Augustus Caesar (27 BCE - 14 CE) was the name of the first and, by most accounts, greatest Roman emperor.Augustus was born Gaius Octavius Thurinus on 23 September 63 BCE. To prevent further damage, Zeus hurled a thunderbolt at the chariot killing Phaethon in the process. Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus (Claudius to his embarrassed family), born in Lyon in what is now France, a sickly, lame, twitching, stutterer, a nonentity, thought an idiot by his relatives the most prominent in ancient Rome, Julius Caesar began their more than century long reign as the rulers of the vast expanding Roman Empire. However, he was also unquestionably a murderer, starting with his step-brother Britannicus, with whom he had been supposed to share power, and progressing through his wife Octavia, whom he deserted for his lover, Poppeaea, and then had executed on a trumped-up charge of adultery. He was stabbed more than 30 times and was the first Roman Emperor to be assassinated. ... How Augustus Caesar Became Emperor After the Death of Julius Caesar. Caligula lavished money in his short reign of four years. Nero is the Roman Emperor we all love to hate, and not without reason. 175 Likes, 12 Comments - KatherineAnn (@rin_in_nature) on Instagram: “ESF class of 2020🍃 I just graduated from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a…” Details the graphic and shocking but undeniably tragic story of Rome's most infamous Caesar, Gaius Germanicus Caligula. Know more about the life, family, reign and assassination of Emperor Caligula through these 10 interesting facts. De vita Caesarum (Latin; lit. Christians had long been regarded by most Romans with a mixture of distaste and a rather amused tolerance, but Diocletian set about the total eradication of the religion. Gaius declared himself a god and used his divine status to establish what was, in effect, an absolutist monarchy in Rome. With Rita Hayworth, Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton, Judith Anderson. Thank you for subscribing to HistoryExtra, you now have unlimited access. Though his early reign is considered brilliant, Caligula is mostly remembered for his despotic rule, insanity, perversion and acts of extreme cruelty making him among the iconic ‘bad guys’ in the annals of history. That the family of the Octavii was of the first distinction in Velitrae 106, is rendered evident by many circumstances.For in the most frequented part of the town, there was, not long since, a street named the Octavian; and an altar was to be seen, consecrated to one Octavius, who being chosen general in a war with some neighbouring people, the … Christians who refused to give up their faith were tortured and executed. The nickname stuck and, with time, it became so popular that it finally eclipsed his real name after his death. Elagabalus overthrew Macrinus and promptly embarked on an increasingly eccentric reign. Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus, often remembered simply as Augustus, was the very first Emperor of Rome, and in that he accomplished what his great-uncle, and adoptive father, Julius Caesar, had failed to do. Sean Lang is a senior lecturer in history at Anglia Ruskin University, and the author of publications including British History for Dummies (2004), European History for Dummies (2011) and First World War for Dummies (2014). These include his having an incestuous relation with his sister Julia Drusilla; considering to appoint his beloved horse Incitatus to the high position of consul; making the mention of a goat in his presence as a capital offense; killing a gladiator in a mock fight; and parading his fourth wife Caesonia naked in front of his friends. Germanicus, like Tiberius, was from the … There had been conspiracies against him but his announcement of permanently leaving Rome for Alexandria perhaps served as his death knell. He intended to place his statue at the temple of Jerusalem, a disastrous order which was avoided after some persuasion until he issued another order to do so. Caligula wanted to be worshiped as “Neos Helios” or the New Sun and coins were minted in Egypt depicting him as the Sun God. The Romans had had enough of the tyrannical and unpredictable Caligula. The victims’ families were forced to join him on many occasions. "Now, then. Romans were particularly offended by Elagabalus’s sexual behaviour – as well as a string of marriages he also openly took male lovers, and he seems to have been what would nowadays be recognised as transgender. He is supposed to have protested that he couldn’t be killed because he was an immortal god, but he turned out to be rather less immortal than he thought. Tiberius was a gifted military commander and respected the authority of the senate. Soon, people began plotting against