The Great Fire of Rome

19th July 64 A.D.

On this day, the Great Fire of Rome broke out in the merchant shops around Rome’s chariot stadium, Circus Maximus. It took six days to bring the fire under control but before the damage could be assessed, the fire reignited and burned for another three days. In the aftermath of the fire, nearly three quarters of Rome had been destroyed. 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. Other contemporary historians blamed Nero’s incompetence. However, historians nowadays generally agree that Rome was too densely populated and inadequately prepared to effectively deal with large scale disasters, including fires, and that such an event was inevitable.

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Author: Tony

Born and raised in Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Educated at Wycliffe College in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, England. Living in the foothills of Mount Etna since 1982 and teaching English at Catania University since 1987.

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