Transcript Caligula Murder Was the Case . . . From Hero to Zero in Four Short Years.

Caligula
Murder Was the Case . . . From Hero to
Zero in Four Short Years
What We Know About His
Reign
 Tacitus’ account of
Caligula’s rule is missing
 Historian Suetonius has an
account
 Writers agree that his
downfall was caused by
insanity
Early Years
 Born on 31st of August in AD 12
 Nicknamed Caligula = “little boot”
 Soldier’s footware = caliga
 Spent time on military campaigns
 Soldiers are calmed by the sight of him after
Augustus dies
Family Ties
 Nephew of Tiberius
 His father was Germanicus (Augustus’ adopted
grandson)
 Mother was Agrippina (Augustus’ granddaughter)
 His father died on 10 Oct AD 9
Ascent to Power
 Joined Tiberius on Capri in AD 31
 Tiberius dies in AD 37
 Gaius becomes emperor
Kind and Generous
 Recalls those exiled from
Rome
 Drove perverts from the
city
 Dismissal of criminal
charges
 Honored Tiberius’ will
 Cash bonus to Praetorian
Guard (1st time)
 Fantastic spectacles for
entertainment
 Reimbursed those
overcharged by tax system
 People were happy . . . At
first
Madness Follows
 Caligula begins to behave as though he is insane
 Demands divine honors for himself and Druscilla
 Roman troops ordered to collect sea-shells
 Wants a statue of himself in the temple at Jerusalem
More Madness
 Treats Druscilla as if she is his wife
 Made senators run for miles alongside his
chariot
 Spent 27 million gold pieces
Planned to make his horse a
consul
Assassination
 Praetorian Guard
decides to kill Caligula
 24 January AD 41 he is
killed
 Claudius becomes the
emperor
Conclusion
 The fact that Caligula was murdered
underscores the fact that this was a fullblown monarchy
 Giving up your power = death