Caligula

Caligula (Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, 31 August 12 – 24 January 41), was the third Roman Emperor. He reigned from AD 37. After only four years, he was assassinated by members of his bodyguard and the Roman Senate. During his reign, many innocent people were killed without fair trials. Even with all that, he was popular with the Roman public in his time.

Caligula
Bust of the Emperor Gaius, known as Caligula
3rd Emperor of the Roman Empire
18 March AD 37 – 24 January AD 41 (3 years, 10 months)
Predecessor	Tiberius, great-uncle and adoptive grandfather
Successor	Claudius, uncle
Born	31 August AD 12 Antium (modern Anzio and Nettuno), Italy
Died	24 January AD 41 (aged 28) Palatine Hill, Rome
Burial	Mausoleum of Augustus, Rome
Spouse	Junia Claudilla Livia Orestilla Lollia Paulina Milonia Caesonia
Issue	Julia Drusilla Tiberius Gemellus (adoptive) Nymphidius Sabinus (disputed)
Full name Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus (birth) Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (as emperor)
House	Julio-Claudian dynasty
Father	Germanicus
Mother	Agrippina the Elder
Religion	ancient Roman religion

Life

Caligula's father Germanicus was the nephew and adoptive son of emperor Tiberius. He was a very successful general. He was one of Rome's most beloved public figures.

When Germanicus died at Antioch in 19 AD, his mother Agrippina the Elder returned to Rome with her six children. She had a bitter feud with Tiberius. That eventually led to the destruction of her family. Caligula was the only male survivor. In 31, he joined the emperor on the island of Capri. Tiberius had gone there five years earlier. When Tiberius died in 37, Caligula became emperor.

There are few surviving sources on Caligula's reign. He is described as a noble and moderate ruler during the first two years of his rule. After this, the sources focus upon his cruelty, extravagance, presenting him as an insane tyrant.

Caligula worked to give more authority to the emperor. He put a lot of his effort into ambitious construction projects and luxurious dwellings for himself. He started the construction of two new aqueducts in Rome: the Aqua Claudia and the Anio Novus. During his reign, the empire took over the Kingdom of Mauretania and made it into a province.

In early 41, Caligula was assassinated. There was a conspiracy involving officers of the Praetorian Guard, members of the Roman Senate and members of the imperial court. After Caligula's death, the conspirators' tried to bring back the Roman Republic, but they were unsuccessful. The Praetorian Guard declared Caligula's uncle Claudius emperor in his place.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Caligula

16. Drusus Claudius Nero

8. Tiberius Claudius Nero

17. Claudia

4. Nero Claudius Drusus

18. Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus

9. Livia Drusilla

19. Aufidia

2. Germanicus

20. Marcus Antonius Creticus

10. Mark Antony

21. Julia Antonia

5. Antonia Minor

22. Gaius Octavius (=28)

11. Octavia Minor

23. Atia Balba Caesonia (=29)

1.Caligula

12. Lucius Vipsanius Agrippa

6. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa

3. Agrippina the Elder

28. Gaius Octavius (=22)

14. Augustus

29. Atia Balba Caesonia (=23)

7. Julia the Elder

30. Lucius Scribonius Libo

15. Scribonia

31. Sentia

Insanity?

There are stories about Caligula that show cruelty and insanity. He was accused of killing just for amusement. He was accused of committing incest with his sisters and prostituting them with other men. He was accused of turning the palace into a brothel.

Caligula appeared in public dressed as various gods. He demanded to be worshipped as a god. There was a legend that he appointed a horse to the priesthood.

It is difficult to know anything for certain about Caligula. Only two sources from his time still exist. Those are the works of Philo and Seneca. They give mostly anecdotes. At one time, there were detailed histories on Caligula. Now they are lost. Caligula's sister, Agrippina the Younger, wrote an autobiography which certainly had a lot of information about Caligula's reign. It is also lost. No surviving source paints Caligula in a favorable light. It is not known whether Caligula was insane.

Relics

In 2017 a mosaic from one of Caligula's Lake Nemi pleasure ships was discovered in New York City

Other websites

• Caligula with Mary Beard at BBC Programmes

Caligula Julio-Claudian dynasty Born: 31 August AD 12 Died: 24 January AD 41
Royal titles
Preceded by Tiberius	Roman Emperor 37–41	Succeeded by Claudius
Political offices
Preceded by Gnaeus Acerronius Proculus, and Gaius Petronius Pontius Nigrinus as Ordinary consuls	Suffect consul of the Roman Empire 37 with Claudius	Succeeded by Aulus Caecina Paetus, and Gaius Caninius Rebilus as Suffect consuls
Preceded by Servius Asinius Celer, and Sextus Nonius Quinctilianus as Suffect consuls	Consul of the Roman Empire 39 with Lucius Apronius Caesianus	Succeeded by Quintus Sanquinius Maximus as Suffect consul
Preceded by Aulus Didius Gallus, and Gnaeus Domitius Afer as Suffect consuls	Consul of the Roman Empire 40 sine collega	Succeeded by Gaius Laecanius Bassus, and Quintus Terentius Culleo as Suffect consuls
Preceded by Gaius Laecanius Bassus, and Quintus Terentius Culleo as Suffect consuls	Consul of the Roman Empire 41 with Gnaeus Sentius Saturninus	Succeeded by Quintus Pomponius Secundus as Suffect consul