#Britannicus may have been poisoned on #Nero's orders #OnThisDay in 55 CE, clearing the way for his rise to emperor in October of that year; whether the son of Claudius would have made a good emperor one cannot know but he could hardly have been worse~!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britann...

Collage showing sculptures of Valeria Messalina holding Britannicus as a baby, a young Britannicus wearing a toga and a bust of Gordian

Today is the anniversary of 2 deaths in the #Roman #Empire separated by almost 200 years.
#Britannicus, son of Claudius, died 11 Feb AD55, 1 day before his 14th bday. He's said to have been poisoned by his stepbrother Nero. ⠀

Emperor, #Gordian III died in AD244, aged 19. After 6 years in power.

#Britannicus may have been poisoned on #Nero's orders #OnThisDay in 55 CE, clearing the way for his rise to emperor in October of that year; whether the son of Claudius would have made a good emperor one cannot know but he could hardly have been worse~!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britann...