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The Great Fire of Rome: The Fall of the Emperor Nero and His City Hardcover – September 7, 2010

by Stephen Dando-Collins (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 31 ratings
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On the night of July 19, AD 64, a fire began beneath the stands of Rome's great stadium, the Circus Maximus. For more than a week the fire spread, engulfing most of the city and nearly burning it to the ground. With its capital in ruins, Rome's powerful empire teetered on the edge of collapse as Nero struggled desperately to save his empire…and his skin.

In The Great Fire of Rome, Dando-Collins takes readers through the streets of ancient Rome, where unrest simmers, and into the imperial palace, where political intrigue seethes, relating a pot-boiler story filled with fascinating historical characters who will determine the course of an empire. It is an unforgettable human drama that brings ancient Rome and the momentous events of 64 AD scorchingly to life.

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  1. Print length
    288 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Da Capo Press
  4. Publication date
    September 7, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0306818906
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0306818905
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Australian-born historian Dando-Collins vividly recreates one of history's most famous events. On a warm summer night in 64 C.E., a small fire broke out in a Roman shop; fanned by winds, the fire spread quickly, destroying huge parts of the city. The emperor, Nero, an accomplished lyre player and singer, was in Antium for a singing competition, and when news of the fire reached him, he reluctantly set sail for home. Nero announced an ambitious rebuilding plan, with bounties for landowners who completed reconstruction of buildings on their land in a prescribed period. Nero also planned for wider streets, which made him unpopular with many. Seeking to assign blame for the fire, Nero settled on the priests of Isis, persecuting them at public festivals. This drew the ire of Nero's critics, who believed the emperor himself had set the fire. Nero spent the last four years of his life in seclusion. Drawing heavily upon the conflicting accounts of the fire and Nero's rise and demise in the works of Roman historians Tacitus, Suetonius, and Cassius Dio, historian Dando-Collins energetically recreates the days leading up to the fire, the conflagration itself, and the subsequent decline of Nero's fortunes. 8 pages of b&w photos, maps.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Surprisingly little nonfiction exists for a general audience about the Great Fire of Rome…Dando-Collins fills this gap with an exciting, novelistic account of the fire that remains solidly grounded in the primary source literature…This book will appeal to general Roman history buffs and students with its fast pacing and dramatic content. Recommended.” Italian America, Fall 2010
“Expos[es] the secrets and scandals surrounding this infamous historical event and separat[es] truth from legend.”
Kingman Daily Miner, 10/8/10
“A page-turner and an insightful eye-opener to ancient Roman history…Brilliantly written and highly recommended.” San Francisco Book Review website, 11/4/10
“Dando-Collins presents another side to the story…[His] hypotheses are well-researched…The language is refreshing, simple, and not overly academic…The book retains intrigue as Dando-Collins moves from the underlying turmoil that led up to the fire to the slow dethroning of Nero. Overall, it is an easy, entertaining read.” Midwest Book Review, November 2010“A fine addition to any history collection focusing on the time of antiquity.” 

Publishers Weekly, 7/26/10
“Dando-Collins vividly recreates one of history’s most famous events…Dando-Collins energetically recreates the days leading up to the fire, the conflagration itself, and the subsequent decline of Nero’s fortunes.”

WTVF (CBS, Nashville), 9/7/10
“Did Nero really set fire to Rome in 64AD? More than just a convenient slam against a failed emperor, this book solves the historical puzzle and is interesting reading.”

Internet Review of Books, September 2010“Dando-Collins manages the narrative skillfully, burying his transitions so that the story flows as easily and inevitably as the Tiber. The cruelty and violence are appalling but fascinating, and they help keep the pages turning…He writes with admirable enthusiasm and a good grasp of the things that interest him most, military affairs, plots, and power plays…Enjoy it!” Washington Times, 9/17“Dando-Collins takes readers inside ancient Rome and its political intrigues that unfold alongside a momentous human drama.” Asbury Park Press, 9/19

Military Heritage, January 2011“Dando-Collins gives us an entirely different view of the events that led to the cataclysmic inferno that engulfed Rome on the evening of July 19, AD 64…[His] account of Nero’s brief life, the conspiracy that was concocted against him, and the great fire that consumed 70 percent of the Eternal City is intriguing.” Asbury Park Press, 1/16/11
“Dando-Collins' chronicle of Nero's career is presented in the context of the dynamics of the empire as well as the lives of ordinary people in Rome in the first century. For most readers, it will shed new and interesting light on the man and the era.” Reference & Research Book News, February 2011
“An excellent corrective to myth and a good introduction to first-century Roman history.” Collected Miscellany, 4/25/11
“Dando-Collins does a superb job of describing the various plots to overthrow Nero and how he reacted to each threat…A fascinating look at ancient Rome and the power politics of the last days of the Caesar dynasty. Dando-Collins captures the scheming and back-stabbing among the power elite…A must-read for anyone interested in the politics of Rome.”

