Myth

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (50-54 AD).

In order to further his plans to rebuild Rome, Nero schemed to burn Rome to the ground while away in Anzio (then Antium). He return to the blaze and was so pleased he played a fiddle while Rome burned to the ground.

Reality

Whether or not Nero plotted to burn Rome to ground is not clear. Certainly he did appear to have plans for its reconstructions to hand quite quickly. But then Rome had suffered a number of fires over time so it could easily be construed that it would happen again. What ever Nero's status as a pyromaniac is, it's clear he was unable to fiddle as Rome burned because Fiddles were not created until the 16th Century.

It was suggested that Nero played a lyre and sang during the blaze. But this story, recorded by Tacitus might be purely apocryphal.

Tags: Nero