Helius (freedman)

Helius (died 69) was a prominent freedman in the time of ancient Roman Emperor Nero.^[1] He and Patrobius exercised great and pernicious power and influence under Nero. Helius was the de facto ruler of Rome in the absence of Nero.

According to Cassius Dio, Helius was an imperial freedman of Claudius, later serving Nero.^[2]

Under the reign of emperor Nero (r. 54–68 AD), Helius was at the head of the imperial court and conducted business on behalf of the emperor.^[3]

In 54 AD, the first death under the new emperor was that of Junius Silanus, proconsul of Asia.^[4] Without Nero's knowledge, the murder was planned through the treachery of Agrippina because Silanus was the son of a great-grandson of Augustus. The murder was performed by Publius Egnatius Celer, a Roman knight, and Helius, men who had the charge of the emperor's domains in Asia. According to Tacitus, they gave the proconsul poison at a banquet, too openly to escape discovery.^[5]

Nero became more and more insulated by flatterers and more convinced of his musical talents, committed to go to Greece and neglected Helius' warnings about disaffection at home, which would rise to a climax with the Vindex's rebellion.^[6]

In 64 AD, Nero left Helius in charge of Rome, with the full authority to confiscate, banish and execute men of all ranks without notifying Nero.^[7][8]

In 67 AD, Nero was present at the Olympic games in Greece. During this period, Cassius Dio reports that Helius had Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus Pythicus executed because he refused to give up the name Pythicus, which Helius claimed was an insult against Nero's victory in the Pythian Games.^[9] The Jewish War became a serious military commitment. Helius recalled emperor Nero to Rome in the winter of 67–68, forcing Nero to postpone his other ventures along with the news of Vindex rising which finally put an end to his plans.^[10][11]

"During the absence of Nero, Rome was controlled by a freedman named Helius and by Tigellinus' colleague Nymphidius, who expanded his control of the imperial guard. After Nero's return at the end of the winter of 67/68, Tigellinus was obviously the lesser of the two prefects."^[12]

In 69 AD, Helius was executed along with several other of Nero's favourites after Galba came to power. They were marched in chains around the city before they were publicly executed.^[13]

• Miriam Griffin (2002) Nero: The End of a Dynasty