Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his death in AD 68.

Nero was born at Antium in AD 37, the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger, a great-granddaughter of the emperor Augustus. When Nero was three, his father died; when Nero was eleven, his mother married the emperor Claudius who adopted Nero as his heir. When Claudius died in AD 54, Nero became emperor with the support of the Praetorian Guard and Senate. In the early years of his reign, Nero was advised and guided by his mother Agrippina, his tutor Seneca the Younger, and his praetorian prefect Sextus Afranius Burrus, but soon sought to rule independently and rid himself of restraining influences. His power struggle with his mother was eventually resolved when he had her murdered. Roman sources implicate Nero in the deaths of both his wife Claudia Octavia – supposedly so he could marry Poppaea Sabina – and his stepbrother Britannicus.

Nero's practical contributions to Rome's governance focused on diplomacy, trade, and culture. He ordered the construction of amphitheaters, and promoted athletic games and contests. He made public appearances as an actor, poet, musician, and charioteer, which scandalized his aristocratic contemporaries as these occupations were usually the domain of slaves, public entertainers, and infamous persons. The provision of such entertainments made Nero popular among lower-class citizens, but his performances undermined the Imperial dignity. The costs involved were borne by local elites either directly or through taxation, and were much resented by the Roman aristocracy.

During Nero's reign, the general Corbulo fought the Roman–Parthian War of 58–63, and made peace with the hostile Parthian Empire. The Roman general Suetonius Paulinus quashed a major revolt in Britain led by queen Boudica. The Bosporan Kingdom was briefly annexed to the empire, and the First Jewish–Roman War began. When the Roman senator Vindex rebelled, with support from the eventual Roman emperor Galba, Nero was declared a public enemy and condemned to death in absentia. He fled Rome, and on 9 June AD 68 committed suicide. His death sparked a brief period of civil war known as the Year of the Four Emperors.

Most Roman sources offer overwhelmingly negative assessments of his personality and reign. Most contemporary sources describe him as tyrannical, self-indulgent, and debauched. The historian Tacitus claims the Roman people thought him compulsive and corrupt. Suetonius tells that many Romans believed the Great Fire of Rome was instigated by Nero to clear land for his planned "Golden House". Tacitus claims Nero seized Christians as scapegoats for the fire and had them burned alive, seemingly motivated not by public justice, but personal cruelty. Some modern historians question the reliability of ancient sources on Nero's tyrannical acts, considering his popularity among the Roman commoners. In the eastern provinces of the Empire, a popular legend arose that Nero had not died and would return. After his death, at least three leaders of short-lived, failed rebellions presented themselves as "Nero reborn" to gain popular support.

Christianity began as a small sect within Judaism in the first century CE and gradually expanded beyond its Jewish roots to encompass a diverse group of believers from all walks of life. Early missionaries established new communities of believers and wrote letters and other works that helped to define and spread the teachings of Christianity. Another important factor in the spread of Christianity was its message of hope and salvation.

Nero, the infamous Roman Emperor who ruled from 54 to 68 CE, is notorious for his persecution of Christians.

Nero was known for his authoritarian rule and was often at odds with various groups in Roman society, including the Senate, the military, and the Jewish population. Christianity was seen as a threat to the established order, as it rejected the traditional Roman gods and did not recognize the authority of the emperor.

As a new and growing religion in the Roman Empire, Christianity challenged traditional social hierarchies by promoting the idea of equality and brotherhood among all believers, regardless of social status or background. This may have been seen as a threat by some members of Roman society, particularly those in positions of power and influence. The Roman Empire was a polytheistic society, and the worship of traditional gods was seen as essential to maintaining the favor of the gods and ensuring the stability of the state.

The persecution of Christians by Nero began in the year 64 CE, after a great fire swept through Rome, destroying much of the city. According to the Roman historian Tacitus, Nero himself may have been responsible for starting the fire, although this claim is disputed by some scholars.
Nero was eager to deflect blame for the disaster, and he seized upon the growing Christian community as a convenient scapegoat.

The persecution of Christians under Nero was marked by extreme brutality and cruelty, and some of the most horrific methods of execution were reserved for those who refused to renounce their faith. Nero preferred to publicly execute those who refused to renounce their faith. At times, Christians were pitted against savage animals, such as dogs, in a gruesome display of violence and bloodshed. At others, victims were crucified.

Another particularly gruesome form of execution was to burn Christians alive as human torches.
According to some accounts, Nero would have Christians tied to stakes and covered in tar or pitch before setting them alight. According to Christian tradition, the apostles Peter and Paul were both martyred during Nero’s reign.

The traditionsuggested that Peter was crucified upside-down during Nero's persecution of Christians. The second famous victim of Nero's persecution was Paul, (Saint Paul). According to tradition, Paul was beheaded during Nero's persecution of Christians, likely sometime between 64 and 67 CE.

Although there was no Roman law nehind the killing of Christians, there was "ample precedent for suppressing foreign superstitions" prior to Nero. Precedent was based on the strong feeling that only the ancestral Gods ought to be worshipped. Such feeling could "acquire the force of law", since the ancestral customs – the Mos maiorum – were the most important source of Roman law. "Nero's mass executions ... set [such] a precedent, and thereafter the mere fact of 'being a Christian' was sufficient for state officials to impose capital punishment"