3 Roman Emperors Who Loved Sex and Violence

If you think our leaders are bad, wait until you read about these maniacs

An engraving of Emperor Nero by Paulus Pontius, 1638 (Wikimedia Commons)

Modern politicians receive a lot of criticism from the public. But despite how lackluster our own leaders can be, there are many historical figures who were much worse.

Back in the days of ancient Rome, there were plenty of evil emperors who abused their power. Rather than looking after their citizens, they developed an unquenchable taste for violence, pleasure, and tyranny.

And two thousand years later, their reigns are still a notorious part of our history.

1. Emperor Tiberius

A photograph of a bust of Tiberius by Paul Hermans, 2009 (Wikimedia Commons)

Tiberius became the Emperor of Rome in 42 BC. Though he proved to be an impressive administrator and military commander, he also engaged in perverse sexual activities.

Towards the end of his reign, Tiberius’s dislike of the masses prompted him to leave Rome and live in a palace on the island of Capri beside the Mediterranean Sea. Many of the walls were decorated with pornographic images, and there was also a library full of erotic literature.