Who is Tiberius Claudius Narcissus ?
Tiberius Claudius Narcissus (fl. 1st century) was one of the freedman who formed the core of the imperial court under the Roman emperor Claudius. He is described as praepositus ab epistulis (in charge of correspondence). He reportedly had great influence over the emperor and amassed a great deal of money. He is said to have conspired with Claudius’s wife Messalina to manipulate him into having several men executed, although this is unproven. However, the sources admit that Narcissus, as Claudius’ own former slave, was extremely loyal to the emperor, and so entrusted with more responsibility than the others. In 43, during the preparations for the Roman conquest of Britain, he headed off a mutiny by addressing the troops. Seeing a former slave in their commander’s position, they cried “Io Saturnalia!” (Saturnalia being a Roman festival when slaves and masters exchanged places for the day) and the mutiny ended. It was through his influence that the future emperor Vespasian was appointed l
