Nero's Olympic Farce: The Achaian Games of 67 AD

What this episode covers

In 67 AD, Nero staged an unprecedented cultural intervention in Greece, forcing the ancient Olympic Games to be held out of season and adding his own theatrical contests. This episode unpacks the emperor's manipulation of the sacred athletic and musical competitions: the Olympic, Isthmian, Pythian, and Nemean games were all crammed into a single year, with Nero personally competing as a citharode, charioteer, and herald. We explore the scandal of his 'victories' — including winning an Olympic chariot race even after falling from his ten-horse chariot — and the bestowal of Roman citizenship on all of Greece. Drawing on Suetonius, Philostratus, and Pausanias, we examine whether this was sheer megalomania or a sophisticated philhellenic policy aimed at unifying the eastern provinces. The episode also covers the role of the Hellanodikai (judges), the Neronia festival in Rome, and the lasting impact on Greek autonomy before the Flavians reversed Nero's grants. #Nero #OlympicGames67AD #Neronia #Citharode #Hellanodikai #Philhellenism #AncientGreece #Suetonius #Philostratus #Pausanias #IsthmianGames #PythianGames #NemeanGames #ChariotRacing #FreedomOfGreece #FlavianReversal #RomanEmpire #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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This episode is 7 minutes long.

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This episode was published on May 20, 2026.

What is this episode about?

In 67 AD, Nero staged an unprecedented cultural intervention in Greece, forcing the ancient Olympic Games to be held out of season and adding his own theatrical contests. This episode unpacks the emperor's manipulation of the sacred athletic and...

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