I find so many mentions of Nero as the antichrist or Nero as one of the most horrible men who have ever lived. Period. But how much of this is true[the criticism]? Is some of it slander, or did Nero actually set fire to Rome[Or had his agents do it]? Wikipedia is vague on this one, and the Twelve Caesars seems to be based on things which may or may not be propoganda.
Nero was the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, after that the emperor position was filled by a new one. Nero likely wasn't the best guy, but without a doubt much of what was written about him and some of his predecessors was propaganda to legitimize the new dynasty.