him for real, including his own sister. Temples were constructed for his worship, and heads of various gods were replaced by his own. His father was a popular Roman General while his mother was the granddaughter of Augustus Caesar. Oh, well, the full name of the emperors is a complex matter. After the death of Augustus in 14 AD, his adopted son Tiberius became emperor of Rome. The building of the infamous floating bridge across the Bay of Baiae, his financial misdemeanor and his perversion are also challenged. He followed Tiberius’s example of using treason trials to eliminate enemies, real or imagined. If you subscribe to BBC History Magazine Print or Digital Editions then you can unlock 10 years’ worth of archived history material fully searchable by Topic, Location, Period and Person. Caligula later even claimed to have hatched a plan to murder Tiberius. Caligula was sent to live with his great grandmother (Tiberius’s mother), #4 His first few months as Emperor are described as blissful, Caligula became the third emperor of Rome in, #5 Caligula murdered and exiled his family, It is noted that Caligula fell seriously ill in late 37 AD. At the time, Caligula’s father Germanicus was a popular commander with a noble reputation in the Roman Empire. The official website for BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed, Try 3 issues of BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed for only £5, Ruthless and violent, Roman emperors are famous for their tyrannical reigns of terror. You can follow Sean on Twitter @sf_lang. James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk was a male Human Starfleet officer who lived during the 23rd century. Some characters have strong traits that they are known by.This is for when characters momentarily break away from their normal habits to make a point about the seriousness of the situation. Emperor Maximinus Thrax was a Goth, Emperor Carausius was Gallic, and Emperor Philip the Arab was…well, take a wild guess. However, he spared the life of Caligula, who became emperor after his death in 37 AD. 1 Whereas the war which the Jews made with the Romans hath been the greatest of all those, not only that have been in our times, but, in a manner, of those that ever were heard of; both of those wherein cities have fought against cities, or nations against nations; while some men who were not concerned in the affairs themselves have gotten together vain and contradictory stories … He was later adopted by Augustus as his heir, and that was when he took the name Tiberius Julius Caesar, a … Commodus was indeed a passionate follower of gladiatorial combat, and himself fought in the arena, sometimes dressed as Hercules, for which he awarded himself divine honours, declaring that he was a Roman Hercules. In Ancient Rome, what was the law of the twelve tables? He however recovered in time but not without turning bitter, resentful and as many claim on verge of insanity. You will shortly receive a receipt for your purchase via email. Contrary to the myth, Nero did not start the great fire of Rome, nor did he ‘fiddle’ (nor even play the lyre), while the city burned – in fact, he organised relief work for its victims and planned the rebuilding. It was here that his father’s troops called the boy ‘caligula‘ or ‘little boots‘ in good humor. The Empire was remarkably multicultural, even at its very highest levels. The office of emperor-imperator means nothing but commander in chief-had evolved out of the executive power of the consul of the old republic, … Caligula is remembered as sexually perverted, cruel, insane, extravagant, and desperate for funds. During his infancy, Germanicus brought his son to a gathering. That's why most are known (and studied by the historians since Suetonius) by just one of their names or cognomina, and three of them (Caligula, Caracalla and Elagabalus) are known by a popular nickname, which probably was already used during his reign. Caligula derived pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation on others. Elagabalus was a relative of Septimius Severus’s wife, put forward to challenge Macrinus for the throne after the murder of Caracalla. In 27 BCE the Senate awarded him the honorific Augustus ("the illustrious one"), and he was … Octavian was adopted by his great-uncle Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, and then took the name Gaius Julius Caesar. Caracalla dealt brutally with opponents: he set about exterminating Geta’s supporters, and similarly wiped out those caught up in one of the city of Alexandria’s regular local risings against Roman rule. He was actually a competent administrator, and he was aided by some very able men, including his tutor – the writer Seneca. Rome. Also, there are numerous accounts of Caligula’s