Ancient History Dossier
Emperor Caligula
Caligula, born Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus in 31 AD, was the Emperor of Rome between 37 and 41 AD. Remembered as a cruel and erratic tyrant, his deranged tendencies threw Rome into chaos
It was during his stay with his parents on the German frontier, when he was between two and four, that his miniature versions of military sandals (caligae), caused the soldiers to call him Caligula, ‘little sandal’. It was a nickname that remained with him for the rest of his life
When he was in his late teens his mother and elder brothers were arrested and died horribly due to the plotting of the praetorian prefect Sejanus. The horrendous demise of his closest relatives had a big effect on the young Caligula.
Caligula drew the imperial signet ring from Tiberius' finger and was greeted as emperor by the crowd. However, news reached the would-be emperor that Tiberius had recovered and was requesting food be brought to him.
Terrified at any revenge by the emperor returned from the dead, he froze on the spot. But Naevius Cordus Sertorius Macro, commander of the praetorians, rushed inside and smothered Tiberius with a cushion, suffocating him (Roman Empire Docuseries, Netflix).
Caligula was titled princeps (‘first citizen’) by the senate (AD 37). No sooner did he get back to Rome, the senate bestowed upon him all the powers of the imperial office.
Caligula abolished Tiberius’ gruesome treason trials, paid generous amounts to the people of Rome and a handsome bonus to the praetorian guard.
Only six months later (AD 37), Caligula fell very ill. His popularity was such that his illness caused great concern throughout the entire empire.
But, when Caligula recovered, he was no longer the same man.
According to Suetonius, he also suffered from "parliamentary disease" or what is now known as Epilepsy.
He became totally irrational, with delusions not only of grandeur but also of divinity.
Caligula had four wives, three of them during his reign as emperor and he was said to have committed incest with each of his three sisters in turn.
Ideal/Value of the Principate
Importance of Status
Superiority of the Emperor
His relationships with many people were turbulent. His biographer Suetonius quotes his oft-repeated phrase, “Remember that I have the right to do anything to anybody.”
He knew he had lawful superiority over everyone (Suetonius, 110 CE.).
Loyalty
At first, his succession was welcomed in Rome. He announced political reforms and recalled all exiles (Woods, 2014). in his early time as emperor, he was loyal. He cared about making a change in Rome but quickly changed due to supposed illness.
Does Caligula fit our Rebel Definition?
Viewed as threats to Rome and/or the idea of Rome. Actions associated with rebels against Rome include the following:
- Flouting Roman values, ideals, and/or authority
- Attempts to undermine, overthrow, or radically reform the institutions of Rome
- Threatening the safety and stability of Rome, Roman territory, and/or its citizens
Overall, Caligula threatens the safety and stability of Rome and its citizens but acting in an unlawful and ill manner.
He was very selfish, and he murdered plenty of people. Although, it can be said that his decisions within his years of ruling were because of his illness and his childhood trauma. For example, "he believed he was the god Jupiter, "He decreed divine honors for himself" (259, Mathisen). Also, he had Ptolemy executed because he was jealous of his purple cloak at the gladiatorial show in Rome (259, Mathisen). Due to his childish and selfish decisions (probably due to him being medically insane), he started revolts in North Africa.
Example #1
"He even used openly to deplore the state of his times, because they had been marked by no public disasters, saying that the rule of Augustus had been made famous by the Varus massacre, and that of Tiberius by the collapse of the amphitheatre at Fidenae, while his own was threatened with oblivion because of its prosperity, and every now and then he wished for the destruction of his armies, for famine, pestilence, fires, or a great earthquake."
Example #2
"Having asked a man who had been recalled from an exile of long standing, how in the world he spent his time there, the man replied by way of flattery: "I constantly prayed the gods for what has come to pass, that Tiberius might die and you become emperor." Thereupon Caligula, thinking that his exiles were likewise praying for his death, sent emissaries from island to island to butcher them all. Wishing to have one of the senators torn to pieces, he induced some of the members to assail him suddenly, on his entrance into the Senate, with the charge of being a public enemy, to stab him with their styluses, and turn him over to the rest to be mangled; and his cruelty was not sated until he saw the man's limbs, members, and bowels dragged through the streets and heaped up before him."
Legacy
Caligula was Rome’s most tyrannical emperor. His reign from 37-41 AD is filled with murder and debauchery, to levels even his infamous nephew Nero could not reach.
In his short life of only 29 years, he experienced terrible tragedy, a deep hatred for the man who killed his family, great power as the emperor of Rome.
In the last years of his life, his behavior became extreme and outlandish that many believe he was suffering from insanity. Some say he was driven to madness by the events in his life, while others say he may have been mentally ill or suffering from an unknown disease.
