{"id":796,"date":"2011-06-15T07:46:54","date_gmt":"2011-06-15T05:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/walks.friday.ie\/?p=796"},"modified":"2026-04-14T09:30:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T08:30:21","slug":"the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors","title":{"rendered":"5 Crazy Roman Emperors: Tiberius, Caligula, Nero &#038; More"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Have you heard the one about the ancient Roman emperor who made his senator a horse? Or the one about the emperor who famously \u201cfiddled while Rome burned\u201d? If these stories pique your curiosity then keep reading to learn more about the<strong> top 5 crazy Roman emperors who were the wackiest rulers of the Roman empire.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_802\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-802\" class=\"wp-image-802\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Picture-324-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero all lived here on the Palatine in the Roman empire\" width=\"1200\" height=\"797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Picture-324-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Picture-324-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Picture-324-1536x1020.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-802\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Want to track down Rome&#8217;s wackiest emperors? Head to Palatine Hill, where Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero all built their palaces.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#5_Crazy_Roman_Emperors\" >5 Crazy Roman Emperors<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Tiberius\" >Tiberius<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#When_he_ruled\" >When he ruled<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Why_he_was_crazy\" >Why he was crazy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Where_to_find_out_more_about_Tiberius\" >Where to find out more about Tiberius<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Caligula_The_emperor_who_declared_war_on_the_sea\" >Caligula: The emperor who declared war on the sea<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#When_he_ruled-2\" >When he ruled<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Why_he_was_crazy-2\" >Why he was crazy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Where_to_find_out_more_about_Caligula\" >Where to find out more about Caligula<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Nero_The_emperor_who_burned_Rome\" >Nero: The emperor who burned Rome<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#When_he_ruled-3\" >When he ruled<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Why_he_was_crazy-3\" >Why he was crazy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Where_to_find_out_more_about_Nero\" >Where to find out more about Nero<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Commodus_The_gladiator_emperor_obsessed_with_himself\" >Commodus: The gladiator emperor obsessed with himself<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#When_he_ruled-4\" >When he ruled<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Why_he_was_crazy-4\" >Why he was crazy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Where_to_find_out_more_about_Commodus\" >Where to find out more about Commodus<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Elagabalus_The_scandalous_teen_emperor_who_shocked_Rome\" >Elagabalus: The scandalous teen emperor who shocked Rome<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#When_he_ruled-5\" >When he ruled<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Why_he_was_crazy-5\" >Why he was crazy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Where_to_find_out_more_about_Elagabalus\" >Where to find out more about Elagabalus<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Honorable_mentions_Other_emperors_who_pushed_the_boundaries\" >Honorable mentions: Other emperors who pushed the boundaries<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#What_made_these_Roman_emperors_so_infamous\" >What made these Roman emperors so infamous?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-list-of-craziest-ancient-roman-emperors\/#Discover_more_about_ancient_Romes_colorful_leaders\" >Discover more about ancient Rome\u2019s colorful leaders<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Crazy_Roman_Emperors\"><\/span>5 Crazy Roman Emperors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Some stories might make you giggle&#8230; but the ancient Romans under their rule sure weren&#8217;t laughing.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, just a quick note to take a pause for thought:\u00a0Many of the stories about Rome\u2019s most \u201coutrageous\u201d emperors come from ancient historians like <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Suetonius<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Tacitus<\/span><\/span>, and <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Cassius Dio<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>While their writings are invaluable, they were often influenced by political bias, hearsay, and a taste for scandal. In other words, some of these tales may be exaggerated\u2014or even invented\u2014making it important to separate historical fact from ancient gossip.<\/p>\n<p>So, without futher ado, here is a list of <strong>the famous five crazy Roman emperors.