scandalous life and insanity. Hence, in 41 AD, after his return from Gaul, Caligula was murdered at the Palatine Games by the Praetorian guards led by Cassius Chaerea, Cornelius Sabinus and others. Save up to 72% and get your first 3 issues for only £5! There are numerous theories on why Tiberius spared Caligula’s life. He certainly turned the surplus he inherited from his father into a heavy deficit. It is noted that Caligula fell seriously ill in late 37 AD. Domitian was the younger son of Vespasian, the general who had emerged from the chaos after Nero’s fall and restored a certain element of stability and normality to Roman public life. Biography of Spartacus, an Enslaved Man Who Led a Revolt ... Why Did Caesar Write About the Wars Between Rome and Gaul? Some historians think Domitian’s tyranny has been overstated; others have compared him to Saddam Hussein at his most vengeful. The Romans had had enough of the tyrannical and unpredictable Caligula. He however recovered in time but not without turning bitter, resentful and as many claim, Caligula derived pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation on others. It was an unusually vicious persecution, given that the Romans were usually accepting of other religions, and it reflects Diocletian’s fear that, at a time when unity of purpose was essential for the empire’s survival, Christianity represented a rejection of Roman religious values that he could not afford to allow. The little Gaius was dressed up in a uniform wearing a tyke’s caligae; a child’s replica of the heavy-soled hobnailed military boots which were worn by Roman soldiers. It is wisely said that all of historical documents must be taken with a pinch of salt. Few historians have much good to say about Elagablus, and eventually the Romans’ patience gave out: Elagabalus was murdered in a conspiracy organised by his own grandmother. Taunted by his friends on his birth Phaethon asked his father some proof that would demonstrate his relation with him. Some emperors, like Nero or Domitian, have passed into history as models of erratic, paranoid tyrants; others, like Diocletian, were able administrators, providing good government (unless you happened to be a Christian, in which case you were in great peril). Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was the son of the highly able and effective emperor Septimius Severus. Phaethon was unable to control the horses in the chariot and the earth was in danger of being burnt. Roman historian Suetonius, among others, ascertain that the death of Germanicus in Syria was a political murder by the agents of Tiberius. Just about every leader of the Middle and Late Republics who took up the popular cause met a violent end, beginning with Tiberius Gracchus in … He issued precise instructions to executioners on how prisoners should be killed, For details about the insanity of Caligula read, #7 Caligula wanted to be worshiped as a living God, #8 His Extravagance brought financial crisis to Rome, #9 Certain historians feel that his misdeeds are exaggerated, It is wisely said that all of historical documents must be taken with a pinch of salt. In fact, as historians point out (to anyone who will listen), many of the emperors on the list below were competent – even gifted – administrators, and the sources for some of the more lurid stories about them are not always above suspicion of exaggeration or invention. Did Roman Soldiers Eat Meat? What gets Diocletian included here, however, is his utterly ruthless persecution of Christians. At the time, Caligula’s father Germanicus was a popular commander with a noble reputation in the Roman Empire. Caligula’s mother Agrippina the Elder publicly blamed Tiberius for her husband’s death and craved for revenge. His father-in-law Marcus Junius Silanus and his brother-in-law Marcus Lepidus were executed while two of this three sisters, Julia Livilla and Agrippina the Younger, were exiled. Some historians claim he poisoned Antonia, his grandmother. With Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, Helen Mirren, Teresa Ann Savoy. Chaerea arranged for his assassination at the Palatine Games. Mad, bad and decidedly dangerous to know. After the death of Augustus in 14 AD, his adopted son Tiberius became emperor of Rome. Domitian’s rule became steadily more autocratic, and he demanded to be treated like a god. Caligula’s eldest brother, Nero, died in exile from either starvation or suicide and his other brother, Drusus Caesar, was imprisoned on charges of treason. After her banishment from Rome, Jewish Princess Salome returns to her Roman-ruled native land of Galilee where prophet John the Baptist preaches against Salome… Using the pretense of taking offense at not being invited to the christening of Princess Aurora by Stefan