 



“This book explores that fateful (for Rome, at least) night of July 19 in the year 64, when a blaze began beneath the Circus Maximus—ancient Rome's version of Madison Square Garden.” PopMatters.com, 9/22“Nero and the Great Fire of Rome is a tale that begs to be told; it is a heck of a good story…It is entertaining. It moves quickly and delivers its main points well.” The Lone Star, September 2010“[A] totally interesting book…You will learn the many secrets and the scandals that surround this most mysterious of historical event.”
InfoDad.com, 9/30/10“Very well-written and very well-paced…What Dando-Collins does so well, in addition to re-creating the sense of Rome 2,000 years ago, is explain both the confluence of events leading to the fire and the later circumstances that led to the besmirching of Nero’s name…A clearheaded, intelligent look at what sort of man the last Caesar seems really to have been, and how the devastating fire for which he was wrongly blamed led to the ruin of his rule and reputation.”
Bookviews.com, October 2010“Heavily researched” Library Journal, 10/08/10

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Press (September 7, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0306818906
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0306818905
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

About the author

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Stephen Dando-Collins

Stephen Dando-Collins

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Stephen Dando-Collins is the multi-award-winning author of 47 books, including biographies, works on ancient and modern history, and children's novels. British reviewer, noted playwright Robin Hawdon, calls him as "the modern age's foremost dramatizer of Greek and Roman history," while American reviewer bestselling military author Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman has described him as "a literary giant." The majority of Dando-Collins's works deal with military history ranging from Greek, Persian and Roman times to American, British and Australian 19th century history and World War I and World War II. Many of his books have been translated into foreign languages including Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Albanian and Korean.. Considered an authority on the legions of ancient Rome, his 2010 book LEGIONS OF ROME has been called the definitive work on Rome's imperial legions, and was the culmination of decades of research into the individual legions. With all his books, Dando-Collins aims to travel roads that others have not, unearthing new facts and opening new perspectives on often forgotten or overlooked people and aspects of history. In 2023 he has two new releases, 'REBELS AGAINST ROME: 400 Years of Rebellions Against the Rule of Rome,' (January, Turner Publishing),,and the already highly acclaimed 'SEVEN AGAINST THEBES: The Quest of the Original Magnificent Seven,' (September, Turner Publishing.)

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
31 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Philip Ross Gordon
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Excellent Book
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2012
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This is another superb book by Stephen Dando-Collins. I have enjoyed his series on famous Roman legions, and was anxious to read this when I saw that it was available. It did not disappoint. His narrative is based on ancient sources and speculation is well-controlled and useful. Dando-Collins is a fine stylist and a serious researcher. His portrait of Nero is the most well-balanced that I have tread in years. I strongly recommend this book.
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Mike Dillemuth
4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding look at the rise and fall of the Emperor Nero.
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
Overall, this is another great work by the author, Dando-Collins. Although this book is non-fiction, it reads like a novel. The narrative moves quickly and the historical events appear to be the result of extensive research. The author frequently cites original sources throughout the book. In certain cases, he highlights where historical sources are vague or in conflict with each other.

The book covers much more than the great fire. It is a comprehensive look at the rise and fall of Nero. That said, the fire is still covered in detail. The author describes events leading up to the fire, the cause of the inferno, and the political aftermath. Many people blamed Nero and several assassination plots were uncovered. Numerous people were put to death, regardless of their guilt. Toward the end of his reign, Nero focused more on singing competitions than real world politics. His inability to comprehend the political danger from rivals eventually led to his untimely death.

This book is a great follow on to Dando-Collins’ previous work, “Blood of the Caesars” which also covers Nero’s reign, along with the other Julian emperors.

Bottom line: This is a well written narrative. It is an easy read that is well documented. The average reader will certainly come away more enlightened for having read this book.
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Christopher E. Arnold
3.0 out of 5 stars The small text on the cover should be the bold title
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2014
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This book has almost 0 to do with the great fire of Rome. 2 chapters give or take a few fleeting mentions. The rest was OK but not exactly the subject I was looking for.
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Damian Dodge
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2013
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Once again this author trumps himself with each book. Very informative and actually gives you a better idea on the rule of Nero.
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Jack Fish
4.0 out of 5 stars some speculation not really supported but over all an excellent picture of Rome at the time of Nero and ...
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
some speculation not really supported but over all an excellent picture of Rome at the time of Nero and a more sympathetic view of this teen who ruled the most powerful nation in the world.
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Bradley
2.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely dishonest...
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2014
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Dando-Collins is always an amusing read. He tells an entertaining story and I have occasionally recommended his books for airplane reading. That said, of all of D-C's works, The Great Fire Of Rome has some of the worst, most dishonest citation I have ever seen. Using his depiction of Nero's last words is a small, nitpicking example:

