The legacy of Ancient Rome can hardly be understated. Our calendar, languages, and law systems would have been very different had it not been for the Romans. Add to that their engineering prowess and practice of democracy (until the age of Empire) and what you get is by far the most advanced civilization of the ancient world. But that's not the only thing Ancient Rome is famous for, of course. The stories of its emperors' atrocities, debaucheries, and cruelties are at least as legendary. But are they true? Was Nero really playing the lute while the city was burning?
Did Caligula actually name a horse to be consul? Discover more about Ancient Rome's most outrageous emperors in this new gallery.