CALIGULA
CALIGULA Imagine you suddenly became king or queen of a country. How would you react? Would you be a kind ruler? Or would you be cruel? Now imagine you were ruler of ancient Rome. You’ve got armies, slaves and lots of land, and you are regarded as a god. Caligula, became emperor of the vast Roman Empire in AD 37. he only lasted four years and he became famous for his cruelty, brutality, extravagance and madness. What happened to him? And why? To Die In Vain In AD 37 Emperor Tiberius died and Caligula suddenly became the most powerful man in the world. Things went well at first and Caligula was a good ruler. But then his character changed and he turned into a heartless, cold and ruthless ruler. He was most famous for his cruelty. Let’s see some examples of this. On one occasion Caligula was at the arena watching the gladiators. Half-way through, Caligula was informed that there weren’t enough condemned criminals to fight the tigers and lions. What was he going to do? Simple. Caligula just ordered some spectators to be dragged from the benches into the arena. Caligula also liked to steal money from rich senators. He ordered people to write out wills leaving everything to him. Then, he would just kill them and inherit all their money. Once, a supposedly rich man had died, but it turned out that he had no money, Caligula commented, “Oh dear, he died in vain.” Caligula also opened a brothel in his palace and ordered the wives and daughters of senators and soldiers to work there; and, of course, Caligula took all the money.
asleep and Caligula declared that each time the senator nodded, it was a bid for a gladiator. By the time the senator woke up, he had a massive debt and 13 very expensive gladiators. But at other times things were more serious. When Caligula became tired of someone, he would simply order them to commit suicide, as he once did with his secretary.
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow Caligula also suffered from paranoia. He was short and bald and had a hairy body. He was very sensitive about this and during his time it was a crime for anyone to look down on him from a high place. Sometimes he ordered those with a fine head of hair to be shaved. Even the mention of “hairy goats” in conversation was dangerous. One poor man was flogged to death for making a comment with this expression. Caligula was sexually perverted. He often committed incest with his three sisters; and at weddings, he would order the bride to strip naked, then carefully examine her in public.
He Really Is Mad Music To His Ears Caligula was also famous for his short temper. Once, he asked a friend, “Who is the greater: Jupiter or Caligula?” Instead of answering immediately, the friend hesitated, and Caligula whipped him to death. As the poor man was dying, Caligula casually remarked, “Remember, I have the power to do anything to anyone.” On a funny note, Caligula was once at an auction. A senator was
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There are lots of other examples of Caligula’s madness. Whenever he kissed his wife’s neck, he used to say, “This lovely neck will be chopped as soon as I say so”. He once ordered his slaves to construct a five-kilometre bridge of boats across the Bay of Naples. Then, he crossed the boats on horseback, wearing Alexander the Great’s armour. He also treated his horse, Incitatus, like a king. He gave it necklaces, a marble stable with furniture and servants to look
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