While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. How did Caligula become emperor? Lazzaro Baldi (1624-1703). Rampaging through Rome committing murder, adultery and acts of debauchery, his reign came to an abrupt end when he was brutally assassinated after only four years. Caligula took every step to ensure his popularity when he became emperor. Drusilla, Caligulas sister, is seated to the right of Felix, who is center. In 38 he executed Naevius Sutorius Macro, prefect of the Praetorian Guard, to whose support he owed his accession, and Tiberius Gemellus, grandson of Tiberius, whom he had supplanted in the succession. Cruel and tyrannicalEmperor Caligula ruled Ancient Rome through fear and terror. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. The 11 Most Sexually Depraved Things the Roman Emperors Ever Did DeAgostini/Getty Images. Female gladiators are often referred to in ancient texts as ludia (female performers in a ludi, a festival or entertainment) or as mulieres (women) but not often as feminae (ladies) suggesting to some scholars that only lower-class women were drawn to the arena. If a Roman wanted to honor someone on meeting them, or ingratiate themselves with them, they gave the other person the upper hand in the handshake deliberately offering their right hand palm up, so that the other person had the dominant position, palm down, Dando-Collins wrote. Caligula saw himself as a god, but no matter how hard he tried, most people still only saw him as an emperor. Claudius completed the Roman annexation of Britain. He was the third of the six surviving children of the couple. Caligula didnt host orgies, but that was in part because Tiberius, who was actually a known pedophile, forced him to have sex with male prostitutes as a teenager. The great-great grandson of Julius Caesar certainly left his mark by his possible madness and definitely horrific acts. Caligula seemed to be interested in anything that wasnt running the empire. But Caligulas death wasnt enough for those who were fed up with his reign. Tiberius was responsible for wiping out most of Caligulas family, but when the emperor offered to make Caligula his heir, the boy wasnt about to say no! Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Caligula is often remembered as a selfish and capricious ruler whose ineptitude weakened the Roman empire during his four-year reign. Later detractors used Caligula as a way of ridiculing him, Dando-Collins added. And Tacitus, during a lengthy diatribe in which he accuses Caligulas sister Agrippinawife of the Emperor Claudiusof incest with her son, never implicates her brother. Gaius and his three sisters survived. What can we say, when it came to hedonism, Caligula was way ahead of his time. Caligula, known for his taste for opulent luxury and love of outlandish parties, had the "pleasure boats" equipped with artwork - including marble statues and mosaics, archeologists believe. In an instant, Caligulas entire family was in the ground. He does not know yet hes about to be named the new emperor. He galloped back and forth across the bridge on his horse for two days straight, wearing a dazzling golden cape. Though the Praetorian Guard had turned on Caligula, his personal Germanic Guard was still rabidly loyal to him right to the end. Before he took the throne, the astrologer Thrasyllus made a prediction that Caligula had no more chance of becoming emperor than of riding a horse across the Gulf of Baiae. Caligula set out to prove the man a fooland he went to desperate lengths to do so. Large Amounts Of Money Were Spent On Vanity Projects, After raising taxes to pull in more money, Caligulas spending quickly became out of control. But by far his most devious get-rich-quick scheme took place at one of his favorite hauntsthe gladiatorial arena. Who was Caligula's lover? They found evidence of palace walls that actually joined directly to the sacred temple. At the age of three he started to accompany his father on military campaigns and the little soldier outfit he was given included miniature boots. Criminals and slaves were often sacrificed to vicious beasts for entertainmentbut apparently that wasnt enough for someone as bloodthirsty as Caligula. The people of Rome had extremely high hopes for Caligulas rule. We want our readers to trust us. Wikimedia CommonsDrusilla, Caligulas sister, is seated to the right of Felix, who is center. Hypatia of Alexandria, an ancient Greek intellectual killed for her beliefs, the incredible true story of Charles Van Doren and the Quiz Show scandals. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. Some claimed he poisoned her, while others said it was suicide. 15. Agrippina pushed this narrative a move that later cost her life. He was sent to live with his great-grandmother Livia, who would soon die, leaving Caligula to the care of his grandmother Antonia. Yet, the emperor still named Caligula his successorwhy? Caligula Flashcards | Quizlet A reluctant Tiberius was adopted as full son and heir, required to adopt his nephew Germanicus in order to continue the bloodline and to take the crown upon his stepfather Augustus death. Immediately following his death, the Roman senate set about destroying Caligulas statues in the hope that he could be forgotten from history. In 1979 the film Caligula, directed by Tinto Brass and starring Malcolm McDowell, shocked the world with its explicit portrayal of the emperors cruel and salacious escapades. Revenge against the traitors who killed him was called for which Caligulas successor, his uncle Claudius, heartily provided. Aside from the obvious political motivations, Chaerea had a personal vendetta against the emperor as well. The next year, Caligula moved in with the aging Tiberius, who gleefully indulged his great-nephews worst habits, commenting that he was nursing a viper in Romes bosom.. All Rights Reserved. