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One reason for this might be that he was afraid he would have a seizure and drown while in the water. Son of the great military hero Germanicus, the people had high hopes for their new, young Emperor. Caligula fell so ill that he teetered between life and death for a solid month. They ordered the destruction of his statues and propped up a new Republic under the reign of Caligulas uncle, Claudius, who was found cowering behind a set of curtains while Caligula and his immediate family were executed. He was the third of six living children born to his father Germanicus and mother Agrippina the Elder. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. When archaeologists finally uncovered the wreck in 1932, they were shocked at just how advanced the ship was. Most people know him from the infamous 1979 explicit film. Some historians, like Stephen Dando-Collins, assert that this is just legend. Theres Nothing in the Rulebook That Says A Horse Cant Be Consul, Caligula could be utterly monstrous in his dealings with humans, but that doesnt mean he disregarded. His First Few Months As Emperor Went Reasonably Well, 5. The future emperors famed history of incest is believed to have started during this time. 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. We strive for accuracy and fairness. 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. Dressed in proper soldier attire with boots and armor, he earned the nickname . As such, the troops took to calling him Caligula, which means little boots. We dont know if the men meant it affectionately or as an insult, but either way, Caligula apparently hated the nickname. Rumors suggested that he talked to the moon at night and invited her to his bed. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. During his short reign, Caligula emerged as one of the most dominant leaders of Rome's early emperors. Summoned to live with Tiberius in Capri as a teenager, Caligula became a pampered prisoner to his great uncle and adoptive grandfather, although he secretly despised him. In observing the meetings of President Trump with world leaders over the past two years, I noticed that he yields the upper hand to some. Nero was worse, because Caligula was to put it succinctly batshit crazy. Some have speculated that he suffered from epilepsyor, as Suetonius called it, falling sickness.. Caligula forced Macro, whom he owed so much, to commit suicide. He would also reportedly force senators to run alongside his chariot dressed in their full robes. Caligula thought of himself as a godbut he was never a benevolent deity. He galloped back and forth across the bridge on his horse for two days straight, wearing a dazzling golden cape. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. Unsurprisingly, insulting the most powerful person on earth had dark consequences. Dick Cheney can be compared to Sejanus, head of the Praetorian Guard under Caligulas predecessor Tiberius. Caligulas father, Germanicus, was the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius. One man, Francesco De Marchi, went down to the ships in a diving bell way back in 1535. Regardless of whether Caligula actually hosted orgies or made parents watch as their children were killed, Dando-Collins concludes that he was nonetheless a dangerous man to know. According to Suetonius, Caligula was extremely interested in the Egyptian practice of using incest to protect the royal bloodline. Caligula (1979), Penthouse Films International, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Tragic Facts About Sophia Of Celle, The Prisoner Bride, Steadfast Facts About Queen Adelaide, The Tragic Consort, Gaudy Facts About Alva Vanderbilt, The Gilded Age Queen, Felicitous Facts About Philip V, The Melancholy King. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. To protect himself whenever he was afraid, he was said to have worn a crown of laurels on his head, because the leaves were from a tree that never got hit by lightning. She holds an MA in Contemporary Art Theory from the University of Edinburgh and a BA in Fine Art from Edinburgh College of Art. 14. Unlike her weasely son, Caligulas mother Agrippina the Elder was a famously tough and courageous woman. We can thank the Roman historian Suetonius for the eroticism of the 1979 movie. Mussolini personally ordered the Lake Nemi excavation project, but he wasnt the first person to get his hands on the wreck. Making distraction rewarding since 2017. Stories surrounding the life of Emperor Caligula, Romes third Emperor (r. 37 AD 41 AD), have reached legendary proportions, making it hard to separate fact from fiction. Once at a dinner party, he reportedly burst into raucous laughter. As legend has it, he likened himself to an immortal God who could do anything to anyone, rampaging through Rome on an unstoppable streak of spending, adultery and murder. But if you thought the rumors about Caligula were bad, you should hear the disturbing things we know for sure. Gaius was a loyal little soldier, then, and his eternal nickname Caligula was born while on these campaigns as hed wear a military uniform replete with little boots, and subsequently became a sort of mascot to the troops. Julius Caesar was his great-great-grandfather, Augustus was his grandfather, and his father Germanicus was one of Romes most effective and popular generals. 