te his theatrical successes in the home of the Muses, in 66 A. D.
Nero visited Greece and exhibited his talent at the Olympian and Delphic
games.

*The fire in Rome and the first persecution of the Christians, 64 A. D.*
In 64 A. D. a tremendous fire, which lasted for six continuous days and
broke out a second time, devastated the greater part of the city of Rome.
Subsequently, Nero was accused of having caused the fire, but there is
absolutely no proof of his guilt. However, he did seize the opportunity to
rebuild the damaged quarter on a new plan which did away with the
offensive slum districts, and to erect his famous "Golden House," a
magnificent palace and park on the Esquiline. Popular opinion demanded
some scapegoat for the disaster, and Nero laid the blame upon the
Christians in Rome, possibly at the instigation of the Jews whose
community was divided by the spread of Christian doctrines. Many
Christians were condemned as incendiaries, and suffered painful and
ignominious deaths. This was the first persecution of the Christians.

*The Armenian problem, 51-67 A. D.* In 51 A. D. an able and ambitious
ruler, Vologases, came to the Parthian throne. He soon found a chance to
set his brother Tiridates on the throne of Armenia and was able to
maintain him there until the death of Claudius. However, at the accession
of Nero, Caius Domitius Corbulo was sent to Cappadocia to reassert the
Roman suzerainty over Armenia. At first Vologases abandoned Armenia, owing
to a revolt in Parthia, but in 58 A. D. Tiridates reappeared on the scene
and war broke out. In two campaigns Corbulo was able to occupy the country
and set up a Roman nominee as the Armenian king (60 A. D.). It was not
long before the latter was driven out by Vologases, who succeeded in
surrounding a Roman force under Caesennius Paetus, the new commander in
Cappadocia, and forcing him to purchase his safety by concluding an
agreement favorable to the Parthian (62 A. D.). The situation was saved by
Corbulo, then legate of Syria, who was finally entrusted with the sole
command of operations and forced Vologases to meet the Roman terms (63
A. D.). Tiridates retained the Armenian throne, but acknowledged the Roman
overlordship by coming to Rome to receive his crown from Nero's hands.

*The revolt in Britain, 60 A. D.* Under Claudius the Romans had extended
their dominion in Britain as far north as the Humber, and westwards to
Cornwall and Wales. In 59 A. D. Suetonius