On (or about) the night of July 19th, A.D. 64, a devastating fire broke out in the ancient city of Rome. A Roman historian and political figure of that era named Cornelius Tacitus chronicled the devastating impact of that fire…
“…Now started the most terrible and destructive fire which Rome had ever experienced. It began in the Circus, where it adjoins the Palatine and Caelian hills. Breaking out in shops selling inflammable goods, and fanned by the wind, the conflagration instantly grew and swept the whole length of the Circus. There were no walled mansions or temples, or any other obstructions, which could arrest it. First, the fire swept violently over the level spaces. Then it climbed the hills – but returned to ravage the lower ground again. It outstripped every counter-measure. The ancient city’s narrow winding streets and irregular blocks encouraged its progress.
Terrified, shrieking women, helpless old and young, people intent on their own safety, people unselfishly supporting invalids or waiting for them, fugitives and lingerers alike – all heightened the confusion. When people looked back, menacing flames sprang up before them or outflanked them. When they escaped to a neighboring quarter, the fire followed – even districts believed remote proved to be involved. Finally, with no idea where or what to flee, they crowded on to the country roads, or lay in the fields…
(The Roman Emperor) Nero was at Antium. He returned to the city only when the fire was approaching the mansion he had built to link the Gardens of Maecenas to the Palatine. The flames could not be prevented from overwhelming the whole of the Palatine, including his palace…
By the sixth day enormous demolitions had confronted the raging flames with bare ground and open sky, and the fire was finally stamped out at the foot of the Esquiline Hill. But before panic had subsided, or hope revived, flames broke out again in the more open regions of the city. Here there were fewer casualties; but the destruction of temples and pleasure arcades was even worse…
Of Rome’s fourteen districts only four remained intact. Three were leveled to the ground. The other seven were reduced to a few scorched and mangled ruins. To count the mansions, blocks, and temples destroyed would be difficult.” (1)
Although the cause of the fire was undetermined, speculation arose that Nero had been involved as part of a misguided attempt to facilitate a large-scale building project. That led to a disastrous turn of events…
“…the rumours that Nero was responsible raged among the distressed population. He had never been so unpopular… It had therefore become imperative to divert the charge to some other person or group. The victims the government chose for this role were the Christians…” (2)
We’ll continue with a look at the historical impact of that decision next.
Image Attribution: Hubert Robert, Incendie à Rome, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
(1) Grant, Michael (translator), Tacitus, The Annals of Imperial Rome, (1989)
(2) Grant, M. (1970). Nero, Emperor in revolt. p. 154