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tiberius\"><\/span><strong>Tiberius<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_he_ruled\"><\/span>When he ruled<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>14-37 AD<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_he_was_crazy\"><\/span><strong>Why he was crazy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>ultimate \u201cdirty old man,\u201d<\/strong> Tiberius succeeded Augustus, Rome\u2019s first emperor, only to soon withdraw into his elaborate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/things-to-do\/what-to-do-on-capri\">villa in Capri<\/a>. Suetonius, the first-century historian, tells us that his life there was <strong>nothing short of depraved:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ancient sources claim that Tiberius indulged in shocking behavior on Capri, but modern historians debate how much of this was exaggerated for effect. Apparently he <strong>hired young boys and girls<\/strong> to frolic like \u201cPans and nymphs\u201d in the grottoes, and kept an erotic library \u201cin case a performer should need an illustration of what was required\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Truth-o-meter (0=completely false, 10=definitely true):<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>6. <strong>Suetonius loved scandals,<\/strong> but he\u2019s a more believable source than some other historians, like Tacitus, and he\u2019s telling us rumors that were actually <strong>very popular<\/strong> in Tiberius\u2019 time.<\/li>\n<li>While Tiberius may not have been quite as depraved as Suetonius makes him out to be, it\u2019s safe to say you wouldn\u2019t have sent your children to go hang out with Uncle Tiberius for the summer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_find_out_more_about_Tiberius\"><\/span><strong>Where to find out more about Tiberius<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Few bits of classical history are juicier than Suetonius\u2019s <em>Life of Tiberius <\/em>(in his <em>Lives of the Caesars), <\/em>which <strong>goes into way more graphic detail<\/strong> than we\u2019ve written. For those who are really fascinated, the first 6 books of Tacitus\u2019s <em>Annals <\/em>are <strong>dedicated to Tiberius\u2019 reign,<\/strong> although modern historians are a bit more skeptical of his accounts.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In Italy, you can get closer to Tiberius (if you dare) at the Palatine Hill, which still has the <strong>ruins of his palace,<\/strong> or at Capri, where you can see the Villa Jovis, <strong>one of his 12 villas on the island.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2332\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2332\" class=\"wp-image-2332 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/The-Faraglioni-in-Capri-famous-seaside-rock-formations.-View-of-the-coastline-of-the-island-of-Capri-Amalfi-Coast-Italy1.jpg\" alt=\"View of Capri\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/The-Faraglioni-in-Capri-famous-seaside-rock-formations.-View-of-the-coastline-of-the-island-of-Capri-Amalfi-Coast-Italy1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/The-Faraglioni-in-Capri-famous-seaside-rock-formations.-View-of-the-coastline-of-the-island-of-Capri-Amalfi-Coast-Italy1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2332\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">You can&#8217;t say Tiberius, who retired to Capri, didn&#8217;t have good taste.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Caligula_The_emperor_who_declared_war_on_the_sea\"><\/span>Caligula: The emperor who declared war on the sea<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_he_ruled-2\"><\/span>When he ruled<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>37-41 AD<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_he_was_crazy-2\"><\/span><strong>Why he was crazy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Everyone loved Caligula<\/strong> when he became emperor, seeing him as the <strong>youthful, fresh face<\/strong> to follow Tiberius. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that Caligula was <strong>also a delusional megalomaniac <\/strong>and like Tiberius, he too was considered as one of the crazy Roman emperors.<\/p>\n<p>He <strong>wandered the palace throughout the night<\/strong> instead of sleeping, flew into public rages, and spoke to the moon and to Jupiter as if they were in confidence. In the best-known story, he <strong>made his horse a senator,<\/strong> building it a stable of marble and inviting people to have dinner with the horse.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Truth-o-meter: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>8. Most of what we know about Caligula comes from Suetonius, who <strong>wrote 80 years after his death,<\/strong> or Cassius Dio, who wrote <strong>more than 100 years after <em>that. <\/em><\/strong>Still, almost every source about him, including contemporary ones, <strong>characterizes Caligula as insane.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>One <strong>main source is, again, Suetonius,<\/strong> whose description of Caligula makes it sound like he <strong>suffered from a psychotic illness<\/strong> &#8211; not too surprising, and something that would have been exacerbated by how everyone else around him had to participate in his delusions at pain of death.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_find_out_more_about_Caligula\"><\/span>Where to find out more about Caligula<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Again, Suetonius\u2019s <em>Life of Caligula <\/em>in the <em>Lives of the Caesars <\/em>is a good bet. There\u2019s also Cassius Dio\u2019s <em>Roman History <\/em>and the 6th book of Tacitus\u2019 <em>Annals.