Caligula The Mad King
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In this article we will review the following: Why was Caligula known as the mad king?, What is Caligula most famous for?, Is Caligula a good ruler?, What did Caligula look like?.
Caligula was born on August 31 in 12AD, His real name was Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, The name "Caligula" was a nickname given to him by Roman soldiers during his youth.
As a child, Caligula accompanied his father, General Germanicus, on a military campaign, Dressed in a miniature soldier's uniform, he caught the soldiers' attention, and they affectionately called him "Caligula," meaning "little soldier's boots."
The Roman Emperor Tiberius ruled the Empire before Caligula, It is believed that Caligula, along with his military commander Macro, participated in Tiberius's assassination, possibly as an act of revenge for his family.
When Tiberius ascended the throne, a conflict arose between him and Caligula's family, As a result, Tiberius ordered the execution of several members of Caligula's family, including his older brother
"Nerer" and his mother.
After Tiberius's death, the Roman people celebrated the end of a harsh autocratic rule, looking forward to a fresh start under a young ambitious ruler.
Their joy only grew as Caligula initiated several reforms and acts of goodwill, such as overhauling the tax system.
Caligula also organized numerous sports and cultural events, He oversaw the construction of many structures, temples, and ambitious projects.
However, few realized at the time that these grand undertakings would eventually lead to a financial crisis.
The Madness and Sadism of Caligula
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Six months after taking office, and despite being in perfect health, Caligula was struck by a mysterious illness.
Historians do not specify whether it was a physical or mental ailment, However, the historian Philo, a contemporary of Caligula, attributed the illness to the emperor’s excessive bathing, drinking, and sexual indulgences.
Additionally, Caligula had suffered from epilepsy since childhood, which may have compounded his condition.
Interestingly, his personality underwent a dramatic transformation following his recovery.
Some believe the illness drove him insane, while others speculate that he felt betrayed by those around him, suspecting that even his close associates were prepared for his demise.
This sense of betrayal might have fueled his desire for revenge.
Caligula was one of many historical figures who declared themselves gods while still alive, He even ordered the construction of a temple and a golden statue for people to worship him.
Driven by an insatiable desire for deification, Caligula aspired to move to Egypt to fulfill his dream of being universally worshiped, This ambition was one of the key factors that hastened his assassination.
Caligula also craved recognition as a hero, though he failed to achieve any significant military accomplishments, His most infamous "victory" came during a bizarre situation in which he declared war on the sea.
He commanded his soldiers to wage war against the god of the seas, capturing prisoners by collecting seashells, which he claimed as naval spoils.
This absurd event was proclaimed a military triumph by the emperor.
Caligula’s Tyranny: A Reign of Provocation and Madness
Caligula was also known for provoking the people under Roman rule.
For instance, he commissioned the construction of giant statues of himself in the sacred city of Jerusalem, deliberately offending the local Arab population.
He also transported notable artifacts from Egypt, such as the obelisk of Thutmose III, to demonstrate his dominance.
Believing himself to be a god, Caligula once sought to possess the moon simply because it was something he did not already have.
He reportedly became despondent when he realized he could not obtain it.
This sense of frustration extended to his inability to defy natural laws; he often wept at his failure to make the sun rise in the west or to prevent the inevitability of death, despite his immense power.
He also imposed public theft in Rome, and of course it was limited only to him.
as he forced all the dignitaries of Rome and wealthy members of the Empire to deprive their heirs of inheritance and write a will that their property would be transferred to the treasury of Rome after their death, and of course the coffers of "Caligula".
Since he considered himself to be Rome itself, he sometimes ordered the murder of some wealthy people in the order of the list that suits his personal whim in order to transfer their inheritance quickly to him without having to wait for the Divine Order.
he justified this with the very famous phrase "But I'm stealing honestly".
It is a phrase that is followed by many today from big and small thieves, Who thought that as long as he confessed to stealing, it was permissible.
