His death may very well have been from natural causes, but ancient sources believe she poisoned him. Indubitably the timing of her husband’s death could not have been more perfect for ensuring her son’s succession as emperor. It would be hard to argue that Agrippina was incapable of murder, especially because her goal was to her son become emperor at just 17 years old. As Nero’s reign began, Agrippina could claim that she single-handedly installed her son in power. The morning he was saluted as commander of the Praetorian Guard, his first words to the guard, “optima mater”, can be understood as acknowledgement that he owed Agrippina the principate (Wife of Claudius). She had spent years preparing the guard, the palace bureaucracy, and the