Latest / Nero: Mad Tyrant or Misunderstood Emperor? — Fexingo History
Nero's Forgotten Governor and the Silk Road
While most histories fixate on Nero’s artistic ambitions or his violent end, this episode uncovers a quieter but profound shift in Roman imperial strategy during the mid-60s AD. We explore how Nero’s administration facilitated direct maritime trade between Rome and India, bypassing Parthian middlemen to secure silk and spices for the empire. The conversation examines the role of Pliny the Elder, whose Naturalis Historia records these new routes via the Red Sea ports of Berenice and Myos Hormos. We also look at the diplomatic missions sent eastward, including the enigmatic envoy Cornelius…
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