64 CEReputable sourceWell documented
The Great Fire of Rome
On the timeline · around 64 CE ·
What happened
A fire that broke out near the Circus Maximus in July 64 CE burned for days and devastated much of Rome. Ancient sources disagree on its cause; the emperor Nero, later rumored to have started it, instead blamed and violently persecuted the city's Christians.
Why it matters
The fire and its aftermath — the rebuilding, Nero's lavish Golden House, and the scapegoating of Christians — became a notorious episode of Nero's reign.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Nero · Reputable source