Nero fiddle while

Add photo. Top cast Edit. Frances Day Poppaea as Poppaea. Francis L. Sullivan Nero as Nero. Diana Decker Lydia as Lydia. Elisabeth Welch Nora as Nora. Mary Clare Volumnia as Volumnia. Ernest Milton Titus as Titus. Frederick Piper Auctioneer as Auctioneer.

Robert Wyndham Lionkeeper as Lionkeeper. Danny Green Lictor as Lictor. Kay Kendall Girl as Girl uncredited. Alec Mango Secretary as Secretary uncredited. Harry Watt. History Vault. Recommended for you. How the Union Defended Washington, D. During the Civil War. Even if Nero did perform while Rome burned, it most likely would not have been with knowledge of the fire taking place, and it would not have been a fiddle. This is due to the fact that the fiddle was not invented until much later, possibly in the 11 th century.

If indeed Nero was playing some sort of musical instrument, the most likely candidate would be the cithara , an ancient Greek musical instrument in the family of the lyre. According to Tacitus, Nero opened up the Campus Martius and the public gardens for the people who lost their homes. In addition, he raised temporary structures, and even opened up his own gardens to shelter his subjects.

In order to feed them, he brought food supplies from Ostia and the neighbouring towns, and the price of corn was reduced. Nevertheless, it is the image of Nero as the ruthless and conniving emperor that has remained in place over the centuries. Furthermore, two future emperors, Otho and Vitellius, would use the memory of Nero to gain the support of the Roman people. Thus, it may be said that the negative image that we have of Nero may not be entirely due to the evilness of the emperor himself, but due partially to the historians who wrote unfavourably about him.

This also leads us to question how much of what we know about Nero really is true. For example, according to popular accounts, Nero took great pleasure in throwing Christians to packs of dogs, and host parties while he and his guests watched Christians burning on stakes in his garden. The Sibylline Oracles, Book 5 and 8, written in the 2nd century, claimed Nero was the antichrist, and it has even been suggested that the number in the Book of Revelation is a code for Nero.

The brutality of Rome and its emperors is well known and well recorded, as was the persecution of Christians, but are such horror stories ascribed to Nero based on fact, or has history been manipulated by those who sought to use it to gain and maintain power?

Historians today continue to search for answers to these questions, and as excavations on his palace continue, more and more information is emerging about Nero and the world he reigned over. As for Rome, a city made of marble and stone grew from the ashes of the Great Fire.

Ask History, Did Nero really fiddle while Rome burned?. Clark, J. Did Nero really play the fiddle while Rome burned?. Gill, N. Nero Burning Rome.

Gyles, M. Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned. Upton, E. Wikipedia, Although his primary interest is in the ancient civilizations of the Near East, he is also interested in other geographical regions, as well as other time periods Read More. The US President has been criticised for inaccurately claiming that a vaccine will be available soon, that there are tests available for every American who needs one , and that the virus will be killed off by the Spring weather.

Nero was blamed for ignoring a serious matter, and neglecting his people while they suffered. In the summer of AD 64, Rome was devastated by a huge fire that lasted six days. The Romans wanted someone to blame, and they looked to their already despised Emperor.