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Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, commonly referred to as 'Nero,' ruled the world for thirteen years, from 54 to 68 AD. During his reign, Rome's theaters and games were heavily patronized. Thousands of innocents were martyred before the mob. Nero himself was widely believed to have caused the Great Fire of Rome - in an attempt to clear some land for a property extension - and to have blamed the disaster's origins on the Christians. A cruel young tyrant with an Oedipus complex who was generally unpopular with the populace, Nero lived hard and fast and committed suicide at the age of 30. In Nero, historian Jacob Abbott sheds light on the main events and participants in the amazing life story of Ancient Rome's fifth emperor.