inevitably, he catches the eye of one of the cruelest and most sadistic rulers in roman history, emperor niero. in the summer of 64 a.d., a raging fire burns rome for six days, destroying two-thirds of the city. >> people say that emperor niero started the fire so he could advance his own building projects. >> some of rome needed to catch on fire so that he could build the kind of temples and things that he wanted to honor himself. >> rumors that niero started the fire himself begin to fly, and he needs a skcapegoat.