1. Nero’s Domus Aurea “At last I can begin to live like a human being”

2. The Emperor Nero

3. Portrait Bust of Nero from Cap. Museum • The city burned for 9 days • Nero’s Domus Aurea was built after the fire • Historians blame Nero for the fire

6. Nero

7. Graffito

8. Map of Rome

9. The Lower Story • Three main blocks separated by trapezoidal courts • 150 rooms • Water features in this part of the house

10. The Lower Story

11. The Upper Story • Octagonal room • Used for summer dining • Baths supplied sea and sulfer water

12. The Upper Story

13. The Oculus

14. The Domus Aurea • Prior to the restoration • 120 foot statue of Nero at entrance • Grounds originally covered the area where the colosseum is today

15. Plan of Domus Aurea

16. Wall Paintings

17. Wall Paintings

18. Features of the Property • Zoo • Enormous Lake • Giant statue of Nero

19. Nero’s Dining Room • Dining Room had rotating ceiling? • Guests saw the constellations • Scented perfume and flowers fell from the sky

20. The Oculus • Design similar to Pantheon • Main rotunda revolved day and night • Vault of heaven

21. Ceiling Frescos • Famous for decorations • Painter was Famulus • Painted only a few hours a day and in his toga

22. Extravagant Style • Vespacian destroyed part of the house • Drained the lake and built the colosseum • Later emperors took the art collection