Latest / Nero: Mad Tyrant or Misunderstood Emperor? — Fexingo History
Nero's Green Thumb: The Emperor's Botanical Obsessions
In this episode, we step into Nero's gardens and greenhouse — the horti Neronis and the specularia on the Palatine — where the emperor cultivated exotic plants, from Indian pepper to medicinal herbs, and where the poison expert Locusta brewed her deadly concoctions. We explore how Nero's botanical interests reflected his imperial ambitions: plants as symbols of conquest, luxury, and control over nature. We look at the network of gardeners, traders, and scholars who supplied his gardens, the role of Gaius Matius in introducing new species, and the darker side — the use of the gardens…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.