 Two American sailors, Fiorello (Carlo Campanini) and Jimmy (Walter Chiari) are slugged while sight-seeing in Rome and, together, they dream they are back in Rome in the days of Nero. They embark on a series of mis-adventures that include a pocket billiard contest with Nero (Gino Cervi), the establishment of an amusement park, a football(American football, not Soccer) game with a Grecian urn as the pigskin and a 1950 s jam session with Roman musicians. They become favorites of Nero and his adviser Tigellius (Giulio Donnini) becomes jealous and goes to Sophonisbo the Sorceress (Alda Mangini) for a potion which will turn Nero s favor to hatred; Jimmy and Fiorella also visit her seeking a love potion which will make Marcus (Piero Palermini) fall in love with their handmaiden friend Licia (Jackie Frost.) The potions are switched which leads to a series of confusions climaxed when Nero surprises Jimmy making love to Empress Poppea (Silvana Pampanini.) They are soon in a chariot fleeing for their lives, followed by a second chariot driven by Nero.