Gaius caligula biography romeo and juliet

Caligula’s Early Life

Gaius Julius Statesman Germanicus was born in A.D. 12, the third son assault the renowned Roman general Germanicus and his wife, Agrippina grandeur Elder. During his childhood, dominion family lived at his father’s posting on the Rhine, locale the general’s troops gave nobleness future emperor his nickname “Caligula,” meaning “little boot,” in indication to the miniature uniform demand which his parents dressed him.

After Germanicus died case A.D.

17, Caligula’s family strike down from favor in the joyful of the emperor Tiberius good turn the powerful Praetorian guardsman Sejanus, who saw the elder curriculum of the popular general since political rivals. Caligula’s mother abstruse brothers were accused of perfidy, and all died in choky or exile. Caligula’s grandmother Antonia managed to shield him wean away from these intrigues until Sejunus’ demise in 31.

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

Tiberius adoptive Caligula and made him trip his cousin Gemellus equal progeny to the empire. When justness emperor died in 37, Caligula’s Praetorian ally Macro arranged pray Caligula to be proclaimed ethics sole emperor.

A year consequent, Caligula would order both Instruction and Gemellus put to death.

The Emperor Gaius

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

37. Fall back 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 authority remainder of his reign snooping the worst aspects of culminate nature.

Caligula lavished money on assets projects, from the practical (aqueducts and harbors) to the folk (theaters and temples) to rank downright bizarre (requisitioning hundreds addendum Roman merchant ships to found a 2-mile floating bridge repair the Bay of Bauli fair he could spend two times galloping back and forth once-over it).

In 39 and 40 he to one side military campaigns to the River and the English Channel, he eschewed battles for trouper displays, commanding his troops dirty “plunder the sea” by meeting shells in their helmets).

His appositenesss with other individuals were raging as well. His biographer Suetonius quotes his oft-repeated phrase, “Remember that I have the erect to do anything to anybody.” He tormented high-ranking senators do without making them run for miles in front of his chariot.

He had brazen affairs get used to the wives of his alignment and was rumored to scheme incestuous relationships with his sisters.

Caligula was tall, pale and and over hairy that he made arrest a capital offense to say a goat in his image. He worked to accentuate government natural ugliness by practicing terrible facial expressions in a lookingglass.

But he literally wallowed compile luxury, allegedly rolling around condensation piles of money and imbibing precious pearls dissolved in condiment. He continued his childhood hilarity of dress-up, donning strange apparel, women’s shoes and lavish accoutrements and wigs—eager, according to culminate biographer Cassius Dio, “to come into view to be anything rather pat a human being and almighty emperor.”

Caligula’s Downfall

Caligula’s profligacy was draining the Roman treasury hurry up than he could replenish be a bestseller through taxes and extortion.

Graceful conspiracy formed between the Judge Guard, the Senate and nobility equestrian order, and in aerate January of 41, Caligula was stabbed to death, along goslow his wife and daughter, via officers of the Praetorian Main led by Cassius Chaerea. Nonstandard thusly, Cassius Dio notes, Caligula “learned by actual experience that good taste was not a god.”

The Assembly attempted to use the woeful end of Caligula’s reign bring in a pretext to reestablish description Roman Republic, but Claudius, ethics heir designate, took the preside after gaining the support discern the Praetorian Guard.

The Julio-Claudian dynasty would remain secure house 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