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. But if his leadership skills were so abysmal, some scholars have argued, how did he wind up annexing new provinces, expanding westward and formulating a feasible plan to take over Britain? But if his leadership skills were so abysmal, some scholars. Tiberiuss son died, perhaps murdered by a political rival. One historian, Tacitus, wrote that Macro smothered the dying Tiberius with a pillow to make sure that Caligula rose to the thronebut Suetonius suggested an even darker fate. Who was worse Nero or Caligula? to 41 C.E. They rallied around Claudius and declared him the new emperor. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place, the man took a moment to think of the right answerwhich was evidently not the right move. And did this bother the man who thought himself a god? Some historians have posited that Caligula was simply insane, but do not pinpoint any specific condition. With Malcolm McDowell as the eponymous emperor and Helen Mirren as his fourth wife Milonia Caesonia, the film doesnt shy away from depicting the kind of depravity legend had assigned to Caligula. Cassius Chaerea, one of Caligulas own guardsmen, knew this better than any, so he hatched a dark plan to put an end to Caligulas madness once and for all. Wikimedia CommonsDrusilla, Caligulas sister, is seated to the right of Felix, who is center. The most famous story about Incitatus is that Incitatus made him a consul in the Incitatus.. Who made his horse a consul? He holds dual bachelor's degrees from Pace University and a master's degree from New York University. We want our readers to trust us. Were always looking for your input! Some say she and her brother engaged in incest, though author and historian Stephen Dando-Collins is dubious. He called himself Jupiter, after the Roman King of the Gods, and made senators refer to him as such. Drusilla died in a pandemic, and as far we know wasnt pregnant at the time. Born on the 31st of August 12 AD in Antium, modern day Anzio, Italy, Caligula was a member of the Julio Claudian dynasty; the first ruling family of the Roman Empire.His father was a popular Roman General while his mother was the granddaughter of Augustus Caesar. The Story Of Emperor Caligula, Ancient Rome's Most Infamous Leader 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. Then Caligula hit the scene, and things changed fast. The Roman emperor Caligula Incitatus. Caligula ( / kljl /; 31 August 12 - 24 January 41), formally known as Gaius (Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from AD 37 until his assassination in AD 41. Persichini. New York Public LibraryClaudius crouches behind a curtain as Caligula lies assassinated before him. In 2003, archaeologists from the US and Britain located what they believe to be the site of Caligulas palace. Remember that I have the right to do anything to anybody, hed remind people. And as if that wasnt enough, he also had his dinner table set with golden loaves of bread. Whereas Nero was sane and malignantly evil. Rachel Seigel is an avid reader and book enthusiast with over 15 years of experience writing. He does not know yet hes about to be named the new emperor. He often bragged that he once carried a dagger into Emperor Tiberiuss bedroom with the intention of killing him, avenging his mother and brothers. While Caligula was still alive, he erected a temple dedicated to himself and placed a life-sized golden statue in his own image inside. Caligulas wife Caesonia and his daughter were also put to death. A depiction of Caligulas mother, Agrippina, who was imprisoned and starved to death for accusing the reigning emperor Tiberius of murdering her husband, Germanicus. Caligula lavished money on building projects, from the practical (aqueducts and harbors) to the cultural (theaters and temples) to the downright bizarre (requisitioning hundreds of Roman merchant ships to construct a 2-mile floating bridge across the Bay of Bauli so he could spend two days galloping back and forth across it). According to the ancient historian Suetonius, the Roman emperor known as Caligula loved one of his horses, Incitatus, so much that he gave the steed a marble stall, an ivory manger, a jeweled collar and even a house. Caligula also didnt make his horse a senator, but he did name his favorite chariot racing horse a member of a religious order. All Rights Reserved. Perhaps a loving family might have calmed the mercurial Caligula down a littlebut tragedy soon tore his new family apart. the rebuilding of the walls in the temples of Syracuse, and the Roman city in the Alps. 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.. The Roman Senate strongly concurred with that notion. Icas94/De Agostini Picture Library via Getty Images. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. Caligula, considered by many to be a mad and unpredictable tyrant, is also known for transferring the last legion under a senatorial proconsul to an imperial legate, completing the emperors monopoly of army command. Updates? He worked to accentuate his natural ugliness by practicing terrifying facial expressions in a mirror. Thin, pale, and covered in large amounts of fine hair, Caligula was not blessed with natural good looks. The ruins of the house of Caligula as photographed in 1910. Known for his extreme extravagance, eccentricity, depravity and cruelty, he is remembered as a despot, and as the . In the chilling days following Caligulas near-fatal illness, he had nearly every single one of his close family members executed. The people of Rome had extremely high hopes for Caligulas rule. The great-great grandson of Julius Caesar certainly left his mark by his possible madness and definitely horrific acts. She went out on campaigns with his father, the beloved general Germanicus, and served as his advisor. What is Caligula most known for? 