11 facts about the most cruel roman emperor Caligula

On this day ~ 31st August 12 AD, BIRTH OF ROMAN EMPEROR CALIGULA, Emperor Caligula has been immortalized as one of history’s most cruel and erratic leaders. However, the reality is far more complex and exciting. A spoiled and reckless ruler who was tarnished by his enemies, becoming a madman, a tyrant, a pervert, and one of the worst Roman emperors, ever.

Here are 11 facts about the most cruel roman emperor Caligula

1-      Everyone knows Caligula’s reportedly incestuous relationship with his sisters, or for his cruelty and madness, or declaring himself a god. Yet, all those salacious stories come from a few ancient sources, written by senators who despised Caligula’s autocratic style of rule.

2-      Born in 12 AD as Gaius Julius Cesar, the future emperor Caligula was, from his very birth, predestined for greatness. His parents, a popular Roman general and a war hero Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, were members of the prestigious Julio-Claudian dynasty.

3-      During his childhood, his family lived at his father’s posting on the Rhine, where the general’s troops gave the future emperor his nickname “Caligula,” meaning “little boot” However, although Caligula had a keen interest in military affairs, he was uncomfortable with the name, and after assuming the throne, he insisted on the given name he shared with a famous ancestor Gaius Julius Caesar.

4-      Caligula was not quite 25 years old when he took power in 37 A.D. At first, his succession was welcomed in Rome, and he was wildly popular. He ended treason trials, granted amnesty to the exiled and abolished unfair taxes, and announced political reforms. He also organized lavish gladiatorial games and chariot races, much to the delight of the Romans. But in October of 37 AD, a serious illness unhinged Caligula, leading him to spend the remainder of his reign, exploring the worst aspects of his nature.

5-      It is possible that he had a nervous breakdown. Or he had epilepsy, a condition that plagued both Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus. When Caligula finally left the sickbed, he was a different man. The rest of the boy-emperor’s brief reign was marked by paranoia and unrest.

6-      Caligula lavished money on building projects, from the practical aqueducts and harbors, to the cultural theaters and temples. Some were downright bizarre, he requisitioned hundreds of Roman merchant ships, to construct a 2-mile floating bridge across the Bay of Bauli. He then spent two days galloping back and forth across it, on his horse.

7-      In 39 and 40 AD, he led military campaigns to the Rhine, and the English Channel, where he commanded his troops to “plunder the sea” by gathering shells in their helmets, He tormented high-ranking senators, by making them run for miles in front of his chariot. He had brazen affairs with the wives of his allies, and was rumored to have incestuous relationships with his sisters.

8-      Caligula was tall, pale and so hairy that people said he resembled a goat. He made it a capital offence, to mention a goat in his presence. He literally wallowed himself in luxury, allegedly rolling around in piles of money, and drinking precious pearls dissolved in vinegar.

9-       As a child, he had loved to play at 'dress-up', something he didn't grow out of; He would wear strange clothing, women’s shoes, and lavish accessories, and wigs. Caligula became infamous for his brutality and madness. He delighted in feeding criminals to animals, and was overheard having detailed conversations, with the moon.

 

10-   His most treasured possession, above his wife and daughter, was his horse. The horse was called Incitatus. Incitatus was a magnificent and prized racehorse, known for his speed and beauty. It is said that Caligula was particularly fond of the horse, treating it with great care and attention. Caligula loved him so much; he reportedly dined with the horse, and invited it to his palace. He gave him a marble stall, an ivory manger, a jeweled collar, and even a house! The rumors that Caligula made his horse a senator, and allegedly planned to make him a Consul, have never been substantiated.

 

11-   Caligula’s frivolities were draining the Roman treasury, faster than he could replenish it, through taxes and extortion. A conspiracy formed between the Praetorian Guard and the Senate, and in late January of 41 A.D. Caligula was stabbed to death, along with his wife and daughter, by officers of the Praetorian Guard. His hold on the Roman Empire lasted less than five years. He may have been the son of a great military leader, but his madness, and financial excesses, led him to be the first Roman Emperor to be assassinated.