Throughout Rome’s ever expanding, conspiracy and tyranny plagued the nation. Emperors were under constant threat by those seeking to gain power and control over the empire. Over two thirds of all Roman emperors were assassinated by politicians, family members, and even military generals through the use of poison, violence, and manipulation. In contrast, not all emperors ruled with honor or humility. Thus we turn to the emperor who “fiddled while Rome burned”; Nero rose to power through his mother’s ambition to seat her son on the throne. Agrippina conceived Nero before she married Emperor Claudius, but also managed to insert her son into political power by having Claudius adopt him. Claudius soon realized the error he made in making Nero his heir, but not in time before Agrippina poisoned him at a banquet with toxic mushrooms. Thus Nero’s position solidified until he began to expel Agrippina from any influence she once held over him. Agrippina would later be murdered by Nero’s guard in a series of violent executions throughout Rome. After the death of his mother, Nero’s mind was driven mad with grief. Nero’s rule perfectly portrays the idea of the political power struggle Rome experienced repeatedly throughout the