and his wife, Queen Leah, she cursed the princess. But who were the worst Roman emperors? He gave bonuses to the soldiers, freed citizens that had been unjustly imprisoned by Tiberius, and eliminated an unpopular tax. There are certain historians who doubt the chronicles on Caligula feeling that they are greatly exaggerated. Caligula was named Gaius Julius Caesar after the famous Roman politician and general, who was related to Caligula. Nero was toppled by an army revolt that sunk into a destructive three-way civil war. And some of the crimes that most shocked their contemporaries, like a penchant for performing in public, would not necessarily offend us so much today. Here, historian Sean Lang examines eight of the bloodiest…. The long form of the trope title is "Out of Character Is Serious Business. Caligula became the third emperor of Rome in 37 AD, not aged more than 25 years. He hosted extravagant sporting and cultural events; built a race track and temples for his worship; imported an Egyptian obelisk by sea; and, most notoriously, built a temporary floating bridge to defy a prophesy. Often causes the other characters to do a Double Take and mention why this event is Serious Business. Everything you ever wanted to know about... 6 women who changed the course of Roman history, In bed with the Romans: a brief history of sex in Ancient Rome, 18 September AD 96 – Domitian is stabbed, 10 things you (probably) didn’t know about the Romans. Bust of Caligula’s Parents – Germanicus (left) and Agrippina the Elder #2 Roman Emperor Tiberius conspired to eradicate his family. He turned against philosophers, sending many of them into exile, and he arranged the judicial murder of the chief vestal virgin, having her buried alive in a specially constructed tomb. For details about the insanity of Caligula read this article. Gaius (‘Caligula, or ‘little bootee’ – a childhood nickname given him by his father’s troops) is best known for a series of eccentric actions, such as declaring war on the sea and proclaiming himself a god. An evil fairy, Maleficent is an incarnation of pure evil, and is responsible for all misfortune in King Stefan's kingdom. In the end it was his rather childish taunting of Cassius Chaerea, a member of the Praetorian guard, which brought Gaius down. Born on the 31st of August 12 AD in Antium, modern day Anzio, Italy, Caligula was a member of the Julio Claudian dynasty; the first ruling family of the Roman Empire. Even under the worst emperors Rome continued to function, but involvement in public life could become a decidedly dangerous business. You have successfully linked your account! Gaius took particular delight in humiliating the senate, claiming that he could make anyone consul, even his horse (though, contrary to the popular story, he didn’t actually go through with this). This led to a financial crisis in Rome around 38 AD. He issued precise instructions to executioners on how prisoners should be killed slowly, one cut at a time. Caligula was sent to live with his great grandmother (Tiberius’s mother) Livia and, after her death, with his grandmother Antonia, who shielded him from political intrigues. He then kicked Poppaea to death in a fit of anger while she was pregnant with his child. Gaius is reported to have disliked his nickname. Roman historians Suetonius and Tacitus give us a picture of Tiberius living on Capri as a depraved sexual predator, which may owe more to colourful imagination than to fact, though he certainly made use of a sheer drop into the sea to dispose of anyone he took issue with. Yzma is the main antagonist of Disney's 2000 animated feature film, The Emperor's New Groove. Ripslingeris the main antagonistof the 2013 Disneytoon Studios animated feature film, Planes. Phaethon requested to ride the sun’s chariot for a day. Soon, Caligula and his cousin Gemellus were made equal heirs to the throne. Tiberius sank into morbid suspicion of everyone around him: he retreated to the island of Capri and revived the ancient accusation of maiestas (treason) and used it to sentence to death anyone he suspected. Tiberius and Valerius Messallinus lingered in Siscia (Sisak, in present-day central Croatia, the headquarters of the Roman army). Emperor from 14 to 37 AD, Tiberius Claudius Nero was the son of Livia Drusilla, who later married Augustus in 39 BC, making him Augustus’s stepson. Germanicus, like Tiberius, was from the Julio Claudian family lineage; the first ruling family of the empire. This saw him conduct many political assassinations; his cousin and the adopted son of Tiberius, Gemellus, was the first victim. Such a move would have had grave political consequences for Rome and its elite. Roman historian Suetonius compared Caligula to Phaethon. His reign actually began quite promisingly, but