Perhaps the best example of early Roman imperial machismo, Nero had this gaudy monstrosity built after the Great Fire of Rome. Thought to have been as big as 300 acres, this gilded and bejewelled palace contained vineyards, pastures with flocks, groves and a manmade lake. To top it off, Nero commissioned a 35 meter tall bronze statue of himself to be placed just outside the main entrance reassuring any doubters as to who exactly owned the building.
The Palace was known as a party villa considering there were over 300 rooms, none of which were sleeping quarters. The list of ridiculous extravagancies goes on forever, one standout being a mechanism, powered by slaves, that rotated the domed ceiling of the grand dining hall "as the heavens" while raining rose petals onto Nero's guests below.