![]() The great-great-grandson of Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, Nero came to power in 54 A.D., when he was just 17 years old. Many come from the London cultural institution’s collection, but others are on loan from museums across western Europe. ![]() This is relevant for Nero, it’s relevant for historians, archaeologists, it is relevant for everyday people living their everyday lives.”Īmong the artifacts on view are statues, weapons, jewelry and graffiti. “The Nero story is about how we should approach information, how we should always approach our sources critically. “Our goal here is to show that this, however popular, image is actually based on very, very biased accounts and therefore we should challenge it,” curator Francesca Bologna tells the AP. The emperor strums a lyre, evoking the famous expression “Nero fiddled while Rome burned.” Then, visitors learn that this story, like many tales of the emperor’s terrible behavior, is a myth. But a new exhibition at the British Museum, “ Nero: The Man Behind the Myth,” asks visitors to rethink their perceptions of one of the most powerful people in the ancient world.Īs Jill Lawless reports for the Associated Press (AP), the show starts with an image from the 1951 film Quo Vadis. He’s known for murdering family members and strangers alike, as well as starting the Great Fire of Rome that destroyed much of the city in 64 A.D.-not to mention forcing audiences to sit through his terrible singing. ![]() Photo by Francesco Piras / © MiC Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliariįrom ancient texts to modern TV shows, depictions of the Roman emperor Nero have never been flattering. ![]() “But I have come to the conclusion that almost every single thing we think we know about him is wrong.” “I am not setting out here to rehabilitate Nero as a blameless man,” curator Thorsten Opper says. ![]()
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