The Roman Empire was one of the biggest empires ever existed. But how were Roman Emperors? Were they good, or were they bad?
In this article you’re going to discover one of the craziest Roman emperors ever existed, Caligula.
CALIGULA
Caligula was surely one of the craziest Roman Emperors. Let’s see his history.
Caligula was born in Antium in 12 AD from Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder. Caligula was the third of six children – three males and three females – and was related to Giulius Cesar.
Caligula’s father died when he was 7 years old, probably murdered by an agent of Tiberius, the Roman Emperor and Germanicus’uncle.
After his father died, Tiberius lived with his mother, brothers and sisters. However, due to the poor relationship his mother had with Tiberius, the entire family was charged on treason and banished in 29 AD.
One year later, one of his brothers died of starvation or suicide and the other was imprisoned.
After that, Caligula was entrusted with the care of Tiberius and in 35 AD was named joint heir to Tiberius’estate, and to the titles of the principate along with Tiberius Gemellus, Tiberius’ grandson.
When in 37 AD Tiberius died, all the Roman people wanted Caligula to inherit Tiberius’ principate. The reason was that they were very fond of Caligula’s father and so they admired his son too.
So, two days after Tiberius’ death, the Senate decided to nullify Tiberius’will with regard to Tiberius Gemellus on grounds of insanity.
This allowed Caligula to be the next Roman Emperor.
According to some historians Caligula was a great Emperor during the first six months of his Empire. He granted bonuses to the military, abolished treason trial and recalled people who had be sent into exile during Tiberius’ Empire.
However, it seems that in October 37 AD he fell ill, some say he was poisoned. When he recovered he wasn’t the same any more. Indeed, he killed or sent into exile people who he felt were a threat to him, he ordered to execute many senators, his cousin Tiberius Gemellus, and he sent into exile his sisters.
He also started to spend a lot of money, many of them for personal dwellings and ships, he increased taxes, he started to dress like a God.
This led to many conspiracies against him but only one was successful.
On 22 January 41 AD, a member of the Praetorian Guard, Cassius Chaerea, helped by other guardsmen accosted Caligula and stabbed him to death.
Credits
Original image by Walkerssk
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