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Caligula was also the <strong>force behind many public works,<\/strong> and the remains of <strong>one of the most important,<\/strong> the Claudian Aqueduct, can be seen near the Caelian and Palatine Hills in central Rome, or in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parcodegliacquedotti.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Parco degli Acquedotti<\/a>. His other aqueduct, the<strong> Acqua Anio Novus<\/strong>, remains part of the Aurelian Wall.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22731\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22731\" class=\"wp-image-22731 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Parco_degli_Acquedotti_Rovine_Antiche.jpg\" alt=\"Parco degli Acquedotti which was commissioned by one of the crazy Roman Emperors in Italy. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Parco_degli_Acquedotti_Rovine_Antiche.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Parco_degli_Acquedotti_Rovine_Antiche-768x483.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22731\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Parco degli Acquedotti is one of the important works commissioned by Caligula. Photo credit: Maurizio Moro5153<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nero_The_emperor_who_burned_Rome\"><\/span><strong>Nero: The emperor who burned Rome<br \/>\n<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_he_ruled-3\"><\/span>When he ruled<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>54-68 AD<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_he_was_crazy-3\"><\/span><strong>Why he was crazy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Here\u2019s a little background on <strong>how Nero treated his <em>loved <\/em>ones<\/strong><em><strong>:<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>He divorced his first wife, then <strong>had her beheaded<\/strong> and brought her head to Rome so his second wife could gloat over it.<\/li>\n<li>He kicked his second wife, Poppaea, to death <strong>when she was pregnant<\/strong> with their second child.<\/li>\n<li>When he saw a young boy who looked like Poppaea,<strong> he married him,<\/strong> forced him to dress as a woman, and had him castrated.<\/li>\n<li>He also<strong> killed his own mother<\/strong>&#8230; and there were rumors their relationship had been much more than mother-son.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Compared to all that, the story that Nero<strong> climbed a stage and fiddled <\/strong><strong>while Rome burned<\/strong> seems almost benign. However, parts of this famous story tare almost certainly a myth, for one, the violin didn\u2019t even exist yet, so perhaps he sang instead!<\/p>\n<p>However, when the cost of rebuilding the city led Nero to extreme methods, like having rich men <strong>name him as their heir<\/strong> and then forcing them to commit suicide, the people had had enough. He was <strong>essentially forced to commit suicide.<\/strong> His last words: \u201cOh, what an artist the world is losing!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Truth-o-meter: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>6. The full accounts of his life were written by <strong>historians who lived after he died,<\/strong> including Suetonius, Tacitus and Cassius Dio. They were <strong>obviously biased against him.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Plus, a lot of those accounts in turn <strong>contradict each other.<\/strong> Still, contemporaries make passing mention of how much <strong>people hated Nero,<\/strong> and the spirit, if not all the details, of his rule is probably correct.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Today, many historians believe these stories reflect more about Roman politics and propaganda at the time, than the emperor himself.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_24894\" style=\"width: 1370px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24894\" class=\"wp-image-24894 size-full\" title=\"Agrippina, Emperor Nero's mother\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/DSC_1078-e1307104080759-scaled-landscape-.jpg\" alt=\"A bust of the mother of Nero, Agrippina, with nose missing\" width=\"1360\" height=\"1270\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/DSC_1078-e1307104080759-scaled-landscape-.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/DSC_1078-e1307104080759-scaled-landscape--768x717.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1360px) 100vw, 1360px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-24894\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Agrippina, Nero&#8217;s mother, would meet a terrible fate&#8230;<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_find_out_more_about_Nero\"><\/span><strong>Where to find out more about Nero<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Again, check out Suetonius and Tacitus. For a <strong>modern account<\/strong> that cuts through the myth and bias, check out Edward Champlin\u2019s biography <em>Nero.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>One of the <strong>most infamous structures<\/strong> that Nero left behind was his <a href=\"https:\/\/colosseo.it\/es\/area\/domus-aurea\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Domus Aurea<\/a>, an enormous palace (some scholars say more than 300 acres) in central Rome.