AD 64
The great fire of Rome

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Nero fiddles while Rome burns? Nero's reputation is such that the people believe the worst of him, even when the evidence is inconclusive. Most of Rome believes that Nero had the city set alight to make space for his grandiose building plans, and then tried to blame the Christians for the great fire that engulfed the capital of the empire. In fact, there is no proof that the fire counts among his many iniquities, and there is some evidence that he helped organise relief efforts. No matter: a man who has killed his mother, two wives and step-brother, not to mention countless thousands of other opponents, is not to be given the benefit of the doubt in the minds of many.

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