"Too late!" Nero gasped, looking up at the centurion with bulging eyes. "Is this your duty?" he asked. [11]

This doesn't sound right to me, so let us take a look at [11] and see where Dando-Collins got this quotation. Notes 8-11 are sourced as Suetonius 6.47. Okay, let's find what translation D-C has used. Hmm. The Bibliography doesn't even list Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars, in my copy. That seems like an impossible mistake. I suppose we could blame the editor. Fine, we will check his quotation against both Robert Graves (Penguin Classics), J. C. Rolfe (Loeb Classical Library) and, heck, we'll even check it against the Latin.

Graves translates the final lines:

Nero muttered, 'Too late! But, ah, what fidelity!'

Rolfe's translation is:

He was all but dead when a centurion rushed in, and as he placed a cloak to the wound, pretending that he had come to aid him, Nero merely gasped: "Too late!" and "This is fidelity!"

The Latin:

"Sero," et: "Haec est fides."

Even for a beginner in Latin, this phrase is simple and its meaning clear - and the translations both get it right - Nero is speaking of the Centurion's futile attempt to save his life as fidelity, he is mistaken that this is a demonstration of loyalty. He is contrasting this "fidelity" against the "infidelity" of the Guardsmen, bodyguards, and everyone else that has recently abandoned him. What he isn't doing, is asking the Centurion any rhetorical questions about duty or purpose. D-C removes Suetonius' final example of Nero's confusion and replaces it with perception.

There are a plethora of quotes that D-C provides citation for that the source cited doesn't feature at all. As with the example I've provided, if the quote is even "sort of" there, D-C often reverses its meaning or takes it completely out of context. This is unacceptable. Ironically, several of the "positive" editorial reviews that are quoted in Amazon's product description of the book, are taken completely out of context, too.

For example:

Bookviews.com, October 2010
"Heavily researched"

What the review by Alan Caruba, a blogger on science with casual interest in history, actually says, is:

It is not that the book isn't heavily researched. It is that every single bit of research finds its way into what would otherwise be expected to be a fairly riveting story of a major historical event. The result is a story bogged down in minutia.

Dishonesty aside, if D-C's books were in the historical fiction or alternate history category, where they belong, I would gladly rate most of his books four and five stars. But I cannot get behind a "history book" that has worse scholarship than Wikipedia.

I highly recommend anyone interested in The Great Fire and Nero's reign to read the contemporaries, keeping in mind that they are uniformly hostile (whereas D-C seems to think he's a decent guy).  The Twelve Caesars (Penguin Classics)  by Suetonius is a sensational, gossip-filled biography that discusses the fire and is all we have on Nero's death (Tacitus' version is lost to us).  Annals (Penguin Classics)  by Tacitus gives a more fair and reserved biography, and slightly different view of the fire and Nero's response. On the city of Rome, and the ease with which an accidental fire could (and on occasion did) consume it completely, see  The Ancient Roman City (Ancient Society and History)  by Stambaugh.
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pmlvr1969
5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of detail
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2011
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Stephen Collins does it again. Another great book from his line. Lots of detail and keeps you wanting more.
2 people found this helpful
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lordhoot
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting reading behind the Great Fire of Rome
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2010
This book reflects on the how the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD led to the fall of Emperor Nero four years later. Much of the book is filled with background material prior to the fire. However, from the author's point of view, it did appears that Nero initially tried to fight the fires although later on, he took advantages of what the end result of the fire provided him. Interestingly, the book didn't write much about the Christians being tormented as we see in some Hollywood movies. Perhaps the author realized (as many of us already knew) that there wasn't enough Christians in Rome during that time to create a scapegoat complex. So Nero went after the followers of Egyptian Goddess Iris who were more numerous in number. Nero seek a scapegoat because the growing rumours even back then, that he had a hand in the fire. Despite of Nero's best efforts, this wasn't going away so he needed a fall guy to take the blame. The book covered the fact that even afterward, many Roman historians still blame Nero for the fire. Whether this was a calculated effort at misinformation, it hard to tell. The book does say that most of Nero's contemporary historians does NOT blame Nero for the fire. But the negative press that Nero suffered from the fire during his life time, plus his frivolous lifestyle and his murderous tendencies, led to his downfall which was universally hailed in great rejoicing. The book does a very good job in describing all that in a very readable material. The author does take certain "liberties" with drama within the historical context but overall, I found the book highly entertaining and somewhat educational.
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