In A.D. 64, on the night of July 19, a fire began beneath the stands of Rome's great stadium that spread to engulf much of Rome. From this calamity, one of the ancient world's most devastating events, legends grew--that Nero was responsible for the fire and fiddled while Rome burned and that he blamed the Christians and burned them alive as punishment, making them the first recorded martyrs of Christianity in Rome. Dando-Collins introduces the fascinating cavalcade of historical characters who were in Rome and played a part in the great drama. Using ancient sources, as well as modern archaeology, he describes the fire itself, and its aftermath, as Nero personally directed relief efforts and reconstruction.

Compact discs. Duration: ca. 9:00:00. "Tracks Every 3 Minutes for Easy Bookmarking"--Container.