Caligula
Third Roman emperor, ruling from AD 37 until his assassination.
He reigned for four years, and most surviving sources were written long after his death by members of the nobility and Senate.[1] On 31 August AD 12, in Antium, Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder had their third child, who was one of six surviving offspring.[2]
Quick Facts
- Reign
- 16 March 37 – 24 January 41
- Predecessor
- Tiberius
- Successor
- Claudius
- Born
- 31 August AD 12
- Birthplace
- Antium, Italy
- Died
- 24 January AD 41 (aged 28)
- Place of death
- Palatine Hill, Rome, Italy
- Spouses
- Junia Claudilla
- Livia Orestilla
- Lollia Paulina
- Milonia Caesonia
Facts from the source article.
Life and work
He was befriended by Tiberius' Praetorian prefect, Naevius Sutorius Macro.[3] He fell seriously ill between mid-October and mid-November 37, and after recovering began a purge of suspected opponents.[3] He forced suicide on his Praetorian Prefect Macro in early 38.[4] When he was two or three years old, his mother made him a small soldier's outfit including army boots (caligae) and armor, and he went with his father Germanicus on military campaigns in northern Germania.[5]
In AD 19, at Antioch in Syria, Germanicus died at age 33, believing the provincial governor Gnaius Calpurnius Piso had poisoned him.[3] After his father's death, Caligula resided in Rome with his mother Agrippina.[6] In 35, Tiberius made Caligula a joint heir alongside his grandson Gemellus.[7]
What the cited sources add
Philo writes that Macro protected and supported Caligula, allaying Tiberius' suspicions.[8] Winterling thinks Caligula likely enjoyed being a mascot to the soldiers and receiving their attention, but eventually came to dislike the nickname.[5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: , also citing Philo. See . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Cassius Dio, p. 59.6; Barrett 2015, p. 20–21 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Barrett 2015, p. 20–21 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Cassius Dio, p. 59.6; Barrett 2015, p. 20–21; Barrett Yardley 2023, p. 61 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Winterling 2011, p. 19; Malloch, "Gaius' persecution of the nobiles: a study in the politics of memory and nomenclature", Athenaeum, 2009, p. 489–506 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Tacitus IV.52]], p. [[s:The Annals (Tacitus)/Book 4#52; Barrett 2015, p. 20–21 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Barrett 2015, p. 20–21; Winterling 2011, p. 19 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Caligula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Philo VI.35]], p. ''On the Embassy'' [[s:On the Embassy to Gaius#VI; Barrett 2015, p. 20–21; Barrett 2015, p. 20–21 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Caligula (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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