what is caligula most known for

This may not seem like that big of a deal after all the disturbing things he had done, but had Caligula survived, his plans would have altered history forever. He loved watching tortures and executions; and, disguised in wig and robe, abandoned himself nightly to the pleasures of feasting and scandalous living. Growing up, Agrippina the Elder had a close relationship with her grandfather, the Emperor Augustus, who personally oversaw her education. He directed much of his attention to ambitious construction projects and luxurious dwellings for himself, and he initiated the construction of two aqueducts in Rome: the Aqua Claudia and the Anio Novus. He enjoyed watching executions and indulged in scandalous behavior at night—, Caligula was cold-blooded from the start. Caligula could be utterly monstrous in his dealings with humans, but that doesn’t mean he disregarded all forms of life: He loved his horse Incitatus so much that he gave him his own house with a marble stall and manger made from ivory. Albert Camus | Biography, Books, Philosophy, Death, & Facts [150] Despite swimming being a part of imperial education, Caligula could not swim. [36][37] His sisters and other family members, including Claudius – who had not been a member of the imperial household during Tiberius' reign – were granted political and priestly honours. Found cowering behind a curtain, fearing for his own life, and the only surviving adult male, Claudius (r. 41-54 CE), was named the new emperor of the Roman Empire. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Well, as it turns out, no one was safe from the Caligula’s wild mood swings. Caligula’s grandmother Antonia managed to shield him from these intrigues until Sejunus’ death in 31. 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. One was “the Dagger,” and the other “the Sword.” They contained the names of people whom he wanted to prosecute, imprison, or execute. His wife, Caesonia, and daughter were murdered as well, and to add insult to Caligula's memory, the man he had ridiculed for years was named his successor. Rome, Italy. Simple: they drained the lake! © Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. She then starved herself to death while in prison, four years before her son Caligula came into power. No One Was Safe When Caligula Was Around, The gladiatorial games were not only for public exhibition and political reputation, but also to serve up Roman justice. After having reduced taxes earlier in his reign, he raised them in order to pay for his excesses. Wasson, Donald L.. A little self-conscious maybe? He freed citizens that had been unjustly imprisoned by Tiberius, and eliminated an unpopular tax. Web. Historians wrote that he would sleep with his own officials’ wives, then brag about it publicly in front of them. [64][65] He replaced the consul and had several senators put to death. Caligula ( / kəˈlɪɡjʊlə /; 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. Gaius Caesar, nicknamed Caligula or "Little Boot," succeeded Tiberius as Roman emperor in 37 A.D., and adopted the name Gaius Caesar Germanicus. named his stepson Tiberius as his heir, but with one very specific condition. Junia died in childbirth a year after their wedding, and Caligula was left alone once again. 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. Full name: Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Born: August AD 12 Died: 24 January AD 41 Known for: Though he ruled Rome as Emperor for only four years, Caligula has been immortalised as one of history's most cruel and erratic leaders.Earning the nickname Caligula - 'Little Boots' - in childhood, he would be immortalised as one of Rome's cruellest and most erratic . [16] Suetonius claims that Caligula was by this time already cruel and vicious; he writes that when Tiberius brought Caligula to the island of Capri, his purpose was to allow Caligula to live in order that he "prove the ruin of himself and of all men, and that he was rearing a viper for the Roman people and a Phaethon for the world. [13] In the year 31, Caligula was remanded to the personal care of Tiberius on Capri, where he lived for six years. [116] Caligula considered Chaerea effeminate because of a weak voice and for not being firm with tax collection. At the last minute, Caligula had an even worse idea—he turned and struck the priest instead. [22][27], Caligula is described as the first emperor who was admired by everyone in "all the world, from the rising to the setting sun. So when Caligula took the throne, the Romans rejoiced. [68] The inheritance of Nero, Agrippina's son and the future emperor, was seized by Caligula. When Caligula took the throne, Mauretania in North Africa was a client kingdom to the Roman Empire. He reportedly grew to dislike the nickname. Gemellus was required to kill himself on charges of having taken an antidote, "ie implicitly accusing Caligula of wanting to poison him". He also restored the right to elect praetors to the comitia, which meant in practice that aediles had incentives to spend money to put on lavish spectacles to win popularity. (The Roman historian added that these trysts even occurred during banquets, as guests and Caligula’s wife gathered around.) Caligula - Horse, Facts & Emperor - HISTORY World History Encyclopedia. 