Great Fire of Rome

A depiction of the fire burning through the city.
Fire in Rome by Hubert Robert (1785)

The Great Fire of Rome (Latin: incendium magnum Romae) began on the 18th of July 64 AD.[1] The fire started in the merchant shops around Rome's chariot stadium, Circus Maximus. After six days, the fire was brought under control, but before the damage could be assessed, the fire reignited and burned for another three days. In the aftermath of the fire, 71% of Rome had been destroyed (10 out of 14 districts).[2]

According to Tacitus and later Christian tradition, Emperor Nero blamed the devastation on the Christian community in the city, initiating the empire's first persecution against the Christians.[3] Other contemporary historians blamed Nero's incompetence but it is commonly agreed by historians now that Rome was so tightly packed a fire was inevitable.

  1. ^ "Great Fire of Rome". National Geographic Society. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  2. ^ "The Great Fire of Rome | Background". Secrets of the Dead. PBS. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dando-Collins 2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).