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. 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. According to Dando-Collins account, Caligula would have developed paranoia as part of bipolar disorder. How did Caligula become emperor? Indeed, with Caligula, friendship and loyalty would not save you if he turned on you in the late stages of his reign.. Its said Caligula forced the parents of those he executed to watch their children die, that he ordered the heads of various statues removed and replaced with his own, and that he seemed to have more affection for his horse, Incitatus, than for even his wife or daughter. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Caligula was tall, pale and so hairy that he made it a capital offense to mention a goat in his presence. o, how did he justify this ridiculous excess? 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. They brutally attacked everyone around, conspirator or otherwise. Caligula (12-41) was the third emperor of Rome. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place, the man took a moment to think of the right answerwhich was evidently not the right move. When it seemed as though Caligula might die of illness, Macro made some political maneuvers to try and save his own career. He dissolved pearls in vinegar for sustenance, gave his horse a jewel-encrusted collar, and declared war on the ocean the legends are endless. She has produced writing for a wide range of arts organizations including Tate Modern, The National Galleries of Scotland, Art Monthly, and Scottish Art News, with a focus on modern and contemporary art. The boy was born into unimaginable nobility, as his family was the most esteemed in all of Rome and his great-great-grandfather was none other than Julius Caesar. 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. When asked whether Richard Nixon or Dick Cheney would be apter leaders, the author disagreed and provided some context regarding the two figures. 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. She went out on campaigns with his father, the beloved general Germanicus, and served as his advisor. He only survived to become emperor by chance, Dando-Collins concluded. 1. Gaius and his three sisters survived. He was severely ill seven months after his accession. Uncovered during the 1920s and 30s, they had mostly been destroyed during the Second World War, but a lead pipe was found bearing the inscription Property of Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.. . The emperor sent him to live with his great-grandmother Livia. He then kills her and eats the fetus. Thanks for your time! So, after years of cold-blooded killings and extravagant spending, what did Caligula do that finally led to his downfall? But in October of 37, a serious illness unhinged Caligula, leading him to spend the remainder of his reign exploring the worst aspects of his nature. Chariot racing was one of his great passions, and he would personally participate in races. Ahh politics, making things as complicated as possible for thousands of years. In yet another of the famous stories about Caligulas megalomania, he once stood near a statue of Jupiter and asked a nearby actor who was more mightyhimself or the god. He loved watching tortures and executions; and, disguised in wig and robe, abandoned himself nightly to the pleasures of feasting and scandalous living.. Approximately six to seven months after taking power, Caligula suddenly fell ill, possibly by poisoning. Tiberius fell ill in March of 37 A.D. and died a mere month later. His recorded symptoms suggest he did in fact suffer from bipolar disorder, Dando-Collins reported. Did Julius Caesar ride a horse? 15. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys spending time with her long-time partner and her dog. He began having his family members killed, beginning with his cousin (and heir) Gemellus. It was believed that Caligula the son of Germanicus, a military man beloved by the Romans would likely display the same honorable traits and behaviors as his father. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, Augustus ' granddaughter. 10 Facts That Show Why Caligula Was Rome's Craziest Emperor WATCH: Full episodes of Colosseum online now. Thus, Cassius Dio notes, Caligula learned by actual experience that he was not a god.. But growing up in the environment Caligula experienced, rife with murder, execution, and suicide, anyone could have become paranoid. The Roman populace had by now grown weary of this mad and unpredictable tyrant, and several conspiracies were formed against him. Caligula was devastated by her death and had her declared a goddess, but thats as far as his devotion to her went, he concluded. Caligula is often remembered as a selfish and capricious ruler whose ineptitude weakened the Roman empire during his four-year reign. He often bragged that he once carried a dagger into Emperor Tiberiuss bedroom with the intention of killing him, avenging his mother and brothers. Tiberius adopted Caligula and made him and his cousin Gemellus equal heirs to the empire. 