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. Tiberius will named Caligula co-heir with his younger cousin Tiberius Gemellus, but the Senate rejected these provisions and gave complete imperial power to Caligula, who instead made Gemellus, Even before he was Emperor, Caligula had an innate viciousness. In a biography by Aloys Winterling, Caligula: A Biography, the limits of Caligulas insanity are drawn to suprising degree. It was Suetonius who first published claims that Caligula committed incest with his three sisters. He was then tossed into a shallow grave before his wife and daughter were treated to the same fate. He was succeeded as emperor by his uncle Claudius. His Mother, Agrippa The Elder, Was A Force Of Nature, 3. After all, he came from a pretty amazing pedigree, and many were sympathetic to the nightmares he went through as a child. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), https://www.history.com/news/7-things-you-may-not-know-about-caligula. Gaius Caesar Germanicus was born in Antium (modern-day Anzio), Italy on August 31, 12 A.D. Soon, everyone and everything irritated him. But in 19 A.D., however, Germanicus fell ill and died. Apparently, when he entered the room and found Tiberius asleep, he had a change of heart and left, but he still felt like people had to know that he, 41. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Caligula-Roman-emperor, GlobalSecurity.org - Biography of Caligula. Sure, he wasted an untold fortune of public money, but oh well, old Thrassy was probably sored. Caligula allegedly had a bridge from his home built to the temple of Jupiter to illustrate his divine power. He was nonetheless named sole emperor of Rome. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. But growing up in the environment Caligula experienced, rife with murder, execution, and suicide, anyone could have become paranoid. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Whether or not that is the case, the mad emperor was stabbed more than 30 times and died on the spot. Claudius wasted no time in executing the men who had killed his nephew, and the Empire continued on, finally rid of its most deranged ruler. In one twisted story, Caligula was supposedly meant to sacrifice a bull to the gods by hitting it over the head with a huge mallet. Stephen Dando-Collins reported that he found numerous similarities between Caligula and Donald Trump. For one thing, its important to remember that Caligulas real name was Gaius. The Roman people knew him as the emperor Gaius. He Turned A Military Campaign Into Performance Art, 8. A staff writer for All Thats Interesting, Marco Margaritoff has also published work at outlets including People, VICE, and Complex, covering everything from film to finance to technology. Most of the myths are just that, myths. Dando-Collins asserted. The ruins of the house of Caligula as photographed in 1910. The real name given to this notorious Emperor was Gaius Caesar Germanicus, from his parents Germanicus and Agrippa the Elder. He purged anyone who appeared loyal to the prior emperor, including his own wife. This amused the other soldiers, who mockingly nicknamed him Caligula, meaning little boot.. He served Tiberius so well that one writer commented: Never was there a better servantor a worse master., Even before he was Emperor, Caligula had an innate viciousness. His nickname "Caligula" translates to "Little Boot." In 40 AD, he began making plans to permanently move to Alexandria, taking the capital with him. It wasn't just an upgraded stable, either. He had double standards, Dando-Collins reported. When Caligula recovered, he discovered Macros plansand condemned his one-time ally to a horrifying fate. Both Gaius great-grandfather Augustus and father Germanicus were largely heralded and respected in their times, but his legacy would be a sadistic one. Writers describe him as skinny, pale, and sickly, with hollow eyes and thin hair. A conspiracy formed between the Praetorian Guard, the Senate and the equestrian order, and in late January of 41 A.D. Caligula was stabbed to death, along with his wife and daughter, by officers of the Praetorian Guard led by Cassius Chaerea. She was said to enjoy accompanying her military hero husband Germanicus on many of his most brutal and bloody campaigns, and became his closest and most trusted political advisor. to 41 C.E. Some have speculated that he suffered from epilepsyor, as Suetonius called it, falling sickness.. Read on for 42 facts about the man who thought himself a god. Years before he became emperor, Caligula married a woman named Junia Claudilla, and she soon became pregnant. He introduced new taxes, and doctored legal documents so that he could lay claim to assets that were left to Tiberius. Though known for his harsh treatment of others, the infamous Roman emperor Caligula lavished attention upon his horse Incitatus, giving the animal his own house with a marble stall and ivory manger. The future emperors famed history of incest is believed to have started during this time. Not only did he dress as gods and demigods like Hercules, Mercury, Venus, and Apollo, but he ordered a bridge to be built that connected his palace to the Temple of Jupiter. Did a horse become pope? He enjoyed watching executions and indulged in scandalous behavior at night, Caligula was cold-blooded from the start. Icas94/De Agostini Picture Library via Getty Images. Claudius - World