Caligula - Misunderstood?

[Admiral Piett]

After watching some of the BBC series, I Claudius, I was sparked to read up a bit more on Caligula. This emperor actually, to me, is one of the most interesting figures in the Roman era.

The common knowledge of Caligula is derived from two ancient sources, built upon by Robert Graves. It was that Caligula was deranged, incredibly perverted, and tyrannical. However, not all of the ancient sources are in agreement with this, according to what I've read. Apparently, historians in this time would often associate lavishly detestable stories with hated politicians to rebuke their reputations and legacy. It has been done actually with several emperors and other leaders.

He was universally popular for the first two years of his reign. Though it was said he fell seriously ill and nearly died. Modern historians speculate it was encephalitis and his brain and spinal cord swelled up. Even after this, he made life easier for a lot citizens. He repealed taxes, he offered aid to property damaged by natural disasters, held public festivals and games, he gave the military a significant bonus.

Most of the problems, it seems, actually occurred in the second part of his reign, but from what I've read, Caligula was a little more like how Commodus was portrayed in Gladiator rather than a wild, sex craven, completely looney beast.

[Mangalore]

There are quite alot theories about evil Roman emperors actually simply having pissed off the wrong people which latter wrote the history books accordingly to justify their untimely retirement. So they could have been simply average in their performance and not much more corrupted than any other Roman aristocrat of the time.

[Lysimachus]

A documentary I watched stated that Caligula appealed hugely to the masses but pissed off the wrong people. The people who were capable of doing something to him. He went mad, they couldn't stand him so they just killed him and since the masses loved him it caused unrest after his death.

[Kissaki]

Caligula was obsessed with being popular with the masses. Although he was certainly not a good administrator (he had emptied the treasury in two years, from all his lavish spendings on the people), he was loved by the people who for the most part simply did not understand why anyone would want to kill him. The film "Caligula" certainly has no root in reality, although he was not above cold blooded murder for petty reasons. But his atrocities have been wildly exaggerated.

[Monarchist]

Regardless of whether he is misunderstood, he sure screwed Rome over for a couple of years. I vastly prefer Claudius, though Tiberius gives me a cold chill whenever I read about him. Augustus wasn't really all that great in the end, anyway, judging by how he reacted to Teutoburg in 9.

Trajan is the only misunderstood Emperor, because he isn't discussed enough.

[The_Nord]

I dont know about Caligula, all ancient sources seem to claim that he was quite mad indeed. The general population seem to have liked him though, perhaps for his wild side, kinda like how alot of people like lindsay lohan, paris hilton and so on today. Nero though, seem to have been a lesser evil then he was made out to be. Claudius seems to me to have really been one of the better emperors, espcially after Caligulas' reign. All things about Caligulas shenanigans can't have been made up.

[Barry Ferguson]

Some of Caligula's actions have been misconstrued. His making a horse a consul was a political insult to the Senate. I think Caligula suffers for being confused with Nero.

Was Caligula the first empire to be killed by the Praetorians?

[Tiberius Tosi]

Some of Caligula's actions have been misconstrued. His making a horse a consul was a political insult to the Senate. I think Caligula suffers for being confused with Nero.

Was Caligula the first empire to be killed by the Praetorians?

Tiberius was the one who made his horse a senator.

Yes he was, August died naturally (some say he committed suicide, but it is a theory) and Tiberius died naturally (some say he was smothered by a Praetorian, but it is just heresay by Livy)

[Tiberius Tosi]

Rather his atrocities are exaggerated or not, in my opinion he was still highly unfit to rule. All he could really do effectively was spend money and make people happy, in the short term. Had he lived longer he probably would have completely bankrupted Rome and been killed by others anyways.

[Arch-hereticK]

I like Malcom mcDowell's portrayal of him as a complete nut-job, an almost mythical scale of a character.

Was there a smear campaign after his rule? no doubt, but how much of our information now is still contaminated with propaganda? I don't think we'll ever find the whole truth.

[God-Emperor of Mankind]

I like Malcom mcDowell's portrayal of him as a complete nut-job, an almost mythical scale of a character.

Actually if you listen to the behind the scenes and Malcom himself, this is not the case.
He wanted to portray him as a anarchist who could really do whatever he wanted.
Again, by pissing off the senate and the nobles he made himself popular among the common folks.
Unfortunately for him they were the ones that wrote his history after he died.
I have a feeling the real Caligula was miles better then what the sources says.

[The_Nord]

Yes, making people happy he was good, through short term spending, but when it comes to administration and long term spending in infrastructure, buildings and getting along with the senate he was really bad at. And I still believe some of the stuff that was written about his atrocities were true. Good thing Claudius succeeded him, the building of that port was a really good move, and Claudius really picked up Rome after the incompetent rule of Caligula.

[Admiral Piett]

From more modern research, this seems to be the case. Caligula was not insane (though his illness deranged him for a temporary period of time) but he was avaricious. I however have serious doubts that he had turned the imperial palace into a playground of sex and murder. The so-called 'march to the sea' was actually his attempt to invade Britain. It failed, so he had them bring back seashells as spoils for something to prove to the public.

[Barry Ferguson]

After watching some of the BBC series, I Claudius, I was sparked to read up a bit more on Caligula. This emperor actually, to me, is one of the most interesting figures in the Roman era.

John Hurt is magnificent as caligula in that series. "People are despicable"



Although he does look a bit like Johnny Rotten in this part

[Admiral Piett]

Heh, his performance was a lil over the top, but I actually would agree with the man. People are despicable.