Nero's Infamous Sunglasses
If you have ever gone to a sporting event where your seats left you squinting because of the sun, then you have probably reached for a pair of sunglasses. The...
If you have ever gone to a sporting event where your seats left you squinting because of the sun, then you have probably reached for a pair of sunglasses. The same thing used to happen to Nero in about 30 AD. The last emperor of Rome is credited with inventing sunglasses despite the fact that corrective lenses would not be invented for another 1,200 years.
While history records that Nero used emerald stones to have his sunglasses created, there is a great scholarly debate about why he wanted sunglasses in the first place. Some argue that he used the stone sunglasses to reflect the sun out of his eyes so that he could see the warriors fight to their deaths. After all, he would not have wanted to miss a second of the action as religious martyrs were thrown to the lions. He would not have wanted the sun's rays from preventing him from seeing his fiercest political opponents meet their unceremonious deaths during the games.
On the other hand, however, Nero may have had an ulterior purpose for his highly polished emerald sunglasses. Thousands of people from all over the area gathered for the biggest of these games. As their leader, he had to make sure that he looked like the perfect emperor at all times. Many of those attending the games were immensely wealthy, and they would expect nothing less than him to look his absolute best. Of course, no one would ever give the emperor secret away if he spent more time looking at himself in his sunglasses than he did at the games. After all, doing so might result in a very untimely death.
While you will not find any sunglasses made from emeralds in our collection, you will find a great number of different styles designed to make you look your best. If you happen to use them to get a glimpse of yourself right before a hottie walks by, we will be sure to never give away your secret.
While history records that Nero used emerald stones to have his sunglasses created, there is a great scholarly debate about why he wanted sunglasses in the first place. Some argue that he used the stone sunglasses to reflect the sun out of his eyes so that he could see the warriors fight to their deaths. After all, he would not have wanted to miss a second of the action as religious martyrs were thrown to the lions. He would not have wanted the sun's rays from preventing him from seeing his fiercest political opponents meet their unceremonious deaths during the games.
On the other hand, however, Nero may have had an ulterior purpose for his highly polished emerald sunglasses. Thousands of people from all over the area gathered for the biggest of these games. As their leader, he had to make sure that he looked like the perfect emperor at all times. Many of those attending the games were immensely wealthy, and they would expect nothing less than him to look his absolute best. Of course, no one would ever give the emperor secret away if he spent more time looking at himself in his sunglasses than he did at the games. After all, doing so might result in a very untimely death.
While you will not find any sunglasses made from emeralds in our collection, you will find a great number of different styles designed to make you look your best. If you happen to use them to get a glimpse of yourself right before a hottie walks by, we will be sure to never give away your secret.
| About The Author |
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Gerald Woods is Director of Operation at Solace Connect, LLC based in San Antonio, TX. He has written many articles on various topics dealing with onli |