<\/p>\n<p>Today, you can<strong> still see its ruins from afar<\/strong> on the Esquiline Hill. In Subiaco, <strong>an hour\u2019s drive from Rome,<\/strong> you can see the remains of the villa he built to escape Rome\u2019s summer heat.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22730\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22730\" class=\"wp-image-22730 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/IMG_8276_small.jpg\" alt=\"People standing near the Bath of Nero in the Vatican. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/IMG_8276_small.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/IMG_8276_small-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22730\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In the Vatican you can find a bathtub that was commissioned by Nero in the 1st century AD.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Commodus_The_gladiator_emperor_obsessed_with_himself\"><\/span>Commodus: The gladiator emperor obsessed with himself<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_he_ruled-4\"><\/span><strong>When he <\/strong>ruled<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>180-192 AD<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_he_was_crazy-4\"><\/span><strong>Why he was crazy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>complete megalomaniac<\/strong> who even renamed Rome after himself, Commodus also was <strong>obsessed with gladiatorial combat.<\/strong> He performed personally in hundreds of games, often appearing both in and out of the stadium <strong>in the guise of Hercules<\/strong> &#8212; complete with lion skin and club. He was also said to have had a \u201cconspicuous growth on the groin\u201d that was \u201cthe subject of many verses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Truth-o-meter:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>9. Both Dio Cassius and Herodian, the <strong>two main sources,<\/strong> lived during Commodus\u2019s rule and give <strong>eyewitness accounts<\/strong> of what actually occurred under his rule, including the gladiatorial games.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_20841\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20841\" class=\"wp-image-20841 size-full\" title=\"Emperor Commodus' Villa Quintilli in Rome\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/colosseum_hypogeum.jpg\" alt=\"View of the Colosseum in Italy. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/colosseum_hypogeum.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/colosseum_hypogeum-768x377.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20841\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Get in touch with Commodus&#8217;s spirit at the Colosseum.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_find_out_more_about_Commodus\"><\/span><strong>Where to find out more about Commodus<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Herodian\u2019s <em>History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus <\/em>is pretty colorful, as is Dio Cassius\u2019s <em>Roman History. <\/em>And while it\u2019s <strong><em>far <\/em>from historically accurate,<\/strong> the movie <em>Gladiator <\/em>shows some of Commodus\u2019s (played by Joaquin Phoenix) gladiatorial obsession, his troubled relationship with his father and sister, and <strong>what Rome would have looked like<\/strong> in the second century.<\/p>\n<p>Few places are better for getting close to Commodus, or his spirit, than, of course, the <a href=\"https:\/\/colosseo.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Colosseum<\/a>. On the Appian way, the still-standing Villa of the Quintilli, built by the Quintilli brothers in the second century, was so coveted by Commodus, he <strong>put the owners to death<\/strong> in 182 A.D. and took it for himself.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21710\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21710\" class=\"wp-image-21710 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Gladiator-fight-in-Colosseum.jpg\" alt=\"Roman Colosseum facts about gladiators fighting in the sun\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Gladiator-fight-in-Colosseum.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Gladiator-fight-in-Colosseum-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21710\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of Commodus&#8217;s obsessions was gladiators, can you blame him? Photo credit: <a id=\"yui_3_16_0_1_1734687849030_1652\" class=\"owner-name truncate no-outline\" title=\"Go to Hans Splinter\u2019s photostream\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/archeon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-track=\"attributionNameClick\">Hans Splinter<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Elagabalus_The_scandalous_teen_emperor_who_shocked_Rome\"><\/span>Elagabalus: The scandalous teen emperor who shocked Rome<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_he_ruled-5\"><\/span>When he ruled<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>218-222<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_he_was_crazy-5\"><\/span><strong>Why he was crazy<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You probably haven\u2019t heard of Emperor Elagabalus, but that\u2019s a shame. Here\u2019s why: Born in Syria, he <strong>became ruler at just 14.<\/strong> When he came to Rome as emperor, he brought with him his worship for the eastern god Elagabalus &#8212; building a new temple, <strong>making animal sacrifices<\/strong> to the god each morning, and ordering that the god take <strong>precedence before all Roman gods,<\/strong> even Jupiter.