Caligula once saw that the history of his reign was devoid of famines and epidemics, so future generations will not remember him.
so he himself caused a famine in Rome when he closed the granaries, enjoying that he could make a disaster happen in Rome and make it stand up too by his order.
so he continued to enjoy seeing the people of Rome tormented by hunger as he closed the granaries!Also from the same deranged logic we understand his word "I will replace the plague".
The King's Wives
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Caligula’s life was rife with sexual scandals, He was infamously obsessed with his sister Drusilla and reportedly had inappropriate relationships with the wives of his bodyguards.
Some even accused him of engaging in sexual relationships with men.
According to the historians Suetonius and Cassius Dio, Caligula was alleged to have had affairs with all three of his sisters: Agrippina the Younger, Drusilla, and Livilla.
Interestingly, the notorious Emperor Nero, known for his own cruelty and madness, was the son of Agrippina the Younger, making him both the nephew and ideological successor of Caligula’s tyrannical legacy.
Between the years 31 and 33, Caligula married four women, His first wife died during childbirth, the second was divorced the day after their wedding, and the third was divorced six months later.
His fourth wife, Milonia Caesonia, was the one who remained with him the longest, though she too would eventually be killed.
Caligula’s second wife, whom he divorced the day after their marriage, was Livia Orestilla.
She had been married to Gaius Calpurnius Piso, but on the night of their wedding, Caligula forced Piso to annul their marriage so he could marry her instead.
Gaius Calpurnius Piso would later be exiled from Rome by Caligula, but he would return to become one of the most powerful figures in Roman politics.
Piso would play a key role in the "Pisonian Conspiracy" against Emperor Nero.
The end of the mad King
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Caligula once famously said, "It is strange that if I don't kill, I feel alone," and "I rest only among the dead."
These two phrases vividly reflect the disturbed nature of his character, which the brilliant French writer Albert Camus masterfully depicted in his play *Caligula*.
Camus captured the essence of this tyrant’s life and madness with remarkable precision.
On January 14, 41 AD, Caligula entered the Senate riding his horse, "Tantus".
When one of the senators objected to this audacious act, Caligula calmly dismissed him, replying, "I don't know why the esteemed member makes a remark about the entry of my esteemed horse, although it is more important than the esteemed member, It is enough that he carries me".
Later, Caligula announced a grand party celebrating the appointment of his beloved horse as a member of the Senate, This spectacle took place amid the cheers of the sycophantic courtiers surrounding him.
The senators were required to attend the event in their official robes, and when they arrived, they were shocked to find the banquet consisted only of hay and barley.
When they expressed their surprise, Caligula responded that it was a great honor for them to eat, from golden plates, the same food his horse ate.
Most attendees reluctantly obeyed the tyrant’s orders and consumed the hay and barley, except for one senator named "Brackus", who refused.
Caligula, enraged, retorted, "Who are you to refuse to eat what my horse eats?", He then decreed that "Brackus" be removed from his post and replaced by his horse.
Naturally, the other senators, mouths full of hay and barley, enthusiastically cheered and declared their support for the madness.
However, Brackus rebelled, shouting at Caligula and the senators.
He declared his defiance as an act of honor, yelling to the assembly, "When, honorable Romans, will we remain subject to the might of Caligula?".
In an act of bold defiance, he threw his shoes in the face of Caligula’s horse and shouted, "Honorable Romans, do as I do! Restore your dishonored honor!"
The crowd became enraged and furious and spat out straw from their mouths, The party quickly descended into chaos, turning into a battle with plates and everything in between.
Caligula, unable to escape, became the target of the senators who stabbed him with daggers and struck him on the head with plates.
When news of this brutal act reached the people, they were enraged, In a frenzy, they rushed out and destroyed all of Caligula’s statues, along with those of his family members.
Despite the attack, Caligula laughed and defiantly said, "Do whatever you want, you will not be able to kill me."
However, the senators continued their assault, ultimately killing him and his horse.
Thus, the story of one of the most infamous tyrants in history came to an end on January 24, 41 AD.