News from Italy
Nero and Britannicus
The noble Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus, son of Emperor Claudius, dies in Rome during a banquet the day before his fourteenth birthday. He had denounced the illegitimacy of Nero as emperor and had him assassinated by masking his death as an epilepsy attack.
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Britannicus was the son of Roman Emperor Claudius and his third wife, Messalina. After her mother was killed, her father Claudius married the young Agrippina. Tiberius, at that time, was a young boy, heir to the throne. Two years later, in 43, Claudius was given the title of “Britannicus” in honour of the conquest of Britain by the Senate. The emperor refused to use this title for himself. But he accepted this honour on behalf of his son. Thus, Britannicus was added to Tiberius’ name. Claudius was very fond of Britannicus. At public events, she takes him for a ride, sits him on his knees and says, “Good luck, son!” to get a similar response from the crowd. she was shouting. He was applauding…
Messalina Romano Claudio Tiberio Claudio Cesare Britannico
But Britannicus became an actor in the events leading up to the death of his mother, Messalina, in 48. Messalina was falling in love with Gaius Silius. And the plans to make Britannicus emperor by overthrowing Claudius and ruling the country through him were circulating. But when Messalina and Silius were sentenced to death (rightly or wrongly), they had no chance of carrying out their plans.
Messalina e Gaio Silio.
After his mother’s death, Britannicus’s responsibility passed entirely to Claudius. After a while, his father got married to Agrippina the Younger. Claudius adopted Nero, Agrippina’s son, who was older than Britaniccus and was a descendant of Augustus.
Nero married Britannicus’ sister, Claudia Octavia, and was called heir co-heir until Britannicus was mature enough for the throne.
Britaniccus and Nero were honoured together at events. But Nero was one step ahead of Britanicus by being a grown-up. The rivalry between the two half-brothers escalated to rumours that Nero claimed Britannicus was illegitimate. Claudius ignored such rumours, but those who had reason to oppose Tacitus, Agrippina, and Nero formed a group around Britannicus to gain an edge over these discussions. Agrippina, too, retaliated by changing the circle of Britannicus. Used as a pawn by his tutor and Messalina, Sosibius was promptly eliminated.
At the end of 54 BC, Britannicus would reach puberty and mature early, according to Roman tradition, in 6 months. According to the historian Suetonius, Claudius also considered divorcing Agrippina and getting rid of Nero. To begin with, both Nero and Britannicus were equally commended by Claudius in his final address to the Senate. Suetonius reports that Claudius advised his son to grow up as soon as possible so that everything would be perfect when he wore the toga virilis.
Upon this situation, Nero’s supporters took action. On October 13, 54, Claudius died naturally or possibly as a result of poisoning by Agrippina with mushrooms. Tacitus claims that Britannicus and his sisters were locked in their rooms to prevent them from taking action to prevent Nero from ascending the throne. Nero lamented at the emperor’s funeral and then ascended the throne alone. The new will of Claudius, seeking the joint reign of Britannicus and Nero or the sole reign of Britannicus, was under the carpet in the Senate by the emperor’s men. According to Tacitus, the freed slave Narcissus, a supporter of Britannicus, was quickly killed. Britannicus was pushed into the background.
Nero Claudia Ottavia
Britannicus lived for several more months under his brother’s reign, mostly neglected, but the actions of his stepmother Agrippina caused his death. In early 55, the freed slave Pallas, a favourite of Agrippina and secretary of the treasury since the time of Claudius, was fired. According to Tacitus, Agrippina’s anger at this situation was ignored by Nero. Agrippina then declared that she regretted what she had done to bring Nero to the throne and that she would overthrow him and place Britannicus, who was the valid owner of the throne and who would soon reach the age of puberty. He also threatened Nero to take the boy to Praetorian headquarters and have Britannicus proclaimed emperor by confessing how Claudius had been killed. This threat was not taken seriously by Nero.
Tacitus mentions the numerous attempts by Nero to distort the public image of Britannicus. For example, Nero asked Britannicus to sing at a drinking party shortly before his 14th birthday. However, Britannicus escaped humiliation and won the sympathy of the guests by telling a story about how Nero was deprived of his favour after the poem he recited. Tacitus also says that he was sexually abused by Nero a few days before Britannicus died.
According to Tacitus, Nero made a deal against Britannicus with the same poisoner Locusta, his father’s murderer. The first dose attempt failed. Britannicus was poisoned by the medicine put in his drink at a dinner party, in which his sister Claudia Octavia, Agrippina, and several other nobles were also present. The poison was deadly at once, and Britannicus fell to the ground, foaming at his mouth. He died on February 11, 55, one day after his 14th birthday, a month before puberty, and just four months after his father’s death. Nero covered up the murder with the claim that the boy died of epilepsy. Some modern historians, including Anthony Barrett, claim that Britannicus died of illness, most likely from a violent seizure. This is perhaps the reason for Nero’s epileptic claim. Britannicus was immediately cremated and buried in the Mausoleum of Augustus, the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
According to Suetonius, Britannicus was a good friend of one of the future emperors, Titus. Titus claimed that Britannicus was sitting with him the night he was killed. He also claimed he had tasted poison and suffered a severe and prolonged illness. Titus would later erect a golden statue in his friend’s name and minted coins in his memory.