From my primary source, he had many killed or tortured with whips,
For example “ as a sample of his humor, he took his place beside a statue of Jupiter, and asked the tragic actor Apelles which of the two seemed to him the greater, and when he hesitated, Caligula had him flayed with whips, extolling his voice from time to time, when the wretch begged for mercy, as passing sweet even in his groans. Whenever he kissed the neck of his wife or sweetheart, he would say: "Off comes this beautiful head whenever I give the word." He even used to threaten now and then that he would resort to torture if necessary, to find out from his dear Caesonia why he loved her so passionately.”
This quote shows that he made his decisions quickly and made bad decisions just because someone hesitated in their answer.
His reasons for his actions didn’t make sense!
While Caligula wasn’t rebelling against politics or government (since he was the emperor,) I still consider him a rebel because he threatened the safety of his people, those closest to him, Along with himself. Safety is important for a sound and organized body of people to be properly governed. He only cared for himself, but in the long run, was hurting his well being and that affected his short time of being emperor. In accordance with our definition of a rebel, I believe he was truly rebellious.
Rome should have put measures into place that would stop ill people from continuing to rule or get on the throne. Something as simple as a test, to make sure the possible new ruler has the right mind to make decisions for everyone.
During his assassination, Caligula was stabbed 30 times and killed.
Caligula's death pushed the Senate to order the destruction of his statues in hopes of deleting him from Rome's history. Rome was obviously embarrassed and scarred about this history.
Primary Source Analysis
Primary Source: Suetonius
Rational
I chose this source because it had the most content. When searching for other sources I only found two others. One was written by Cassius Dio and the other was another source written by Suetonius. The Cassius Dio source didn't have enough material to back up the idea of Caligula being a Roman rebel. The first Suetonius source I found from the textbook was a good introduction to the emperor but didn't have enough evidence and reasoning to show Caligula can be defined as a Roman rebel.
Background of Source
First, before we go over the important information of my source, we have to break down the author and the time. This source was written by Suetonius. He was a Roman historian who wrote material during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. He was famous for his biographies of 12 Roman rulers. He was alive from 69 to 122 CE. The lives of the Caesars: Caius Caligula was well known during this time. This book was seasoned with gossip and scandal relating to the life of different emperors including Caligula. Suetonius’ family was of the knightly class and knew many people within government and high society. Although he was not a scholar, he observed what he saw and put it into this book. While he was alive, he controlled the Roman libraries, kept the archives organized, and was an advisor to the emperor Hadrian on cultural matters. Most of his writings dealt with Greek pastimes, the history of Roman spectacles and shows, oaths, and their origins. The lives of the Caesars or De vita Caesarum were responsible for the picture of Roman society and its emperors, morally and politically important that dominated history at the time. An important aspect of this writing is that he had no bias of the senatorial class that influenced most rating of this time. He wrote with firmness and brevity including important vocabulary and descriptive words. This source focuses on what Caligula changed and how he started showing insane tendencies throughout his reign which follows our Roman rebel definition.
Historical Context
Suetonius uses many examples of instances where Caligula made bad decisions and showed insane tendencies, “Having asked a man who had been recalled from an exile of long-standing, how in the world he spent his time there, the man replied by way of flattery: ‘I constantly prayed the gods for what has come to pass, that Tiberius might die and you become emperor.’ Thereupon Caligula, thinking that his exiles were likewise praying for his death, sent emissaries from island to island to butcher them all.”[1]
[1] Suetonius (c. 69-after 122 CE): De Vita Caesarum: Caius Caligula (The Lives of the Caesars: Caius Caligula), written c. 110 CE
Bibliography
“Ancient Perceptions of Caligula.” Account for the Failure of Caligula. Accessed April 27, 2021. https://thetruthofcaligula.weebly.com/ancient-perceptions-of-caligula.html
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Suetonius". Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Jan. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Suetonius. Accessed 2 May 2021.
Suetonius (c. 69-after 122 CE): De Vita Caesarum: Caius Caligula (The Lives of the Caesars: Caius Caligula), written c. 110 CE. Internet History Sourcebooks (fordham.edu)
Mathisen, Ralph W. Essay. In Ancient Roman Civilization: History and Sources, 753 BCE to 640 CE, 200–300. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2019.
WOODS, DAVID. "CALIGULA, INCITATUS, AND THE CONSULSHIP." The Classical Quarterly, New Series, 64, no. 2 (2014): 772-77. Accessed April 26, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43905613.
Barozza, Fernando. Roman Emperor Caligula. November 11, 2011. Photograph. fineartamerica.Roman emperor Caligula. Photograph by Fernando Barozza (fineartamerica.com)
Lopez, Richard, director. Roman Empire, Caligula: The Mad Emperor. Netflix Official Site, 11 Nov. 2016, www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80096545.