Another was his adviser Seneca, who was allegedly involved in a plot to kill Nero. By A.D. 65, mother, stepbrother, and consigliere had all been killed. Nero was free to be Nero. Thus ended the so ...

With Nero’s mother dead and his tutor retired ... Terrified, Nero fled to the country with his few remaining slaves and killed himself. Without any heirs, the Roman Empire now had no leader.

The Roman emperor Nero is known as one of history’s most brutal and eccentric leaders. He is said to have killed his mother, stepbrother and wives, persecuted Christians and squandered a fortune ...

His job was to help Nero become a reasonable emperor – a difficult job given his young age and his murderous mother. For a while, Seneca succeeded in controlling Nero's darker side. As an ...