, while others help execute their own colleagues without betraying their allegiance to the cause. Piso is urged to mount the rostra in the Forum and make a case to the people, but decides to take the easy...

Nero #27 – A Betrayal Betrayed

Feb 8, 2022

The plot against Nero continues to gather momentum but is finally betrayed by a freedman, a day before shit was about to go down.  data-episode-id="955817" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> The Complete Premium Caesar: (Protected...

Nero #26 – The Circus Games (take 3)

Jan 23, 2022

When one of the praetorian prefects joins the conspirators, they decide it’s time to act. But they can’t agree on a plan. It takes a woman to move things along. data-episode-id="949649" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> The...

Nero #25 – Effeminate Vice

Jan 6, 2022

We’re talking about the Pisonian Conspiracy of 65. Who started it and why? Theories involve an angry poet and an angry gay man seeking revenge. data-episode-id="945062" data-theme="light" data-height="190" data-enable-volume="true"> The Complete Premium Caesar:...

NERO #24 – The Pisonian Conspiracy

Dec 25, 2021

Picking up after the Great Fire of Rome in the year 64 CE, we find Nero taxing everyone heavily to pay for the rebuilding of Rome and his palace. This, as well as the rumours that he started the fire, leads to the Pisonian Conspiracy. data-episode-id="942659"...