Which emperor blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome? (r. 54-68 AD)

Nero is correct. During the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, rumors spread that Emperor Nero had ordered the city burned to clear space for his grand building projects. To deflect blame, he accused the small, unpopular Christian community, leading to one of the earliest state persecutions of Christians. Roman historian Tacitus records that many were executed in gruesome public spectacles. Context helps memory: Nero (r. 54–68 AD) is the emperor linked with Rome’s great blaze and the opulent Domus Aurea that rose afterward. The famous line “Nero fiddled while Rome burned” is probably a myth (the violin didn’t exist), but it’s a handy cue: think Nero = fire, scapegoating Christians.