Abstract: The Great Fire of Rome in AD 64 marked a critical turning point in the relationship between the Roman state and the early Christian movement. The emperor Nero famously blamed Christians for the fire, initiating the first major persecution of the Church. While ancient sources attribute the decision to Nero himself, this essay explores the plausible hypothesis that Nero's wife, Poppaea Sabina, may have influenced or suggested the scapegoating policy. Drawing upon evidence from Josephus, Tacitus, and Suetonius, and contextualizing Poppaea's known sympathies toward Judaism and her connections to Jewish intermediaries such as Alityros, this paper presents a circumstantial case that the idea may have emerged from within her courtly network. A further hypothesis is proposed: that Josephus himself, while seeking the release of imprisoned Jewish priests, may have proposed shifting blame to Christians—a suggestion which, conveyed through Poppaea, pleased Nero and led to the priests' liberation.
I. Introduction The persecution of Christians under Nero following the Great Fire of Rome is a foundational event in Christian history and Roman imperial politics. Tacitus (Annals 15.44) reports that Nero blamed Christians to suppress rumors of his own involvement in the fire. However, the question of who initially suggested targeting Christians remains unanswered. This paper proposes that Poppaea Sabina, Nero's wife, known for her sympathies toward Judaism, may have played a key role in redirecting imperial blame toward Christians. Further, we suggest that Josephus, while in Rome seeking the release of Jewish priests, may have played a discreet and critical role in this redirection.
II. Poppaea Sabina and Her Jewish Connections Josephus, the Jewish historian, offers important insight into Poppaea's disposition. In Antiquities 20.195–197, he recounts how he was aided by Alityros, a Jewish actor and favorite of Poppaea, in securing an audience with the empress. Josephus describes Poppaea as "God-fearing" (θεῦσεβης), a term often applied to Gentiles who were converts or sympathizers with Judaism. Poppaea's intervention resulted in the release of Jewish priests, indicating her willingness to use her influence for Jewish causes.
This sympathy, coupled with her access to Nero, places her in a unique position to have influenced the direction of imperial policy in the aftermath of the fire. While no ancient source claims she was a convert, her actions and court circle suggest a strong affinity with the Jewish community.
III. Josephus in Rome: Before or After the Fire? Josephus’s voyage to Rome in AD 64, described in Antiquities, involved significant delays, including shipwreck and illness. It is plausible that his appeal to Poppaea occurred in the late spring or summer of that year, possibly extending into or just after the Great Fire, which began on July 18, AD 64. The timeline is not precisely stated, but nothing in the record contradicts the possibility that Josephus was still in Rome when the fire broke out or shortly thereafter.
While Josephus never mentions the fire or the persecution of Christians—a striking omission for such a dramatic event—this may have been deliberate. As a Roman client and future court historian under the Flavians, he may have avoided commentary on sensitive or politically damaging episodes involving the Julio-Claudians.
IV. A Hypothetical Proposal: Josephus Suggests the Scapegoat If Josephus was still in Rome during or immediately after the fire, it is conceivable that he, or his associates (such as Alityros), perceived that the Christians, not the Jews, were more politically vulnerable. Christians were already expelled from Rome under Claudius (Suetonius, Claudius 25) and lacked the legal protections enjoyed by Jewish communities.
In this scenario, Josephus, in his effort to secure the release of Jewish priests, may have suggested—discreetly or indirectly through Poppaea—that Nero blame the Christians. Such a proposal would:
Divert attention from the Jewish community,
Align with Roman popular sentiment against Christians,
Offer Nero a politically expedient scapegoat,
And earn favor for Josephus and his cause.
The subsequent release of the Jewish priests, as Josephus reports, may then be interpreted not merely as an act of imperial mercy but as a reward for political usefulness. The fact that Josephus is silent on the Christian persecution could further support the idea that he was complicit in the redirection of blame.
V. Poppaea as Facilitator and Political Actor Given Poppaea's documented advocacy for Jews, her closeness to Nero, and her ability to effect the release of prisoners, she stands as the most likely conduit for such a proposal. Her known religio-political sympathies and court position enabled her to influence decisions at the highest level, including who might be targeted in times of crisis.
VI. Conclusion Though purely circumstantial, the hypothesis that Josephus, via Poppaea Sabina, played a role in the scapegoating of Christians following the Great Fire is both historically and politically plausible. It fits the known timeline, explains the motivations of the key players, and accounts for certain silences in Josephus’s narrative. Further research into the dynamics of the Neronian court, Josephus’s early career, and the evolving Roman view of Christians may shed more light on this shadowy but pivotal moment in early Christian and Jewish history.
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