Prompt Cast
Nero's Reign and the Construction of the Domus Aurea
TLDR Nero, one of the worst Roman Emperors, took advantage of the great fire in Rome to blame it on Christians and build his extravagant palace, the Domus Aurea. The palace, featuring extensive use of gold leaf and precious gems, was later torn down by Emperor Vespasian, but its ruins still contain some of the best examples of original Roman art.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Nero, one of the worst Roman Emperors, reacted poorly to the great fire in Rome and built the Domus Aurea in its aftermath.
01:26
Nero, a disliked Roman Emperor, came to power at a young age and had his own mother killed, and his reign was defined by the Great Fire of Rome.
02:41
A massive fire destroyed two-thirds of Rome, with three districts completely destroyed and seven suffering heavy damage, and while there is no hard evidence connecting Nero to the fire, there are legends that he either set the fire or did nothing to prevent it.
03:54
Nero took advantage of the fire by blaming it on Christians, initiating the first great persecution of Christians in history, and used the destruction as an opportunity to build his extravagant palace, the Domus Aurea.
05:12
Nero's extravagant palace, the Domus Aurea, featured extensive use of gold leaf, frescoes, precious gems, a three-story high portico, a rotating dome, vineyards, gardens, a massive lake, and a 120 foot tall golden statue of himself, making it the largest building ever built in antiquity, but it was never technically completed and Nero ended up killing himself four years after the fire.
06:26
The Emperor Vespasian tore down most of the Domus Aurea and moved the Colossus of Nero to build the Flavian amphitheater, which later became known as the Colosseum, while the ruins of the palace were rediscovered in the 15th century and attracted artists of the time.
07:42
The remaining parts of Nero's palace, which still contain some of the best examples of original Roman art, have recently reopened to the public after being closed for restoration work.
