Nero’s body count

During his reign, Nero had racked up many murders. Besides his mother Agrippina, the ancient sources accuse him of also having murdered his step-brother Brittanicus and his wives Claudia Octavia and Poppaea Sabina. He further may have murdered the prefect of the praetorian guard, Burrus.

Nero ordered the suicide of his advisors and ancient authors Seneca and Lucan, along with killing 17 others who formed a conspiracy to overthrow Nero in 65.

Nero also started the first wave of Christian persecutions, during which the apostles Peter and Paul were murdered in Rome among many other christians.