The Great Fire of Rome was a devastating urban blaze that began on the 19th of July in 64AD, consuming over half the city and was not contained until six days later. The controversy surrounding this infamous event stems from historical claims that the fire was initiated at the command of Emperor Nero, who “fiddled” while his great city burned. Some contradictory sources such as Tacitus, however, have reasoned that Nero did not torch Rome, a judgement which is shared by several significant modern scholars.
Regardless of his role in the fire of Rome, Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus was undoubtedly a ruthless historical figure, with his years ascending to the Emperor being almost as tumultuous and deceptive as those in office. Nero was born of …show more content…
Tacitus even argued that “Nero at this time was at the [coastal town of] Antium, and did not return to Rome until the fire approached his house”. The Annals mention that in response to the spreading rumours, Nero supposedly blamed the inferno on the relatively small Christian sect, but this point is not elaborated upon and historians including Stephen Dando-Collins question the veracity of this section, believing it to be the fictitious work of a Christian copyist. It is now commonly believed that the disaster originated from an uncontrolled cooking fire in a shop located near the Circus Maximus stadium, with the dense slums and high winds allowing the fire to spread rapidly. Perhaps Nero’s reaction to this calamity is most evident of his innocence. As recounted by Tacitus, Nero quickly returned to Rome to aid his citizens, brining supplies of food from Ostia, opening “the public buildings of Agrippa, and even his own gardens [and raising] temporary structures to receive the destitute multitude.” Once the blaze was vanquished, Nero began the ambitious task of rebuilding Rome. Nero began by authorising the construction of a canal from Lake Avernus to the Tiber River and then introduced strict building restrictions to prevent future fires including maximum building heights, minimum distances between structures, fire impervious lower floors and the expectation that all apartment buildings would provide fire fighting platforms which connected to the city’s aqueducts. All of these precautionary measures highlight Nero’s desire to avoid another major fire within the great
Regardless of his role in the fire of Rome, Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus was undoubtedly a ruthless historical figure, with his years ascending to the Emperor being almost as tumultuous and deceptive as those in office. Nero was born of …show more content…
Tacitus even argued that “Nero at this time was at the [coastal town of] Antium, and did not return to Rome until the fire approached his house”. The Annals mention that in response to the spreading rumours, Nero supposedly blamed the inferno on the relatively small Christian sect, but this point is not elaborated upon and historians including Stephen Dando-Collins question the veracity of this section, believing it to be the fictitious work of a Christian copyist. It is now commonly believed that the disaster originated from an uncontrolled cooking fire in a shop located near the Circus Maximus stadium, with the dense slums and high winds allowing the fire to spread rapidly. Perhaps Nero’s reaction to this calamity is most evident of his innocence. As recounted by Tacitus, Nero quickly returned to Rome to aid his citizens, brining supplies of food from Ostia, opening “the public buildings of Agrippa, and even his own gardens [and raising] temporary structures to receive the destitute multitude.” Once the blaze was vanquished, Nero began the ambitious task of rebuilding Rome. Nero began by authorising the construction of a canal from Lake Avernus to the Tiber River and then introduced strict building restrictions to prevent future fires including maximum building heights, minimum distances between structures, fire impervious lower floors and the expectation that all apartment buildings would provide fire fighting platforms which connected to the city’s aqueducts. All of these precautionary measures highlight Nero’s desire to avoid another major fire within the great