The bulk of what is known of Nero comes from Tacitus , Suetonius and Cassius Dio , who were all of the senatorial class . Tacitus and Suetonius wrote their histories on Nero over fifty years after his death , while Cassius Dio wrote his history over 150 years after Nero 's death . These sources contradict on a number of events in Nero 's life including the death of Claudius , the death of Agrippina , and the Roman fire of 64 , but they are consistent in their condemnation of Nero .