"The Golden House," said Sententia Pubicus reporter Marcus Lucretius Festus, "is unlike anything Rome has seen before. Buildings remarkable for their size and design nestle among artificial fields, woods, and ponds, and line a giant pool. Inside, the walls of some of the 120 plus rooms are covered with gold, and frescoes of fantastic color and detail line the walls. Even the ceilings are painted with colorful designs, and the ivory dining rooms ceiling panels can retract to rain down flowers and perfume on guests. Both salt and fresh water are piped into private baths, but the most amazing feature is yet to come. In a remarkable feat of engineering, the Golden House even features a rotating dining room. The walls are lined with the best statues from all over the roman empire, but the greek statues appear to be especially popular with the emperor. Of course, Nero's favorite statue is most certainly that one of himself built by Zenodorus. The over-100 foot tall bronze statue of Nero stands in the vestibule of the Golden House, and overlooks the Forum."
Despite all this, Nero does not appear to recognize the luxuriousness of his new pleasure palace. In fact, a servant informed Festus that Nero's remark at the Golden House's completion was, "At last I am able to live as a human being should!" As wonderful as it may be for Emperor Nero, however, not everyone is so enthusiastic about the Golden House's size and opulence. In addition to heavy taxation to pay for the project, Roman citizens are now complaining that the palace increases traffic on Rome's already crowded streets. Not only that, rumors are still circulating that blame Nero for starting the Great Fire of 64 CE in order to clear land for the Golden House. While the true cause of the fire cannot be known, one thing is certain; Nero's Golden House is unlike anything ever before seen in the Roman Empire.
