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Richard Holland (Nero: The Man Behind the Myth) says that the evidence suggests that Nero was less cruel than any of his predecessors and probably had no taste for cruelty at all. He is, of course, blamed for the Great Fire of Rome, but modern historians are virtually unanimous in dismissing the ancient view that Nero started the fire deliberately, and the evidence is that he was personally involved in attempts to bring the fire under control.
Decades after the fire, Nero was accused by Tacitus, who held great animosity towards some of the past emperors, and Nero in particular, of making the Christians of Rome scapegoats for the fire:
Tacitus Annals 15.44: To quash the rumour, therefore, Nero substituted other culprits, those commonly known as Christians, who were hated for their disgraceful activities - and he inflicted excruciating punishments on them. Christus, the originator of this name [of Christians], had been executed by the procurator Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius. This deadly superstition, though repressed for a while, was breaking out again, not only in Judaea where the evil originated, but even in the city [Rome], where all atrocious or shameful things flow in from all sides and flourish. So, at first, those who acknowledged it were arrested, and then by their evidence a great multitude were convicted, not so much for the crime of arson as for their hatred of the human race.Holland says the reference attributed to Tacitus has often been assumed to mean that some thousands of Christians were executed, but the description is vague enough to apply to a much lower figure. In fact, he cites Warnington (Nero Reality and Legend): “No other writer, Christian or pagan, in the following centuries refers to Nero using the Christians as scapegoats, although Christian tradition knew of Nero as a persecutor ...†On balance, it is likely that Nero did blame the Christians of Rome for the Great Fire, punishing them or expelling them from the city, but without the extreme cruelty that Tacitus attributed to him.
Edward Gibbon (The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire) says that the religious tenets of the Christians were never made a subject of punishment by Nero, or even of inquiry.
What else can I help you with?
Why did the Romans persecute christians during the reign of Nero?
According to the story, the Christians were used as scapegoats because of accusations that Nero had started the great fire of Rome
Who was martyred during the reign of Nero?
Tradition says it was Peter and Paul who were martyered during the time of Nero's reign.
What was nero remembered for?
Nero, unfortunately, is remembered for his negative aspects. He is remembered for the murders of his wife, brother and mother. He is remembered for his repression of many of the aristocrats and he is remembered for punishing the Christians for the massive fire that occurred during his reign.
Who did Nero blame for the fire that destroyed much of rome?
Nero blamed theChristiansto deflect blame from himself. That he started the fire is just an allegation. The suspicions arose because after the fire he built his wast Golden House (Domus Aurea). That he payed the fiddle during the fire was adistortionby later historians. The fiddle did not exist in his days.Nerodid his best to help the people affected by the fire.
What is Nero's cross?
Nero's Cross, also known as the Cross of Nero, is a symbol associated with the Roman Emperor Nero, often linked to his persecution of Christians in the first century AD. It represents the idea of martyrdom and suffering endured by early Christians during his reign, particularly due to the infamous Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, which Nero allegedly blamed on Christians. The cross itself is sometimes depicted in a specific form that combines elements of the traditional Christian cross with Roman iconography, reflecting the complexities of early Christian symbolism in the face of persecution.
Why did the Romans persecute christians during the reign of Nero?
According to the story, the Christians were used as scapegoats because of accusations that Nero had started the great fire of Rome
Who was martyred during the reign of Nero?
Tradition says it was Peter and Paul who were martyered during the time of Nero's reign.
Why did Emperor Nero kill Saint Peter?
Nero ordered the execution of Saint Peter. He used the excuse that Christians were responsible for the fire that burned a large part of the city of Rome. He needed to hide his own blame for causing the fire.
What was nero remembered for?
Nero, unfortunately, is remembered for his negative aspects. He is remembered for the murders of his wife, brother and mother. He is remembered for his repression of many of the aristocrats and he is remembered for punishing the Christians for the massive fire that occurred during his reign.
Who did Nero blame for the fire that destroyed much of rome?
Nero blamed theChristiansto deflect blame from himself. That he started the fire is just an allegation. The suspicions arose because after the fire he built his wast Golden House (Domus Aurea). That he payed the fiddle during the fire was adistortionby later historians. The fiddle did not exist in his days.Nerodid his best to help the people affected by the fire.
How many disciples were crucified during the reign of Emperor Nero?
We only know of one disciple who was crucified during the reign of Nero and that was traditionally, Peter. The others who were convicted were executed in the manner of arsonists and blasphemers.
Who hung christians and burned them as street lights during bible times?
nero
What did Roman Emperor Nero believe about comets?
Nero did not believe anything about comets. The ancient Roman historian Tacitus reported that a comet occurred during the reign of Nero.
Why was the first Pope Peter executed?
St. Peter, the first pope, was ordered executed by the Roman Emperor Nero because he was a Christian and Nero had decided to blame the great fire that destroyed much of Rome in the year 64 on the Christians.
Who was accused of burning down ancient Rome?
Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.Take your pick, either Nero or the Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome.
Who burned down much of rome?
If you are referring to the great fire in Nero's reign, no one actually burnt the city. The fire started by accident in one of the shops that lined the Circus Maximus. It was a hot dry summer and the winds caused the fire to spread out of control. Poor old Nero got blamed for it because it was a known fact that he wanted to rebuild the slums of the city. The Christians , who were a disliked religious group due to their clannishness and aggressiveness, were hindering the firefighters and some ancient sources say that they even were seen carrying torches to spread the fire. This was due to the Christian belief at the time that Rome would be destroyed by fire before the Second Coming of Christ, which they thought was to happen immediately. So we have the blame game. Nero (who wasn't even in the city at the time) wanted cleared space for his building projects and the Christians who thought they were helping their God. So an accidental fire has become a two thousand year old controversy.
What happened in Ce in Rome?
64 CE was the years of the Great Fire of Rome during the reign of Nero.
