Caligula (12-41 CE), born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 to 41 CE. He succeeded his great-uncle Tiberius amid widespread public goodwill, but ancient sources report that a severe illness early in his reign was followed by a marked shift toward erratic, extravagant and often cruel behavior, including a purge of perceived rivals and lavish personal spending that strained the imperial treasury. Modern historians treat many of the most sensational stories about his reign, preserved chiefly in accounts written decades after his death, with caution, though the broad picture of a reign that alienated the Senate and the Praetorian Guard is not disputed. He was assassinated by officers of his own Praetorian Guard in 41 CE, the first Roman emperor to be killed in office.
Facts
Death PlaceRome (in a passage beneath the imperial palace) 1 Role
Role (category) FAQs
Why was the emperor Gaius called Caligula?
Caligula was a soldiers' nickname meaning little military boots.
Caligula was a nickname, not his name. As a small child he was brought along to his father's army camp in a miniature army uniform, and his father's soldiers affectionately nicknamed him after it. The name means little military boots, and it is the name history kept for him.
Connections
In Era
Source New World Encyclopedia: Caligula
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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Wikidata: Caligula
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Caligula
WikipediaLead paragraph, birth/death dates
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August AD 12 - 24 January AD 41), also called Gaius or Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from AD 37 until his assassination in AD 41.
Early life section
The soldiers nicknamed him Caligula ("little boot").
Assassination and aftermath section
Chaerea, Sabinus and others accosted Caligula as he addressed an acting troupe of young men beneath the palace during a series of games and dramatics being held for the Divus Augustus.
Lead paragraph, role
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August AD 12 - 24 January AD 41), also called Gaius or Caligula (), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from AD 37 until his assassination in AD 41.
Caligula: Gender
He succeeded his great-uncle Tiberius amid widespread public goodwill, but ancient sources report that a severe illness early in his reign was followed by a marked shift toward erratic, extravagant and often cruel behavior, including a purge of perceived rivals and lavish personal spending that strained the imperial treasury.
View the Source Wikidata: Caligula
New World Encyclopedia: Caligula
New World EncyclopediaIn Era: Classical Antiquity, Article textQuote, In Era: Classical Antiquity, Article text
ruling from 37 C.E. to 41 C.E.
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