Tacitus, Annals of Imperial Rome
Summary
This reading highlighted the reign and crimes of Nero. It began with the great fire of Rome, which some claimed was instigated by the king himself. The majority of the city was burned, and many died. Nero, however, took the opportunity to build himself a far better palace and also instituted city planning reforms to help ensure another fire wouldn't happen. As Nero was quite an evil dictator, soon there was a plot on his life. The secret was remarkably well kept until the day before it happened, when one conspirator's slave gave them away for personal profit. Finding the conspiracy created in Nero a great fear so he began a witch hunt to find all those who might be—directly or indirectly—related to it, and killing them. Death seemed to be a common theme through his reign, where for the smallest ambition or excuse Nero ordered the death sentence.