 It is uncertain who or what actually caused the fire — whether accident or arson . Suetonius and Cassius Dio favor Nero as the arsonist , so he could build a palatial complex . Tacitus mentions that Christians confessed to the crime , but it is not known whether these confessions were induced by torture . However , accidental fires were common in ancient Rome . In fact , Rome suffered other large fires in 69 and in 80 . 
 It <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>uncertain who or what actually caused the fire — whether accident or arson . Suetonius and Cassius Dio favor Nero as the arsonist , so he could build a palatial complex . Tacitus <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>mentions</mark></a> <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>Christians confessed to the crime , but it is not known whether these confessions <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> induced by torture . However , accidental fires <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> common in ancient Rome . In fact , Rome suffered other large fires in 69 and in 80 . 
It uncertain who or what actually caused da fire — whether accident or arson . Suetonius and Cassius Dio favor Nero as the arsonist , so he could build a palatial complex . Tacitus mention Christians confessed to the crime , but it ain't known whether these confessions was induced by torture . However , accidental fires was common in ancient Rome . In fact , Rome suffered other large fires in 69 and in 80 .