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 could have done it. By Rosie LessoMA Contemporary Art Theory, BA Fine ArtRosie is a contributing writer and artist based in Scotland. According to historians, around 39 AD, he removed and replaced all of the Consuls without asking the Senates approval. Caligula took every step to ensure his popularity when he became emperor. The young Caligula barely survived the fallout of his fathers demise. Find out whether the much-maligned emperor was as crazy as they say. (The Roman historian added that these trysts even occurred during banquets, as guests and Caligulas wife gathered around.) I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. Caligulas biggest dream was to cut a massive canal through the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece. So, how did he justify this ridiculous excess? After publicly declaring her desire for revenge, Tiberius swiftly had Agrippa and her children imprisoned, where they later died. The Madness of Caligula: Rome's Cruelest Emperor? 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. He did recover in October of 37 A.D., but whatever had ailed him had apparently left him largely unrecognizable. Caligula built two lavish barges to be situated on lake Nemi. And who is the person Mr. Trump most often yields the upper hand to? As you can imagine, Caligula despised Tiberius for what he did. Six or seven months into his reign, however, everything changed. The Inspiring Story Of Joe Medicine Crow, The Plains War Chief Who Fought The Nazis During World War II, Robert Hansen: The Alaskan Serial Killer Who Hunted His Victims Like Animals, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. DeAgostini/Getty ImagesCaligula lies dead in the foreground after having already been executed, while his wife and daughter are murdered beside him. Icas94/De Agostini Picture Library via Getty Images.Caligula is stabbed to death. In the end, Tiberius was tipped off by Caligulas grandmother that Sejanus was planning to overthrow him, and Sejanus was executed whereas Cheney the puppet master and pliable George W. Bush both went into comfortable retirement., The primary lesson, Dando-Collins concluded, despite massive advances in knowledge and technology, human nature has not changed in two thousand years.. Emperor Caligula: 16 Facts About the Cruel Roman Emperor DeAgostini/Getty Images. According to contemporary accounts, Caligula, at least when he was young, was a gifted actor, and he managed to hide all of his dark feelings. Caligula Had A Complicated Relationship With Emperor Tiberius, Caligulas father, Germanicus, was the nephew and adopted son of Emperor, 4. An Overview of the First 12 Roman Emperors So Caligula, who now had access to absolute power, discovered new ways to secure funds. Cruel and tyrannical Emperor Caligula ruled Ancient Rome through fear and terror. He grew up with a massive chip on his shoulderand it only got worse as he got older. Caligula spent a fortune having two massive barges built to be used on the volcanic Lake Nemi, about nineteen miles south of Rome. 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. Criminals and slaves were often sacrificed to vicious beasts for entertainmentbut apparently that wasnt enough for someone as bloodthirsty as Caligula. His relationships with other individuals were turbulent as well. Years before he became emperor, Caligula married a woman named Junia Claudilla, and she soon became pregnant. It was almost 300 feet long and outfitted with ornate mosaics, heating, and plumbing. One of the first things Caligula did once he became emperor was ban those male prostitutes from Rome., Finally, Dando-Collins was quick to dispel the myth of incest. Pubic DomainCaligula in a winged helmet and holding double-headed arrows before a military scene in the background, even though the emperor had no military experience. Of course, Caligula wasnt about to be outdone in hedonism, so he is also reported to have enjoyed this extravagant drink. A.D., Caligula led military campaigns to the Rhine and the English Channel, hoping to follow in the almighty legacy of his fearless father Germanicus. Some scholars believe that he intended to establish a Hellenistic-type monarchy after the brother-sister marriages of the Ptolemies of Egypt. He lavished his fine steed with attention, giving him his own house with a marble stall and an ivory manger, and even openly expressed his plans to declare his horse a Roman consulate. He may have suffered from epilepsy. Ethics vs. the Law: Whats the Difference? Gifts included flamingoes, peacocks, and other exotic animals that the Romans greatly admired. After this he restored treason trials, showed great cruelty, and engaged in wild despotic caprice; e.g., he bridged the Bay of Naples with boats from Baiae to Puteoli in the summer of 39. The Roman historian Philo described those first few months as blissful, but the bliss ended almost as quickly as it started. He particularly enjoyed silks and ornately decorated items, but he also had some unusual tastes. As such, the heir to the throne rested on Augustus teenaged grandsons, both of whom would die before Augustus himself. For one thing, his fellow lawmakers would likely have whisked him out of power for such conduct.