12 Historical "Facts" That Simply Aren't True

2. Emperor Nero Did Not Play His Fiddle While Rome Burned... In Fact He Was 30miles Away When The Fire Broke Out

The Great Fire of Rome devastated the capital of the great Empire between July 18th and 26th in the year 64 CE - and Emperor Nero has been accused of both starting the fire himself, as well as playing the fiddle while the population suffered.

Supposedly, Nero decided to start the fire so he could take credit for eventually stopping the devastation that ensued - and then ran up into the Tower of Maecenas and enjoyed himself by playing the fiddle, singing and watching his subjects suffer.

However, Tacitus - one of the most-trustworthy historians of the time - documents that Nero was not even in Rome at the time, but was a full 30miles away at his villa in Antium. Although this doesn't end suspicion that Nero was involved in the breakout of the fire - he still could have commanded it even if he wasn't there - it does suggest that the Emperor could not have been in the tower playing music while panic erupted across the capital.