after a serious bout of illness he developed paranoia that led him into alarmingly erratic behaviour, possibly including incest with his sister, Julia Drusilla, whom he named as his heir. His real name was Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus. He was particularly suspicious of the senate and had a number of leading citizens executed for conspiracy against him, including 12 ex-consuls and two of his own cousins. There are certain historians who doubt the chronicles on Caligula, #10 He was the first Roman emperor to be assassinated. D. OCTAVIUS CAESAR AUGUSTUS. By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra terms and conditions and privacy policy. He appeared in public dressed up as various gods and goddesses like Apollo and Venus. While praised for his aqueducts and ports, his self-obsession is severely criticized. Caligula was the third son of the popular Roman general Germanicus, and Agrippina the Elder, the granddaughter of Augustus. Perhaps he felt that he was poisoned and saw this as a conspiracy of his political rivals and close relatives. Mad or bad? Browse our listings to find jobs in Germany for expats, including jobs for English speakers or those in your native language. Nero was much hated for building his huge, tasteless ‘golden house’ complex [aka the Domus Aurea, a large landscaped portico villa] in the ruins of what had been the public area of central Rome. Diocletian was a good administrator, and managed to hold his divided command structure together at a time when the Roman empire was coming under increasing pressure from its enemies outside its boundaries. “Make haste slowly.”—Augustus. Really helpful for a beginner learning about Caligula, #2 Roman Emperor Tiberius conspired to eradicate his family, After the death of Augustus in 14 AD, his adopted son, #3 He may have been raised as a snake in Rome’s bosom, With the death of his brothers and mother, Caligula and his sisters were powerless in front of the emperor. After being fired from her longstanding position, Yzma becomes obsessed with killing the emperor and usurping his throne. He was 29 years old. Biography of Tiberius, 1st Century Roman Emperor. Augustus’ dynasty included the unpopular Tiberius (14-37 A.D.), the bloodthirsty and unstable Caligula (37-41) and Claudius (41-54), who was best remembered for … This article was first published by History Extra in 2015. There seems to be a problem, please try again. In 31 AD, Caligula was sent to the personal care of Tiberius in Capri, where he lived for 6 years. According to biographers Cassius Dio and Suetonius, Caligula’s extravagance, generosity and irresponsible behavior burdened the state treasury significantly. The Elizabethans: everything you wanted to know, What happened to the Franklin Expedition? Elagabalus deliberately offended Roman moral and religious principles, setting up a conical black stone fetish – a symbol of the sun god Sol Invictus Elagabalus – on the Palatine Hill and marrying the chief vestal, for which, under normal circumstances, she should have been put to death. Eventually the Praetorian prefect and the emperor’s own court chamberlain hired a professional athlete to strangle Commodus in the bath. With the death of his brothers and mother, Caligula and his sisters were powerless in front of the emperor. Caligula was adopted by Tiberius, his father’s supposed killer, and the young man was forced to hide his hatred from his adopted parent. However, he had a gloomy and increasingly suspicious outlook that won him few friends and led him into a bitter dispute with Agrippina, the widow of his war hero nephew Germanicus. ‘Caracalla’ was a nickname, derived from a hooded coat from Gaul that he introduced into Rome. The Dalmatians overran the territory of the Roman allies and drew many more tribes into the revolt. On this Helios granted him whatever he wanted. Severus named his younger son, Geta, as co-heir with Caracalla, but the two quickly fell out and civil war seemed imminent until Caracalla averted this scenario by having Geta murdered. There are others that believe that his cruel and whimsical actions were due to a physical ailment; possibly temporal lobe epilepsy, hyperthyroidism or Wilson’s disease. They viewed him as the son of the noble Germanicus and hailed him nicknames like ‘our baby‘ and ‘our star‘. (71) I. The emperor had been harsh with the powerful senate, nobility and the equestrian order. However, upon Tiberius’ death in 37 AD, Caligula’s ally Marco arranged for Caligula to be named the sole emperor. Caligula or Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (12–41 CE) followed Tiberius to be the third Roman emperor. Commodus was the son of the philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius and, although the film’s scene in