Nero a hero to Chichester?
The Emperor Nero, reviled down the centuries as a psychopathic, debauched, wife-beating matricide, was probably Nero the Hero as far as the people of Roman Chichester were concerned.
A crucial element of this new theory, put forward by archaeologist Miles Russell, is a large stone Roman head found at Bosham.
Writing in the magazine British Archaeology, he argues that this was part of a huge statue of Nero in AD59-64, and one of the most important archaeological discoveries yet made in the Roman province of Britain.
The rest of the statue has never been found.
This identity is not accepted by all archaeologists, but despite attempts made to render the face unrecognisable, after the Emperor's death, Mr Russell's view is that it is Nero.
Full report in July 13 issue of the Observer
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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