On this day in 55 C.E., a shocking tragedy unfolded within Rome.
Tiberius II, commonly referred to as Britannicus, was poisoned at a banquet the night before his 14th birthday. He and his adoptive brother, Nero, were the joint heirs of their late father, Emperor Claudius. Britannicus drank from a goblet and began to convulse as a reaction to the drink before falling dead moments later.
As soon as news of the young prince’s death spread throughout Rome, blame was quickly pinned on Nero and his mother, Empress Aggripina. This was compounded by the public scrutiny surrounding Emperor Claudius’ death four months prior— he had also been poisoned mysteriously with the mastermind universally agreed to be his wife, Aggripina.
Nero, likely vying to assert independence from his mother’s counsel, eliminated Britannicus to prevent any future challenge to his reign. The murder of Britannicus, despite not being a unique occurrence within Roman politics, still managed to echo through history. For centuries, artists and philosophers have been influenced by the tragedy including The Prince by Machiavelli and The Spirit of Laws by Montesquieu, both pieces covering the morality of power struggles and the importance of keeping absolute powers in check.
In terms of modern pop culture, one of the most obvious homages to the pictured betrayal can be found in Game of Thrones, specifically during the assassination of Prince Joffrey Baratheon via poison during his wedding banquet. Ironically, however, Joffrey was more reminiscent of Nero than Britannicus, given his depraved and indulgent personality, whereas his gentler brother, Tommen, rose to power afterward.
In the years that followed the assassination, Nero cemented his rule in infamy as one of vice and gluttony, abusing the power afforded to him by removing Britannicus and thus showcasing how absolute power, if left unchecked, has the potential to decay even so great an empire as Rome’s.
Britannicus’ death was not just a tragic loss but also a milestone in Roman history, ushering in an era of tyranny that went on to plague later Roman rulers.
