Caligula family tree
- •
Caligula
Roman emperor from AD 37 to 41
For other uses, see Caligula (disambiguation).
Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 – 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (), was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in AD 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Agrippina the Elder, members of the first ruling family of the Roman Empire. He was born two years before Tiberius was made emperor. Gaius accompanied his father, mother and siblings on campaign in Germania, at little more than four or five years old. He had been named after Gaius Julius Caesar, but his father's soldiers affectionately nicknamed him "Caligula" ('little boot').[a]
Germanicus died in Antioch in 19, and Agrippina returned with her six children to Rome, where she became entangled in a bitter feud with Emperor Tiberius, who was Germanicus' biological uncle and adoptive father. The conflict eventually led to the destruction of her family, with Caligula as the sole male survivor. In 26, Tiberius withdrew from public life to t
- •
Caligula’s Early Life
Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus was born in A.D. 12, the third son of the renowned Roman general Germanicus and his wife, Agrippina the Elder. 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,” in reference to the miniature uniform in which his parents dressed him.
Did you know? Though known for his harsh treatment of others, the infamous Roman emperor Caligula lavished attention upon his horse Incitatus, giving the animal his own house with a marble stall and ivory manger. As an expression of his absolute power, Caligula planned to appoint the horse to the high office of consul, but he was assassinated before he could do so.
After Germanicus died in A.D. 17, Caligula’s family fell from favor in the eyes of the emperor Tiberius and the powerful Praetorian guardsman Sejanus, who saw the elder sons of the popular general as political rivals. Caligula’s mother and brothers were accused of treason, and all died in prison or exile. Ca
- •
Caligula: 18 Facts on the “Mad” Roman Emperor
Caligula (12 BCE– 24 CE) is one of the most notorious Roman emperors. Everyone “knows” Caligula’s incestuous relationship with his sisters, or for his cruelty and madness, which culminated in Caligula naming his horse Roman consul or declaring himself a god. Yet, all those salacious stories come from a few ancient sources, written by prominent senators who despised Caligula’s autocratic style of rule. Upon closer examination, Caligula’s brief reign and life turn into a complex and fascinating story of a boy-emperor thoroughly unprepared for the throne, who, in the early years of the Roman Empire, tried to make Rome an absolute monarchy but failed. A spoiled and reckless ruler who, for his transgressions against the traditional order, was tarnished by his enemies, becoming a madman, a tyrant, a pervert – one of worst Roman emperors.
In the following 18 facts, we shall address most of those myths and show that “mad” Caligula was not so mad after all.
1. Emperor Caligula Was a Member of the Revered Imperial Dynasty
Born as
Copyright ©bandtide.pages.dev 2025