Emperor Caligula
By Hyerin Park
Emperor Caligula was born on August 31st, A.D 12 in Antium, Latium, and ruled as the Roman emperor for four short and terrifying years of power from A.D. 37 through 41. At the present, centuries after his existence, scholars understand him as an emperor that was metally ill and misunderstood.
His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanica, but he became more commonly known as Caligula after the child-size military boots he wore in his father’s military camp called caliga. Caligula had a family of many brothers and sisters with parents that possessed fame throughout the city. Caligula’s father was Germanicus (15 B.C~ A.D 19) and his mother was Agrippina the elder (14 B.C~ A.D 33). However, shortly afterwards, his mother, father, and all of his brothers were killed or starved to death by Emperor Tiberius and his Praetorian Prefect, Sejanus, for Tiberius was suspicious of the family trying to take over his power. Caligula’s great-uncle was Emperor Augustus, and the whole family had his blood running in their veins, and they could become very dangerous if they tried to take over Tiberius. Surprisingly, Caligula was not even one bit saddened by his family’s massacre. Although it is not known and still is a mystery why Caligula was one of the exceptions from the massacre of his whole family, he was adopted by Tiberius at age 20 and was his virtual prisoner to keep him company until Tiberius’s death.
Caligula grew up to be a tall, but lanky, and a pale man with a prematurely bald head. Caligula came to power when Tiberius was assassinated by Caligula’s chamberlain, Marco, smothering him with his bedclothes. With the emperor dead, Caligula and his cousin were placed in the position to take over. But with the help of the Praetorian Guard, Caligula was successful in taking over the position of the emperor over his cousin. After a few months of being the Roman emperor, he feared that his cousin might assassinate him to take over, so Caligula ordered the Praetorian Guard to kill his cousin. During the first few months of his rule, Caligula’s reign was mild and showed policies and judgement. From the beginning of his career as an emperor, he loved to attend to executions and punishments. He loved every single gory detail and enjoyed most of them. But sometimes he went to drastic measures in taking pleasure in them; on occasions, he dragged off spectators from their benches into the arena if there weren’t enough criminals to fight the lions and tigers. He abolished sales tax and provided lavish games for the Romans to enjoy. He was known for being strange in taking sexual pleasures. He was frequently found in bed in his palace with one of his three sisters, especially his favorite sibling whom he found the most attractive to him of them all, Drusilla. But his ‘good-naturedness’ disappeared after falling ill one October, and he almost died from this foul experience. When he was well again, he had changed from bad to worse. He became an emperor of madness, cruelty, viciousness, extravagance, and megalomania. He began to suffer mental illness, acquired a violent temper, and was misunderstood and corrupted by power. Caligula allowed himself drunken orgies and became unquestionably unstable and dangerous.
At the beginning of his reign, Caligula was undoubtably popular. This was partly because he had invited back those of whom were exiled or ostracized as Tiberius’s enemies during Emperor Tiberius’s reign, gave out money to the citizens, and also he gave a large cash bonus to the Praetorian Guard, who helped him get to his position in the first place. But as time passed, it became apparent that he was completely insane after acting in an openly autocratic manner. He claimed that he was all of the gods at once, and ordered a statue of himself in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, causing riots among all of the Jews. They said that death would be better than worshipping him as a god. He also proudly claimed that he conquered Britain and Germany, even though he never fought them. The mad emperor declared that he defeated the god Neptune as well. He spent money on foolish projects, banished many people, and murdered numerous others. Caligula successfully resumed military monopoly with the Germans after Tiberius, but was not successful in making war with Germans to the north of the Roman Empire. He only went as far as the Channel of Britain, and suddenly told his soldiers to accumulate seashells. He was also known for incorporating the ancient Temple of Caster and Pollux within his palace, but it became a sacrilege reversed by his successor, Claudius 1. Caligula encouraged treason trials for his own financial benefit and he became so sensitive about the lack of hair on his scalp that he made it crime to look down upon him from high places as he passed by. Sometimes, the crazy man ordered people with fine locks of hair to be shaven off. The abundance of his body hair made up for the lack of his hair. Caligula was very sensitive about this fact just equally as the lack of hair on his scalp, so he made it a crime to talk about ‘hairy goats’ in front of him. Caligula became especially unpopular among the Senators, due to the fact that he made many bad government decisions. He also made a ridiculous attempt to make his own horse a consul and a senator, saying, “My horse can do a better job than many of you men!” He clearly did not respect the senators.
The catastrophic and bloody assassination of Caligula took place in 41 A.D in Rome. He was murdered after insulting the army and threatening to kill the members of the Roman Senate. Members of the Praetorian Guard stabbed him with swords and left him a bloody heap in a palace hallway along with his murdered wife Caesonia and their daughter. He was 29 years old at that time. Most people were relieved when they learned of Caligula’s death- only common people who benefited from his extravagant spending mourned his assassination. He was succeeded by his uncle, Claudius, who became a good emperor in A.D 41.