<\/p>\n<p>Nicknamed after the god, the emperor also <strong>had children tortured and sacrificed.<\/strong> And he was infamous for his sexual proclivities: He married a Vestal Virgin, slept with men, cross-dressed, and married a male slave. He even <strong>asked doctors to castrate him<\/strong> and give him female organs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Truth-o-meter: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>9. One major account, the <em>Life of Elagabalus, <\/em>was written about 150 years after his reign and <strong>largely invented.<\/strong> But Cassius Dio and Herodian, who lived during his reign, <strong>also mention many of the juicy details,<\/strong> including the emperor\u2019s sexual habits. And their accounts of how he changed Rome\u2019s religion are <strong>backed up by archaeological findings.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_find_out_more_about_Elagabalus\"><\/span><strong>Where to find out more about Elagabalus<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Cassius Dio\u2019s <em>History of Rome <\/em>(book 79) and Herodian\u2019s\u2019 and Herodian\u2019s <em>History <\/em>(book 5)<strong> are great<\/strong>, and the Historia Augusta\u2019s <em>Life of Elagabalus, <\/em>while<strong> less trustworthy, is full of juicy details.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>At Palatine Hill,<\/strong> you can still see the <strong>huge temple platform<\/strong> of the temple Elagabalus built to his god. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sovraintendenzaroma.it\/i_luoghi\/roma_antica\/monumenti\/anfiteatro_castrense\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Amphitheater Castrense<\/a>, located adjacent to the church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and incorporated into the Aurelian walls later in the 3rd century, is also thought to<strong> have been built by Elagabalus.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22729\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22729\" class=\"wp-image-22729 size-full\" title=\"Amphitheatre built by Emperor Elagabalus\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/103445323_3ffa91da1f_k.jpg\" alt=\"A wall of Amphitheatre Castrense. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"967\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/103445323_3ffa91da1f_k.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/103445323_3ffa91da1f_k-768x619.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22729\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Little of Elagablus\u2019s reign remains \u2014 but you can see this amphitheater built by him in Rome today. Photo credit: <a id=\"yui_3_16_0_1_1734693338916_3452\" class=\"owner-name truncate no-outline\" title=\"Go to Anthony Majanlahti\u2019s photostream\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/antmoose\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-track=\"attributionNameClick\">Anthony Majanl<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Honorable_mentions_Other_emperors_who_pushed_the_boundaries\"><\/span>Honorable mentions: Other emperors who pushed the boundaries<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">While the emperors listed above are perhaps the <strong>most famous<\/strong> for their bizarre behavior, <strong>other Roman leaders also pushed the boundaries<\/strong> of what was considered \u201cnormal.\u201d Domitian was<strong> known for his paranoia and cruelty,<\/strong> inventing elaborate tortures for his perceived enemies.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Caracalla, <strong>infamous for his massacre of the Alexandrians,<\/strong> even ordered the murder of his brother in their mother\u2019s arms to consolidate power. And let\u2019s not forget about Valentinian I, who once became so enraged during a diplomatic meeting that <strong>he burst a blood vessel<\/strong> and died on the spot.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_14016\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14016\" class=\"wp-image-14016 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Walks-20190710-Rome-Caesars-Palace-0044-BEST-OF-scaled-e1734945155423.jpg\" alt=\"Caesars-Palace in Rome. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-14016\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">While you&#8217;re exploring ancient Rome, don&#8217;t forget to think about the crazy Roman emperors who pushed boundaries.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_made_these_Roman_emperors_so_infamous\"><\/span>What made these Roman emperors so infamous?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">While the antics of these emperors make for<strong> entertaining stories,<\/strong> they also reveal deeper insights about the nature of <strong>power in ancient Rome.<\/strong> Many of these rulers were products of a system that <strong>encouraged absolute authority<\/strong> and sycophantic behavior, creating environments where unchecked whims could spiral into madness.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">While these emperors are remembered for their shocking behavior, their reputations are often shaped as much by storytelling as by truth.\u00a0Ancient Rome had a penchant for <strong>gossip, scandal, and drama <\/strong>so it\u2019s no wonder these emperors remain such colorful figures in history. It is more likely that the real stories lie somewhere between fact and exaggeration.