Review: Tyrant

Conn Iggulden, Tyrant, (Michael Joseph, 2025)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220160369-tyrant

Nero’s rise, from his mother’s wedding to her murder

On the emperor’s wedding day, Praetorians smash into the home of Junius Silanus Torquatus, accusing him of incest with his sister. He is Agrippina’s first persecution. She aims to wipe out the bloodline of Augustus. Claudius is officially adopting her son Lucius (Nero).

Nero and his friends torment their tutor to death with a wasp’s nest. He gets a whipping and a new tutor—Seneca. Agrippina gets Rufrius replaced as Prefect of the Praetorians by her favourite Burrus. The slaves address her as ‘empress’, and she calls herself ‘Augusta’ on coins. Nero dons the toga virilis, a year early, but his virilis ceremony is dominated by the whispers over his mother’s self-appointed title.

Agrippina sweet-talks Claudius into betrothing Nero to Octavia, his sister by adoption.

Nero is crazy for chariot-racing. He’s the son of Ahenobarbus, after all. At the races, he is smitten by the pale-skinned Greek freedwoman Acte. With Claudius away in the provinces, Nero sits some legal cases, with some wisdom. Among them are some Jews, followers of Iesus.

Agrippina poisons her husband just in time to raise her son. Nero comes to the purple and sends his mother to live in Misenum.

My favourite feature of Iggulden is the relationships. The dialogue on Nero’s and Octavia’s wedding night is heart-breaking. The conversation between his friends and him at the mock naval battle is full of psychological intricacy. The relationship between him and his mother is complex.