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 then apparently laughed at the priest as he died. One of them also died of starvation, and the other from suicide. Caligula’s biggest dream was to cut a massive canal through the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece. One historian, Tacitus, wrote that Macro smothered the dying Tiberius with a pillow to make sure that Caligula rose to the throne—but Suetonius suggested an even darker fate. [19] Caligula was briefly married to Junia Claudilla in the year 33, though she died in childbirth the following year. He died at just 28 years old, but his reign was a legendary frenzy of lunacy, murder, and lust. He was more paranoid, and the Caligula some had seen on Capri re-emerged. He also rebuilt the walls at the temples of Syracuse and built a city in the Alps. Which Roman Emperor Is Said To Have Made His Horse Into A Consul? [44] Caligula's political payments for support, generosity and extravagance had exhausted the state's treasury. One of the few to be spared his wrath was his feeble uncle Claudius, whom Caligula chose to keep around as an object of ridicule. As such, the people of Rome absolutely hated him by the time he died. Remember Macro, the Praetorian Guard who helped make Caligula emperor? Unlike her weasely son, Caligula’s mother Agrippina the Elder was a famously tough and courageous woman. Remembered as a cruel and erratic tyrant, his deranged tendencies threw Rome into chaos—and eventually caused his violent end. Agrippina was banished by Caligula for her connection to Marcus Lepidus, who conspired against him. [36] This division into good and bad phases has variously been attributed to the death of Antonia in summer 37, illness in autumn that year, or the death of Caligula's beloved sister Drusilla on 10 June AD 38. That’s what I love when I’m at a show: to hear the jerk next to me sing instead of the trained professionals on stage. Who Made His Horse A Senator? - Great American Adventures Some scholars believe that he intended to establish a Hellenistic-type monarchy after the brother-sister marriages of the Ptolemies of Egypt. Claudius became the fourth Roman emperor after the assassination of Caligula. The Top 5 Worst Roman Emperors - ThoughtCo [18] Meanwhile, both Caligula's mother and his brother Drusus died in prison. However, it is not known whether they are speaking figuratively or literally. In the chilling days following Caligula’s near-fatal illness, he had nearly every single one of his close family members executed. Conflict erupted at the highest ranks of Roman society—and the aftermath was absolutely brutal. [84], He would appear there on occasion and present himself as a god to the public. Antium, Italy. Updates? Wasson, D. L. (2011, October 18). Fabius Rusticus and Cluvius Rufus both wrote condemning histories on Caligula that are now lost. Broadly, "it is impossible to judge why the army never embarked" on the invasion. Also known as: Gaius Caesar, Gaius Caesar Germanicus. Julius Caesar was his great-great-grandfather, Augustus was his grandfather, and his father Germanicus was one of Rome’s most effective and popular generals. Ancient sources allege that he and Lepidus were homosexual lovers. Both Caligula and Nero assumed the throne at a young age; grew increasingly more depraved; lost the support of the Roman people; and were assassinated—that's the popular story, at least. He would also sometimes dress as a woman, or as female gods such as Diana and Juno. [82] Reportedly, he began referring to himself as a god when meeting with politicians and he was referred to as "Jupiter" on occasion in public documents. Earlier chroniclers who actually lived under Caligula, namely Seneca and Philo, make no mention of this type of behavior despite their harsh criticism of the emperor. Most people know him from the infamous 1979 explicit film. In a moment of utter cruelty that would have made George R.R. We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. He put these abilities to good use on the day of his predecessor’s funeral, despite his utter hatred for the man who murdered his family. Pliny the Elder's Natural History has a few brief references to Caligula. 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), Fine Art Images/Heritage Images via Getty Images, https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/caligula. Suetonius claimed that Caligula himself ended Tiberius’s life and ensured his rise to emperor. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. After all, he came from a pretty amazing pedigree, and many were sympathetic to the nightmares he went through as a child. Well, he had a saying: “You either had to be frugal, or be Caesar.” Thankfully for him, he was the latter. According to Suetonius, the few remaining Julii were mere prisoners, constantly under the eye of Tiberius’s men. License. What is Caligula most known for? - urhelpmate.com According to Suetonius, Caligula managed to blow 2.7 billion sesterces in just the first year of his reign. "[56] In 40, Caligula began implementing very controversial policies that introduced religion into his political role. [149] Based on scientific reconstructions of his official painted busts, Caligula had brown hair, brown eyes, and fair skin. Caligula was born in Antium on 31 August AD 12, the third of six surviving children born to Germanicus, a grandson of Mark Antony, and his second cousin Agrippina the Elder, who was the daughter of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Elder, making her the granddaughter of Augustus. Caligula | Biography & Facts | Britannica Caligula "Little Boots" Known as "Caligula" ('Little Boots'), Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was born August 31, CE 12, died 41 CE, and ruled as emperor 37-41 CE. to 41 C.E. The senators set about restoring the Roman Republic, but there was one glaring problem…. Which Emperor Married A Horse? - Great American Adventures Gifts included flamingoes, peacocks, and other exotic animals that the Romans greatly admired. In a now lost portion of his Annals, Tacitus gave a detailed history of Caligula. Strangely enough, in order to drain Lake Nemi and uncover Caligula’s ancient barges, engineers reactivated a centuries-old Roman irrigation channel that had once been used to connect the lake to nearby farmland. About halfway through his reign, Caligula broke with the senate and started using every opportunity to humiliate them. Caligula thought of himself as a god—but he was never a benevolent deity. All of this sounds like totally normal behavior for the most powerful person on Earth…. Although Germanicus' death is suspicious, Tiberius is thought to have been instrumental in the death of Caligula's mother and brothers. The Praetorian Guards: To Serve and Protect the Roman Emperors… Most of ... [151][152] Epileptics are discouraged from swimming in open waters because unexpected fits can lead to death if timely rescue is difficult. Upon the death of Tiberius on 17 March 37 CE, Caligula became the co-emperor of the Roman Empire with Tiberius' son Gemellus. When asked to explain the reason for his mirth, he replied, “I’ve just thought that I’ve only to give the word and you’ll all have your throats cut.” Hilarious, right?! Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Diva Drusilla Panthea and the Sisters of Caligula", "Caligula's Bridge of Boats – AD 39 or 40? Rumors suggested that he talked to the moon at night and invited her to his bed. His nickname "Caligula" translates to "Little Boot." What was Nero known for? The first known equestrian governor of the two provinces was Marcus Fadius Celer Flavianus, in office in 44. Caligula, byname of Gaius Caesar, in full Gaius Caesar Germanicus, (born August 31, 12 ce, Antium, Latium [Italy]—died January 24, 41, Rome), Roman emperor from 37 to 41 ce, in succession after Tiberius. Early in 40 Caligula marched with an army into Gaul, whose inhabitants he plundered thoroughly. Additionally, the historians who wrote them are described as biased, either overly critical or praising Caligula. What is Caligula most known for? - Studybuff.com 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 fool—and he went to desperate lengths to do so. Caligula insisted that every Roman take an official oath of allegiance, not just to himself, but also to his sisters (remember some of the rumors about ol’ Little Boots and his sisters?). As an expression of his absolute power, Caligula planned to appoint the horse to the high office of consul, but he was assassinated before he could do so. All Rights Reserved. The jubilant public celebrated Caligula’s ascension the only way they knew how: they started sacrificing animals—and a lot of them. Who was Caligula's lover? Agrippina died of starvation in exile on a remote island, and Tiberius had the two brothers imprisoned. On Capri, he was surrounded by corruption and excess. Philo's works, On the Embassy to Gaius and Flaccus, give some details on Caligula's early reign, but mostly focus on events surrounding the Jewish population in Judea and Egypt with whom he sympathizes. [72] This confusion might mean that Caligula decided to divide the province, but the division was postponed because of the rebellion. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Jews were accused of not honouring the emperor. Although Caligula got no further than the English Channel and was murdered soon after, his preparations for the invasion would allow Claudius to begin Rome’s successful conquest of Britain in 43 A.D.
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