History Encyclopedia When asked whether Richard Nixon or Dick Cheney would be apter leaders, the author disagreed and provided some context regarding the two figures. The second lover was the Emperor's favorite, and also the best dancer of his time. As such, the heir to the throne rested on Augustus teenaged grandsons, both of whom would die before Augustus himself. But their attempt was unsuccessful; he remains today one of the most studied and written about Emperors of all time. At first, Caligulas reign was well-received. The oath went: I will not value my life or that of my children less highly than I do the safety of the Emperor Gaius and his sisters.. In January 41, four months after his return to Rome from Gaul, Caligula was murdered at the Palatine Games by Cassius Chaerea, tribune of the Praetorian guard, Cornelius Sabinus, and others. All this rabble-rousing didnt sit well with the emperor, who had Agrippina floggedsupposedly until she lost an eye. According to Suetonius, an ancient historian, Caligula's horse Incitatus had a stable made of marble and a stall made of ivory. As the water level dropped, the outlines of the ships that had sat on the bottom for centuries finally revealed themselves. Caligula was not quite 25 years old when he took power in 37 A.D. At first, his succession was welcomed in Rome: He announced political reforms and recalled all exiles. Updates? Making distraction rewarding since 2017. If the Senate had gotten its way, Caligulas ruinous end would have been the end of the Roman Empire. In one famous incident, Caligula arranged for hundreds of merchant ships to, form a 3-mile long floating bridge across the Bay of Baiae. Which Roman Emperor Had A Horse? - Great American Adventures She then starved herself to death while in prison, four years before her son Caligula came into power. According to Suetonius, the few remaining Julii were mere prisoners, constantly under the eye of Tiberiuss men. So Caligula, who now had access to absolute power, discovered new ways to secure funds. But Suetonius wrote The Lives of the Caesars in 121 A.D., 80 years after Caligula was assassinated at age 28 by members of the Praetorian Guard. According to Suetonius, Caligula in his infinite profligacy once constructed a temporary floating bridge across the Bay of Baiae just so he could ride triumphantly from one end to the other. Next, the conspirators went looking for Caligulas sickly uncle Claudius. According to Suetonius, Caligula managed to blow 2.7 billion sesterces in just the first year of his reign. One of them also died of starvation, and the other from suicide. Caligula Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements They accuse Agrippina, the Younger, sister to the Emperor Caligula, of employing Locusta to murder her husband, the Emperor Claudius, . In 2003, archaeologists from the US and Britain located what they believe to be the site of Caligulas palace. Both his wife and one-year old daughter were also murdered at the imperial palace. He continued his childhood games of dress-up, donning strange clothing, womens shoes and lavish accessories and wigseager, according to his biographer Cassius Dio, to appear to be anything rather than a human being and an emperor., Caligulas profligacy was draining the Roman treasury faster than he could replenish it through taxes and extortion. Caligula (formally known as Gaius) was the third of Ancient Rome's emperors, who achieved feats of waste and carnage during his four-year reign (A.D. 37-41). After learning about Emperor Caligula, read about Hypatia of Alexandria, an ancient Greek intellectual killed for her beliefs. The first Roman emperor named his stepson Tiberius as his heir, but with one very specific condition. Both were dictators with absolute power and they were both stabbed 30 times by a group of conspirators led by a man named Cassius. Tiberius was responsible for wiping out most of Caligulas family, but when the emperor offered to make Caligula his heir, the boy wasnt about to say no! Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Rampaging through Rome committing murder, adultery and acts of debauchery, his reign came to an abrupt end when he was brutally assassinated after only four years. New York Public LibraryA depiction of Caligulas mother, Agrippina, who was imprisoned and starved to death for accusing the reigning emperor Tiberius of murdering her husband, Germanicus. Although the Senate oversaw the destruction of his statues after his death, Caligulas colourful extravagance and brutality solidified his renown for more than two millennia. Five Famous Poisoners and Their Hapless Victims - Medium He began having his family members killed, beginning with his cousin (and heir) Gemellus. Caligula was the son of Augustus' adopted grandson, the very popular Germanicus, and his wife, Agrippina the Elder who was Augustus' granddaughter and a paragon of womanly virtue. Caligula, born Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus in 12 AD, was the Emperor of Rome between 37 and 41 AD. Caligula was fond of spending money, but not so good at making it. His mother accused Tiberius of murdering Germanicus and sought revenge. Which Emperor Married A Horse? - Great American Adventures The story says that he couldnt return to Rome without a victory of some kind, so he declared war on Neptune and ordered his men to whip the waves. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Claudius crouches behind a curtain as Caligula lies assassinated before him. . He retreated to his behaviors on Capri, and with that, the hedonistic ruler infamous today was born. Claudius was Roman emperor from 41 to 54 CE.