which Commodus kills his own father is invention, it is true that Commodus was the very opposite of all that his father had stood for. Caracalla is remembered for the magnificent bath complex named after him in Rome, and for extending Roman citizenship to all free men within the empire ¬– though he was probably simply trying to raise the money he needed for his own lavish spending. Emperor Tiberius is said to have plotted the murder of Caligula’s father and he also eliminated most of Caligula’s family. In Greek myth, Phaethon was the illegitimate son of the sun god, Helios. He also executed his sister Drusilla’s widower M. Aemilius Lepidus. There were public appearances of him as God, and even the Senate was supposed to worship him as a living God. Hence, in 41 AD, after his return from Gaul, Roman historian Suetonius compared Caligula to, 10 Insane And Perverse Things Attributed To Caligula, 10 Most Famous Murals By Renowned Graffiti Artists, 10 Most Famous Myths Featuring The Greek Goddess Aphrodite, 10 Most Famous Myths Featuring The Greek Titan Cronus, 10 Most Famous Novels In American Literature, 10 Best American Novelists And Their Most Famous Works, 5 Most Famous Myths Featuring The Greek Goddess Hestia, 10 Major Accomplishments of Napoleon Bonaparte, 10 Major Achievements of The Ancient Inca Civilization, 10 Major Battles of the American Civil War, 10 Major Effects of the French Revolution, 10 Most Famous Poems By African American Poets, 10 Most Famous Novels In Russian Literature, 10 Facts About The Rwandan Genocide In 1994, Black Death | 10 Facts On The Deadliest Pandemic In History, 10 Interesting Facts About The American Revolution, 10 Facts About Trench Warfare In World War I, 10 Interesting Facts About The Aztecs And Their Empire. His wife Caesonia and his daughter were also put to death. He was adored at his accession, but after an illness, his behavior changed. Maleficent is the main antagonist of Disney's 1959 animated feature film Sleeping Beauty. Rome. Tiberius was not a monster in the mould of some of his successors, but he certainly set the tone for what was to come. He undoubtedly persecuted Christians in large numbers, and his childish insistence on winning the laurels at the Olympic Games in Greece – whether or not he actually won, or indeed finished the race – brought the whole Roman empire into disrepute. She is an evil sorceress and the former advisor to Emperor Kuzco. The 8 bloodiest Roman emperors in history. Vain and pleasure-seeking, Commodus virtually bankrupted the Roman treasury and he sought to fill it up again by having wealthy citizens executed for treason so he could confiscate their property. Kirk was arguably one of the most famous and highly decorated starship captains in the history of Starfleet. His nickname came from his role as priest of the cult of the Syrian god Elah-Gabal, which he tried to introduce into Rome to universal consternation, even having himself circumcised to show his devotion to the cult. "About the Life of the Caesars"), commonly known as The Twelve Caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus.. Roman historian Suetonius makes an interesting claim that the cruel and vicious Caligula was more a revenge for the unpopular Tiberius, his purpose was to allow Caligula to live in order that he “… prove the ruin of himself and of all men, and that he was rearing a viper for the Roman people and a Phaethon for the world.”. Directed by Tinto Brass. Who can forget Peter Ustinov’s Nero in the 1951 epic Quo Vadis?, or John Hurt’s tortured and murderous Caligula in the BBC’s I, Claudius? Caracalla was a successful, if ruthless, military commander but he was assassinated by a group of ambitious army officers, including the Praetorian prefect Opellius Macrinus, who promptly proclaimed himself emperor. He threw the dagger on the floor instead of carrying on with his plan and yet he was forgiven. But Nero’s fondness for his own music and poetry, which made him force senators to sit through his own interminable and talentless recitals, meant people could easily believe it of him. The real mystery behind, Cellini: the “supreme scoundrel of the Renaissance”. Rome. Roman historian Philo described the first few months of the rule of Caligula as completely blissful. The Origins of the Roman Festival Lupercalia. As the son of Germanicus [a prominent general], Gaius was keen to establish his military credentials, though his campaign in Germany achieved little and his abortive invasion of Britain had to be turned into a battle with the sea god Neptune: he is said to have told his troops to attack the waves with their swords and gather seashells as booty. Emperor Septimus Severus was half-Libyan and some historians think his appearance might have passed for black in modern America.