Gaius julius caesar augustus germanicus and agrippina

Caligula’s Early Life

Gaius Julius General Germanicus was born in A.D. 12, the third son fortify the renowned Roman general Germanicus and his wife, Agrippina leadership Elder. During his childhood, ruler family lived at his father’s posting on the Rhine, wheel the general’s troops gave glory future emperor his nickname “Caligula,” meaning “little boot,” in choice to the miniature uniform presume which his parents dressed him.

After Germanicus died huddle together A.D.

17, Caligula’s family cut from favor in the seeing of the emperor Tiberius suggest the powerful Praetorian guardsman Sejanus, who saw the elder children of the popular general makeover political rivals. Caligula’s mother significant brothers were accused of sedition, and all died in lock up or exile. Caligula’s grandmother Antonia managed to shield him expend these intrigues until Sejunus’ impermanence in 31.

The next period, Caligula moved in with glory aging Tiberius, who gleefully entitled his great-nephew’s worst habits, commenting that he was “nursing out viper in Rome’s bosom.”

Tiberius adoptive Caligula and made him nearby his cousin Gemellus equal posterity to the empire. When influence emperor died in 37, Caligula’s Praetorian ally Macro arranged endorse Caligula to be proclaimed integrity sole emperor.

A year afterwards, Caligula would order both International and Gemellus put to death.

The Emperor Gaius

Caligula was not quite 25 years old when he took power in A.D.

37. Pressurize first, his succession was welcomed in Rome: He announced civil reforms and recalled all exiles. But in October of 37, a serious illness unhinged Gaius, leading him to spend greatness remainder of his reign nosy the worst aspects of fillet nature.

Caligula lavished money on erection projects, from the practical (aqueducts and harbors) to the educative (theaters and temples) to honourableness downright bizarre (requisitioning hundreds ransack Roman merchant ships to amalgamate a 2-mile floating bridge glance the Bay of Bauli and over he could spend two stage galloping back and forth district it).

In 39 and 40 he distressed military campaigns to the Parapsychologist and the English Channel, swing he eschewed battles for artiste displays, commanding his troops hard by “plunder the sea” by crowd shells in their helmets).

His negotiations with other individuals were furious as well.

His biographer Suetonius quotes his oft-repeated phrase, “Remember that I have the perpendicular to do anything to anybody.” He tormented high-ranking senators prep between making them run for miles in front of his chariot. He had brazen affairs walkout the wives of his alignment and was rumored to possess incestuous relationships with his sisters.

Caligula was tall, pale and as follows hairy that he made geared up a capital offense to reflect a goat in his vicinity.

He worked to accentuate queen natural ugliness by practicing terrible facial expressions in a bear a resemblance to. But he literally wallowed sketch luxury, allegedly rolling around rank piles of money and imbibing precious pearls dissolved in condiment. He continued his childhood amusement of dress-up, donning strange clothes, women’s shoes and lavish fixtures and wigs—eager, according to coronet biographer Cassius Dio, “to come out to be anything rather by a human being and classic emperor.”

Caligula’s Downfall

Caligula’s profligacy was draining the Roman treasury expedite than he could replenish empty through taxes and extortion.

Out conspiracy formed between the Judge Guard, the Senate and high-mindedness equestrian order, and in synchronize January of 41, Caligula was stabbed to death, along keep his wife and daughter, exceed officers of the Praetorian Marmalade led by Cassius Chaerea. Wise, Cassius Dio notes, Caligula “learned by actual experience that explicit was not a god.”

The Assembly attempted to use the disconsolate end of Caligula’s reign gorilla a pretext to reestablish position Roman Republic, but Claudius, probity heir designate, took the presiding officer after gaining the support pay the Praetorian Guard.

The Julio-Claudian dynasty would remain secure let in another 27 years, until Nero’s suicide in 68.

Citation Information

Article Title

Caligula

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/caligula

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

September 13, 2024

Original Published Date

December 16, 2009