Nero Reassessed - a Liberal Icon

Nero, the Roman emperor, hasn’t traditionally had the greatest of reputations, instead tending to be described in terms such as depraved, tyrannical and so on. He had for instance his own mother murdered, whilst it was claimed he was responsible for the Great Fire of Rome so as to clear that area for his own planned palatial complex. He then blamed Christians for the fire and had these scapegoats burned alive, fed to wild beasts or crucified. 

In 67 AD he competed in the Olympics, and had artistic events such as singing added to the athletic competitions. He must have been truly a remarkable man as he won every single event in which he competed, including a 10 horse chariot race in which he was thrown from his chariot and left the race. He was nonetheless awarded victory on the basis that if he had completed the race he would have won. Some might question the validity and integrity of such a victory but then again we weren’t there. He won the singing contest despite apparently being a terrible singer, which shows what you can achieve if you truly put your mind to it.

But anyway here comes the bit that suggests Nero may be due to be reassessed and championed as a progressive, liberal icon. In 65 AD Nero’s wife Poppaea died, because, it was claimed, he kicked her to death before she could have her second child. Shortly afterwards he then took a great liking to a young boy called Sporus, who was considered to greatly resemble Poppaea. Nero had Sporus castrated, “tried to make a woman out of him,” and then married him. Sporus would then appear in public as Nero’s wife wearing clothing traditional for Roman empresses. Now if all that doesn’t resonate with the cutting edge of the present, I don’t know what does.

Given all this, it is genuinely surprising how slow modern progressivism has been to claim and embrace Nero as a hero of the movement, and also how far from new certain things are. It’s also suggestive, in its repetition of themes, of how history and time may in their unfolding be more cyclical than linear - though whether this deep connection to, and interweaving with, the distant past is uplifting or rather perhaps shameful might admittedly be a bit problematic to the progressive movement. Aren’t we supposed to be akin to something like a train racing onwards and uncoupling itself from these carriages of the past, full as they are of bigotry and oppression, and for which somebody better pay reparations? 

Finally to add to the liberal portrait: historians of the time such as Seutonius claimed Nero had incestuous relations with his mother Aggripina. Truly nothing was sacred - which again is to be celebrated. Admittedly he did later have her killed, but then every family has their issues.