In the Footsteps of Emperor Nero Audio Guide

Find traces of the palace fit for an emperor but built at the expense of a city

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US$20

Audio Guide Details

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Product Type: Audio Guide
Venues: Colosseum

Baths of Caracalla

Circus Maximus

Preview In the Footsteps of Emperor Nero Audio Guide

Oppio Caffe

Oppian Pavilion of the Domus Aurea

Nero's ascent to the throne

Photos & Highlights

Audio Guide Description

Rome's fifth emperor, Nero, transformed the city's layout, ensuring its financial success for generations to come. Yet his legacy is tinged with controversy.

On this Rome audio tour with Veronica Iacomi, an archaeologist, guide, and Context Travel expert, you'll visit the places that were once part of Nero's residence, perhaps the most splendid and lavish ever conceived. While few traces of Nero remain, the enormous palace where Nero lived, the Domus Aurea (or 'the Golden House'), is sure to stay with you. You'll also gain insight into how the Roman emperor provided the major cities under Rome's rule with strategic infrastructure and assessed the Empire's finances in a way that would last for generations to come.

Starting opposite Oppio Caffè on Oppian Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome, you'll make your way through Parco del Colle Oppio (a public park filled with ruins), and past the Colosseum before ending the tour at Circus Maximus, an ancient Roman entertainment venue.

Along the way, you'll take in several places associated with the controversial figure, and learn about Nero's desire for absolute, centralized, and independent power. You'll find out how he was blamed for the disastrous fire of Rome in 64 AD, and hear about the resistance he faced when trying to introduce more Hellenistic Greek culture to Rome and the Empire.

On this Rome audio tour, you'll:

• Take in the majestic Baths of Trajan, created when Nero’s successors Titus and Trajan remade the bathhouses in the Domus Aurea

• Learn how the Roman emperor Trajan and his famous architect, Apollodorus from Damascus, constructed meaningful new public spaces

• Get to know Maecenas, a rich and important patron of poets and artists, whose properties were absorbed into the Domus Aurea when it was built

• Gaze upon the Seven Halls Cistern, which provided water to the Baths of Trajan, and hear about its transformation into a luxurious villa, complete with mosaic and marble floors in the 4th century

• Hear how the disastrous fire of 64 AD burnt 7 of the city's 14 districts, almost completely destroying 3 of them and freeing up prime real estate

• Become aware of just how immense Nero's residence was (hint, it was five times as large as the Vatican City!)

• Find out about the huge artificial lake Nero had built on a naturally flat valley where the Colosseum now stands

• Discover how Nero added an additional branch to one of the two new aqueducts built in Rome under Claudius

• Be shocked by Nero's dark side, as you meet the man who ordered his own mother’s assassination

By the end of this tour, you'll have a deeper understanding of one of the most discussed Ancient Roman rulers. You'll also be better equipped to decide whether he was the oppressive ruler that many believe him to be, or a visionary who created an architectural masterpiece.

Meet Your Expert

Veronica

Born in Rome, Veronica is proud of her city and its ancient beauty. This is why she decided to give a chance to her passion, and studied to become an archaeologist. She holds a PhD in Eastern archaeology obtained in 2008 from the University of Naples “L’Orientale”. Since 1999 she has been working as a field archaeologist in Rome and its surroundings, including the famous sites of Veii and Ostia Antica. In 2002 she started working in Turkey, in the ancient region of Cilicia (where St. Paul was born), as part of a research project at Elaiussa Sebaste. She travels extensively in Italy but especially abroad, attending symposia and congresses about her research which includes but is not limited to Funerary Archaeology, Housing Archaeology, the Roman Empire in Eastern Mediterranean regions and Middle Eastern Archaeology. Her findings have been and are frequently published in prestigious archaeological periodicals and volumes. In 2007 she started working as scientific consultant for archaeological trips abroad promoted by the Italian archaeological magazine “Archeologia Viva”: in this way, she could combine her academic knowledge of the Mediterranean with first-hand traveling experience. Since 2008 Veronica has been an official tour guide in Rome. Leading tours in the Eternal city is, for Veronica, yet another opportunity to share her knowledge and passion, making her case for off-the-beaten path itineraries. Photography has become one of her hobbies and she is more than happy to provide tips on taking photos in Rome.

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Is closed captioning (i.e. subtitles) available?

Yes! All of our audio guides have the option to turn on closed captioning should you have difficulty hearing the expert.

How long does each event last?

Our recorded audio guides typically run for 75 minutes.

How can I share this audio guide with friends or family?

You are welcome to listen together with friends or family, but each person listening to the guide on their own device will need to purchase the audio guide individually.

How long does my access to the audio guide last?

Once you purchase an audio guide, you are welcome to listen to it as many times as you would like. Your access to a purchased audio guide does not expire.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

Sales for recorded audio guides are final upon purchase. Please contact us at digital@contexttravel.com if you have any questions or concerns about your purchase.

Can I purchase a gift card for a friend who is traveling?

Absolutely! Gift cards can be purchased here. Gift cards are good for 365 days from the date of purchase.

(5.0) – 1 Review

Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.

I expected to need to have some prior knowledge on Nero but the audio guide made his story easy to follow. I particularly enjoyed the way this audio guide made me think about Nero in comparison to other emperors and really ask myself if he was so bad compared to the others.

Chloe

Apr. 30, 2024