Although he experienced a tragic death, he died a well-deserved death. In all centuries to come, the lunatic Emperor Caligula will be remembered for his delirious and insane behaviors. Emperor Caligula could have become a better person if he had been born in the modern world, for the treatments and theropies we have right now are helpful to any of those who have mental illness similar to what Caligula suffered from. And although he will be remembered in the future, he will mostly be remembered in a pessimistic way.
Bibliography
1. Barrett, Anthony. Caligula the Corruption of Power . Boston: Yale University Press, 1998
2. Encyclopedia Britannica. “Caligula. “ London: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. ,1990 Vol. 3, p. 61.
3. Ferrill, Arthur. Caligula: Emperor of Rome . New York: Thames & Hudson ,1991
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6. The World Book Encyclopedia . “Caligula of Rome. “ Chicago: World Book Childcraft International Inc. , 1978 Vol. 3, p. 57.
Outline
1. Life:
1. Roman emperor from 37 to 41 A.D after only four years of terrifying rule
2. Born on August 31, 12 A.D and died on January 24, 41 A.D
3. Born in Antium, Latium
2. Early Childhood:
1. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanica as full name but more commonly known as Caligula after the child-size military boots he wore in his father’s military camp, caliga
2. Caligula’s parents: a. Germanicus: father (15 B.C~19 A.D)
b. Agrippina the elder: mother (14 B.C~33 A.D)
3. Caligula’s mother, father, and all his brothers killed or starved to death by Emperor Tiberius and his Praetorian Prefect, Sejanus
4. Caligula’s great-uncle: Emperor Tiberius (42 B.C~37 A.D)
5. A virtual prisoner of Tiberius and had to keep him company when young
6. Was great- grandson of the Emperor Augustus
7. When 20, adopted by Tiberius and became emperor when Tiberius died in A.D 37
3. Adulthood:
1. Came to power when Tiberius assassinated by Caligula’s chamberlain, Marco, smothering him with his bedclothes
2. First months of Caligula’s reign: mild and policies showed some judgement
3. Took pleasure in attending punishments and executions from the beginning of his reign
4. Fell severely ill in October but when recovered, changed for the worse
5. Became an emperor with elements of madness, cruelty, viciousness, extravagance, and megalomania
6. Was tall, spindly, pale, and prematurely bald
7. On occasions, ordered spectators to be dragged off their benches to arena when there weren’t enough criminals to fight the tigers and lions
8. With Tiberius dead Caligula and his cousin placed in position to take power
9. With help of a Praetorian Guard Caligula became emperor
10. Still feared that his cousin would later kill him and take over, so after a few months as emperor, ordered Praetorian Guard to kill his cousin
11. Suffered from mental illness and had a violent temper
12. Was misunderstood and corrupted (changed from good to bad) by power
13. Indulged himself on drunken orgies then became very dangerous and unstable
14. Had three sisters and was caught many times in bed with his favorite sister Drusilla
4. Ruling Style:
1. Was popular at the beginning of his reign but soon became apparent that he was insane
2. Claimed to be all gods at once and ordered a statue of himself set up in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, causing riots among Jews
3. Claimed he defeated the British and the Germans, even though he never fought them
4. Claimed he defeated the god Neptune
5. Spent money on foolish projects, banished many people, and murdered many others
6. After a good start started to behave in an openly autocratic manner (rule by oneself, like a dictator)
7. Especially unpopular with senators because he made many bad government decisions
8. Did not respect senators; tried to make his own horse made into a senator or a consul, saying, “ My horse can do a better job than many of you men!”
9. Not successful in making war with Germans to the north of Roman Empire
10. Invited back those who Tiberius exiled as many of his enemies
11. Gave out money to Rome’s citizens at first
12. Gave a large cash bonus to the Praetorian Guard
13. Successfully resumed military gambling with the Germans after Tiberius
14. Only went until the Channel of Britain and told the soldiers to pick up seashells
15. Incorporated ancient Temple of Caster and Pollux within his palace, but a sacrilege reversed by successor Claudius 1
16. Encouraged deceitful trials for own financial benefit
17. Abolished sales tax and provided lavish games for the Romans to enjoy before falling ill
18. Too sensitive about lack of hair on his scalp that he made it crime to look down from high places as he passed by
19. Sometimes ordered people with a fine head of a hair to be shaved
20. Ampleness of body-hair made up for the loss of hair: was very sensitive about this just equally so made it crime to talk about ‘hairy goat’s in front of him
5. Assassination:
1. was succeeded by his uncle, Claudius, who became a good emperor in A.D 41
2. Most people relieved when assassinated
3. Only common people who benefited from his extravagant spending mourned death
4. Praetorian Guard assassinated Caligula with wife Caesonia and daughter at age 29
5. Members of the Praetorian Guard stabbed him and left him a bloody mass in a palace hallway
6. Murdered after insulted the army and threatened to kill members of the Roman Senate