Red-Haired Roman Femme Fatale: Poppaea Sabina
Sex, scandal, and the fiery-haired woman who rewrote Roman history
It was 62 AD and for the first, and perhaps the only time in his life, Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus — Nero for short — was happy.
He had just married his second wife, Poppaea Sabina, and theirs seemed like a great love match. For some time he even abandoned his nightly habit of wandering the streets of Rome in disguise; he instead spent his evenings at home, where he wrote poems about his new little bride.
Self-Care Days
Poppaea was everything Nero had ever wanted: she was smart, vivacious, charming, and she liked to have fun. She was also a head-turning beauty, with alabaster skin and beautiful curls the color of amber.
And she took good care of her good looks: slaves brushed her distinctive hair for an hour every day, and her facials could take up to four hours. A herd of donkeys followed her everywhere to provide milk for her daily baths, guaranteeing her fair and silky complexion. Nero liked soft skin, and what Nero wanted, Nero got.
Poppea also enjoyed luxury: she wore the finest clothes and jewelry and was among the most fashionable women in Rome.
