Secrets, Lies, and Murder in Ancient Rome

The subject, my dear friends, is Imperial secrets - Agrippina’s secrets. I know them; I was part of them; and before I die, they should be told. Some are dark and hidden, while others may be shocking. But for the sake of history, they must all come out. -Marcus Tullius Trio, secret courier to the Lady Agrippina After more than 2,000 years, Nero’s mother finally tells all. Like no other lady of her age, Agrippina played a pivotal role in the lives of four of first five Emperors of Rome. Sister of Caligula, wife to Emperor Claudius, and mother to Nero, she saw and participated in it all -lies, secrets, and murders! As the unofficial Empress of Rome, her climb to power is remarkable. Her fall and death, equally so. Based on ancient historical records, the story of Nero’s mother both beguiles and repulses. In the age of the first Caesars, the events swirl with a cast of characters weaving tales of intrigue and death. The story climaxes with the rise of early Christianity, the burning of Rome, and Nero’s dramatic death. Other titles by Richard Waring: Beneath the Well of Souls