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21899\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21899\" class=\"wp-image-21899 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Devour_Rome_Trastevere_1140.jpg\" alt=\"A group of people exploring Trastevere neighborhood.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Devour_Rome_Trastevere_1140.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Devour_Rome_Trastevere_1140-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-21899\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Roman emperors may have been crazy, but they sure did make a beautiful city.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Discover_more_about_ancient_Romes_colorful_leaders\"><\/span>Discover more about ancient Rome\u2019s colorful leaders<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">The emperors of Rome were as <strong>diverse and multifaceted<\/strong> as the empire itself. Their eccentricities, both <strong>real and exaggerated,<\/strong> continue to fascinate us millennia later.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">To explore more about these crazy Roman emperors, and other Roman rulers, <strong>consider taking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/\">a guided tour with Walks Of Italy<\/a>. <\/strong>Our excellent local guides know all about the people and places, past and present, and will help you experience the history beyond the pages of a book or the bricks of a building.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Visit the places where these larger-than-life characters once walked and ruled, and see their stories unfold right before your eyes. From the ruins of the Palatine Hill\u2014once home to emperors like <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Tiberius<\/span><\/span> and <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Caligula<\/span><\/span>\u2014to the mighty <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Colosseum<\/span><\/span>, where spectacle and power went hand in hand, Rome offers an unforgettable journey into its dramatic past.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22625\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22625\" class=\"wp-image-22625 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/rome-colossem.jpg\" alt=\"large image of Rome's Colosseum and Forum\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/rome-colossem.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/rome-colossem-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22625\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rome is full of rich history and crazy emperors.<\/p><\/div>\n<p data-start=\"437\" data-end=\"896\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Take time, too, to explore the city\u2019s incredible religious heritage with our guide to <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/the-most-jaw-dropping-churches-in-rome-that-arent-called-st-peters-a-pilgrimage-to-rome-guide\">the best churches in Rome<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, where art, history, and faith come together in spectacular fashion. Or, for a deeper dive into ancient Rome, join our <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/rome-tours\/roman-colosseum-tours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Premium Colosseum tour<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, including the <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Roman Forum<\/span><\/span> and <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Palatine Hill<\/span><\/span>, and uncover the fascinating (and sometimes shocking) stories behind the emperors who shaped the Eternal City.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you heard the one about the ancient Roman emperor who made his senator a horse? Or the one about the emperor who famously \u201cfiddled while Rome burned\u201d? If these stories pique your curiosity then keep reading to learn more about the top 5 crazy Roman emperors who were the wackiest rulers of the Roman [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[95,272,18],"ppma_author":[155],"class_list":["post-796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-culture","tag-ancient-rome","tag-colosseum","tag-rome"],"authors":[{"term_id":155,"user_id":3,"is_guest":0,"slug":"walksofitaly","display_name":"Walks of Italy","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9f4cd4dd0c5ab4b4bae57f3500298e23?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog","last_name":"of Italy","first_name":"Walks","job_title":"","description":"Walks began life as the passion project of two guys with one simple mission: To share their love for, and knowledge of, the city of Rome. Since then, Walks has grown into a team of over 100 ground staff and at any time up to 600 guides, operating across 13 of the world\u2019s most exciting cities (and counting!)\r\n\r\nToday we provide some of the most exclusive and beautifully designed small group tours in the industry through Italy-based Walks of Italy and around the world at Walks, where we offer special access to some of the world\u2019s most iconic landmarks and attractions as well as unique cultural experiences."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/796"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=796"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/796\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25192,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/796\/revisions\/25192"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=796"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}