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Nero on his new house, as Suetonius tells it

c. 64–68 CE, Rome. As Suetonius tells it, over a century later.

Where and when

c. 64–68 CERome

about 1,960 years ago

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Nero

, RomeAs Suetonius tells it, over a century later

In plain words, ours

When his grand new house was finished, all the praise he gave it was that now he had a home fit for a human being.

Upon the dedication of this magnificent house after it was finished, all he said in approval of it was, “that he had now a dwelling fit for a man.”

Suetonius, Life of Nero 31Translated by Alexander Thomson, revised by T. Forester (1889)Read the full passage (Suetonius, Life of Nero 31, opens gutenberg.org)

What was going on, our summary

Suetonius, writing over a century later, describes the huge house Nero built in Rome: fields, vineyards and woods inside its grounds, rooms covered in gold and jewels, and a round banquet hall that turned day and night.

Checked claim by claim against: the passage around the quote.

Why it matters

Suetonius says many Romans believed Nero started the Great Fire of Rome to clear land for this house, the Golden House.

Based on Wikipedia: Nero

Suetonius tells that many Romans believed the Great Fire of Rome was instigated by Nero to clear land for his planned "Golden House".

Wikipedia, Nero (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-09-26. Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Our line is checked against these sentences only.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. 64 CEabout 2 years earlier The Great Fire burns much of Rome Same years
  2. set in 64 CEabout 2 years earlier Nero watches the fire, as Suetonius tells it More from Nero
  3. by 64 CEabout 2 years earlier Nero on fire devouring the world, in Suetonius More from Nero
  4. set in 64 CEabout 2 years earlier Tacitus on the Great Fire of Rome Also in Rome
  5. set in 64 CEabout 2 years earlier Tacitus on the rumour that Nero sang of Troy Also in Rome
  6. 65 CE1 year earlier Nero orders his old tutor Seneca to die Also in Rome
  7. 66 CEAbout the same year Judaea rises against Rome Same years
  8. c. 64–68 CEThis momentNero on his new house, as Suetonius tells it
  9. 68 CEabout 2 years later Nero kills himself as the Senate declares him an enemy Same years
  10. set in 68 CEabout 2 years later Nero's last hours, as Suetonius tells it More from Nero
  11. 69 CEabout 3 years later Four emperors in one year Same years

Just before and after

The text around the quote, word for word from the same translation.

Show the passageHide the passage

Within its area were corn fields, vineyards, pastures, and woods, containing a vast number of animals of various kinds, both wild and tame. In other parts it was entirely over-laid with gold, and adorned with jewels and mother of pearl. The supper rooms were vaulted, and compartments of the ceilings, inlaid with ivory, were made to revolve, and scatter flowers; while they contained pipes which shed unguents upon the guests. The chief banqueting room was circular, and revolved perpetually, night and day, in imitation of the motion of the celestial bodies. The baths were supplied with water from the sea and the Albula.

The quote: Upon the dedication of this magnificent house after it was finished, all he said in approval of it was, “that he had now a dwelling fit for a man.”

He commenced making a pond for the reception of all the hot streams from Baiae, which he designed to have continued from Misenum to the Avernian lake, in a conduit, enclosed in galleries; and also a canal from Avernum to Ostia, that ships might pass from one to the other, without a sea voyage. The length of the proposed canal was one hundred and sixty miles; and it was intended to be of breadth sufficient to permit ships with five banks of oars to pass each other.

Suetonius, Life of Nero 31Translated by Alexander Thomson, revised by T. Forester (1889)Read the full passage (opens gutenberg.org)

When, and whose words

Date
c. 64–68 CE. The Golden House was built after the fire of 64 CE and before his death in 68 CE. Suetonius wrote c. 120 CE.
Whose words
As Suetonius tells it, over a century later.
How this post was checked
  • The plain-words line was read against the quote alone by a second, independent pass, which found it adds no claim the quote does not make (2026-10-03).
  • Each claim in the summary was checked by an independent pass against only the material it cites.
  • The quote itself is checked by the build: word for word, once, at the cited section of the stored translation.

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