Freedman who used his position as correspondence secretary ab epistulis to the Roman emperor Claudius (ruled 41-54) to become, in effect, a minister of state.
He exercised great influence over Claudius and accumulated immense wealth.
At first he allied himself with Claudius´ third wife Valeria Messalina but fear that she and her lover Gaius Silius were conspiring to seize power made him join with others to have her executed (48).
By failing to support Claudius´ subsequent marriage to Agrippina the Younger he lost influence in the government. The finance secretary Pallas who had favoured the match became Claudius´ favourite. Narcissus´ power was further undermined when he backed Britannicus, son of Claudius and Messalina, for the succession even after Agrippina had persuaded Claudius to designate as his successor her own son (by a previous marriage) Lucius Domitius Athenobarbus.
In 54 Claudius died, evidently poisoned by Agrippina.
Domitius took power as the emperor Nero and immediately had Narcissus arrested.
Shortly afterward the freedman committed suicide.
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