On this day, June 9th, 63AD Emperor Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) commited suicide at the age of 30, ending and the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
The picture above was an actual graffiti image of Nero found at theDomus Tiberiana. When I saw it, I just knew I had to animate it. My animation skills are really lame as is my knowledge of Toon Boom Animate, but I found a little time today to figure out just enough to create this 2 second ditty.
If you know anything about Nero you probably know him as one of the most brutal Roman Emperors. It appears there are few writings at the time that put Nero in any positive light. To the Christians he is thought to be first major state sponsor of Christian persecution, and sometimes as the killer of Apostles Peter and Paul. Other text, Ascension of Isaia, calls Nero the Anti-Christ, due in part to the rumor that he had his mother killed. All and all not a great guy, which is the main reason I thought his graffiti image might have something to say about all this negative press he has been getting the last 2,000 years.
A little silly, but fun.
