Tristan Hughes and Conn Iggulden talk all about Emperor Nero's traumatic rise to power in the Julio-Claudian dynasty, featuring Agrippina the Younger, Caligula, and Claudius in this episode of the Ancients.

In this in-depth ancient history podcast, host Tristan Hughes welcomes acclaimed historical fiction author Conn Iggulden to delve into the shocking and tumultuous early life of Emperor Nero. They explore the bloody family history, including the psychological damage from his chaotic childhood and the political machinations of his mother, Agrippina the Younger, to secure his place as heir.

Conn and Tristan discuss the fragility of historical sources, comparing the bias of writers like Tacitus and Suetonius, and how Nero was influenced by his tutors, the philosopher Seneca and the Praetorian Prefect Burrus. They cover Nero's tumultuous marriage to Octavia, the poisonings surrounding Claudius' death that secured his accession at age 16, and the enduring tragedy of a promising figure corrupted by absolute power.