Fire Sweeps Through Roma

Greetings! I am the Emperor Nero. I'm the head of the Roman Empire, and I came to power in AD 54 after the death of my stepfather Claudius.

We've had a terrible fire here in Roma. It started in the Circus, where I've often enjoyed watching chariot-racing, horse racing, and spread everywhere - burning homes, shops, businesses and temples. It burnt for six days, so you can imagine the devastation that it's caused to our great city. The thing is, I was at Antium when the fire started, but people seem to be blaming me for starting it! They say I wanted to clear an area of Roma so that I could build a new palace - a golden house. These malicious falsehoods haven't been helped by the fact that I was moved to sing and play the lyre while Roma burned. It was such a tragic sight, and I've always fancied myself as a bit of an artiste, that I felt I needed to sing. Of course, the people have taken this completely the wrong way and are saying that it showed I couldn't care less about the fire. But I did what I could - I opened the gates of my gardens for the refugees and ordered emergency accommodation to be put up.

I can't have these false rumours flying around against me - the Emperor! So I've decided to blame the fire on those troublesome Christians - the followers of Jesus Christ, who we Romans had put to death about 30 years ago. The government has decided they will be killed, and their deaths will be made into a public spectacle. We will dress the Christians in animal skins and have them torn to pieces by dogs. They will be crucified and burned. I will ensure that Roma is re-built from the ashes to be a great city once more. If I build religious temples and shrines, some lovely public buildings, and of course a new Circus Maximus, the people are bound to support me. But I still think I'll build myself a new palace anyway.

"They say I wanted to clear an area of Roma so that I could build a new palace - a golden house."

"It was such a tragic sight, and I've always fancied myself as a bit of an artiste, that I felt I needed to sing."

"I can't have these false rumours flying around against me - the Emperor! So I've decided to blame the fire on those troublesome Christians."

I am Gaius Tullius Cicero, a merchant. I was up at the Circus Maximus when the fire started.

Some say it was an accident, but others suspect that Emperor Nero deliberately started the fire. They say he wants to rebuild Roma and take all the glory for constructing lots of wonderful new buildings. He's already got a big palace, called the Domus Transitoria, but I've heard he wants to extend it and live in a Golden House. The plan apparently is for the Domus Transitoria to become the entrance hall to this new palace. Lots of new rooms and a grand garden will be added. I've never known an emperor to have such a huge house in such a central position!

He needed lots of land on which to build this new Golden House. As I said, it's right in the heart of Roma. It planned for an area where lots of ordinary Roman people lived. Their homes have now been destroyed by the fire, so in a way there's nothing to stop him from building his extension now. Apparently, Emperor Nero also did a rather strange thing while Roma was burning - he sang and played his lyre. We all know he enjoys being on the stage, which I think is rather unseemly for an emperor, but to do that kind of thing while Roma was on fire seems rather insensitive to me! Besides, in Roman society it's customary for the Emperor to receive praise when things go well. When disaster occurs, it's only right that he should take the blame.

"Some say it was an accident, but others suspect that Emperor Nero deliberately started the fire."

"Their homes have now been destroyed by the fire, so in a way there's nothing to stop him from building his extension now."

"Besides, in Roman society it's customary for the Emperor to receive praise when things go well. When disaster occurs, it's only right that he should take the blame."

I'm Antonia Caenis. I used to be a slave under the name of Caenis, but my mistress Antonia recently granted me freedom and now my name is Antonia Caenis.

Well, it was terrifying. I was working at the shop at Circus Maximus when someone suddenly shouted that fire had broken out. There were lots of things in the shops that could burn and the fire started to spread really quickly. It was a windy day too, which fanned the flames, and before I knew it I was running to save my life.

Well it spread down the whole of the Circus Maximus. It's a pretty big place, you know. Well it has to be for all the chariot racing and horse racing that takes place there. The flames seemed to climb the hills, before returning to the lower levels again. There was panic and confusion everywhere, people shrieking and shouting. I ran from one area to the next, but the flames just seemed to follow me. In desperation I joined lots of people that fled to the countryside. It was six days until that fire was extinguished. People had lost everything, including family, friends, homes and possessions. We've even lost some very important objects including written records, pieces of art, things that have been brought back from wars, even some very ancient shrines. Food has been brought in from Ostia and neighbouring towns, and the price of corn has been cut, but it's going to take a long time to get over this great fire.

"Well, it was terrifying. I was working at the shop at Circus Maximus when someone suddenly shouted that fire had broken out."

"There was panic and confusion everywhere, people shrieking and shouting. I ran from one area to the next, but the flames just seemed to follow me."

"Food has been brought in from Ostia and neighbouring towns, and the price of corn has been cut, but it's going to take a long time to get over this great fire."

I'm Paul, a Christian who follows Jesus Christ.

I've just been arrested by the Romans. The Emperor Nero blames a small group of Christians in Roma for starting the great fire, which destroyed large parts of the city. I'm proud to say I'm a Christian, but once we'd confessed our religion and been questioned, large groups of other people were also condemned. It looks like we're being punished for our religious beliefs - or persecuted, as we say.

He's threatening us with all sorts of horrible things. He says he's going to make a mockery of us. We've been told we're going to be covered in wild animal skins and dogs be set upon us. Some of us will be crucified, and others will be burnt. Nero says he's going to open up his gardens and the arena, and make a spectacle of our deaths. We are going to be sacrificed in a very brutal and inhumane manner. But, we put our faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God, and go to our deaths as martyrs.

"The Emperor Nero blames a small group of Christians in Roma for starting the great fire."

"It looks like we're being punished for our religious beliefs - or persecuted, as we say."

"We put our faith in Jesus Christ, the son of God, and go to our deaths as martyrs."

My name is Cornelius Tacitus. My family are quite wealthy. At school I'm learning all a Roman boy would need to know so that I too can get a good position in society.

I'm learning all about public speaking, law and debating, which will help me to get a career in politics or law. I also love to write. When I'm older I want to write about the history of the Roman Empire and describe important events such as the huge fire in Roma.

Well, so much has been happening...the empire's had lots of different Emperors, so I hope to write about them. There's been the invasion of other countries, like Britannia. That was 20 years ago, but then there was that rebellion by the Iceni tribe led by Boudicca only four years ago. And I'm sure there'll be lots of interesting events and people to write about in the future when I'm older. I think it's very important to write down what's been happening, so that future generations can know about these things. It's not easy though - people have different opinions on events, and that can often influence what they write. It's very important to remember that when you read history books. In other words, what's written often depends on how the author felt.

"When I'm older I want to write about the history of the Roman Empire and describe important events such as the huge fire in Roma."

"And I'm sure there'll be lots of interesting events and people to write about in the future when I'm older."

"It's not easy though - people have different opinions on events, and that can often influence what they write. It's very important to remember that when you read history books."