Imagine being the most powerful person in the world, and then losing it all. That is what happened to Emperor Nero of Rome. Nero became emperor when he was just 16 years old. At first, he had good advisors who helped him lead wisely. But over time, Nero began making choices that hurt his people. He spent huge amounts of money on elaborate palaces and performances. He even built a giant golden house called the Domus Aurea. When a great fire burned much of Rome in 64 AD, many Romans blamed Nero. Some believed he had not done enough to stop it. By the year 68, rebellions broke out across the empire. Roman generals in Spain and Gaul refused to follow Nero's orders. The Roman Senate declared him a public enemy. On June 9, 68 AD, Nero's rule came to an end. He was the last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the family line that had ruled Rome for nearly 100 years. After Nero, four different men fought to become emperor in a single year. Historians call this the Year of the Four Emperors. It was one of the most chaotic times in Roman history.