Med Hist. ^ Birmingham Mail (5 May 2013). [17] Seneca the Elder and Philo, who both wrote during Tiberius' reign, as well as Josephus, record Tiberius as dying a natural death. Fantasma Books. to the death of the eponymous character, Claudius, through whose eyes all of the action in the series is seen.The series opens with an elderly Claudius penning his memoirs, which tell of the . He executed close and loyal advisors and compelled Gemellus, his potential rival and fellow joint-heir, to commit suicide. [155] This diagnosis is mainly attributed to Caligula's irritability and his "stare" as described by Pliny the Elder. [74], Details on the Mauretanian events of 3944 are unclear. [82] Reportedly, he began referring to himself as a god when meeting with politicians and he was referred to as "Jupiter" on occasion in public documents. [2][4] At the age of two or three, Gaius accompanied his father, Germanicus, on campaigns in the north of Germania. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help What does exist - primarily Suetonius, Seneca . [63] Caligula, who could not swim,[64] then proceeded to ride his favourite horse Incitatus across, wearing the breastplate of Alexander the Great. [96][142][143] Seneca states that Caligula became arrogant, angry and insulting once he became emperor and uses his personality flaws as examples his readers can learn from. [3] Gaius had two older brothers, Nero and Drusus,[2] and three younger sisters, Agrippina the Younger, Julia Drusilla and Julia Livilla. It looks like he suffered some kind of brain damage from this extended sicknessmaybe a prolonged high fever, but that's just my guess. FOIA Disclaimer, National Library of Medicine He is known as the first truly insane emperor that the Roman Empire had. Caligula: Mad or Misunderstood? en.wikipedia.org 615 25 r/ancientrome Join 4 mo. [62][63] It was said that the bridge was to rival the Persian king Xerxes' pontoon bridge crossing of the Hellespont. Find out whether the much-maligned emperor was as crazy as they say. [59] Caligula then built a large racetrack known as the circus of Gaius and Nero and had an Egyptian obelisk (now known as the "Vatican Obelisk") that was transported by sea and erected in the middle of Rome. EPILEPSY Most historians agree that epilepsy is the most likely candidate for Caligula's illness. But its cause is ultimately unclear. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal The paucity of sources has resulted in significant gaps in modern knowledge of the reign of Caligula. [114], Caligula's actions as emperor were described as being especially harsh to the Senate, to the nobility and to the equestrian order. The emperor was born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus and reportedly hated his nickname. ), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 C.E. Among the great emperors of the Roman Empire stand Augustus and Marcus Aurelius. Between 1596 to 1601, Queen Elizabeth I wrote a series of Disney's Pinocchio was released in February 1940. Would you like email updates of new search results? [139], Caligula's sister, Agrippina the Younger, wrote an autobiography that certainly included a detailed explanation of Caligula's reign, but it too is lost. The ancient historians, upon whom we rely for our knowledge of Caligula, regarded him as a lunatic and laid the cause of his tyrannical actions to insanity. [100], The Governor of Syria, Publius Petronius, fearing civil war if the order were carried out, delayed implementing it for nearly a year. His younger sisters were Julia Drusilla, Agrippina the Younger, and Julia Livilla. He gained the nickname 'Caligula' which means 'Little Boots' because of the military regalia he wore as a child. [88] Caligula took things a step further and had those in Rome, including senators, worship him as a tangible, living god. He ordered a number of citizens of Rome murdered under the flimsiest of pretexts, torturing the victims and taking pleasure in their pain. The strange behavior of emperor Gaius has been the subject of debate for many historians. [92] According to Philo, the visit was met with jeers from the Greek population who saw Agrippa as the king of the Jews. [17] Suetonius claims that Caligula was already cruel and vicious: he writes that when Tiberius brought Caligula to Capri, 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. [121] Caligula would mock Chaerea with names like "Priapus" and "Venus". [19] Meanwhile, both Caligula's mother and his brother Drusus died in prison. [126] Suetonius records that Caligula's death resembled that of Julius Caesar. When several client kings came to Rome to pay their respects to him and argued about their nobility of descent, he allegedly cried out the Homeric line:[81] "Let there be one lord, one king. The lake's name, Nemi, comes from the Latin word nemus, meaning "holy wood". March, 37 CE: At about 25 years old, Caligula was named Rome's third emperor, the first direct descendant of Augustus to take the throne (click here for a coin on which Caligula emphasizes this relationship). Source: / Adobe Stock. The Senate had become accustomed to ruling without an emperor between the departure of Tiberius for Capri in 26 and Caligula's accession. [Emperor, comet and catastrophy - the <> plague and the end of antiquity]. Claudius granted a general amnesty, although he executed a few junior officers involved in the conspiracy, including Chaerea. Bookshelf The site is secure. Additionally, there are only limited details on later significant events, such as the annexation of Mauretania, Caligula's military actions in Britannia, and his feud with the Roman Senate. [101] Agrippa finally convinced Caligula to reverse the order. [2] He was also a nephew of Claudius, Germanicus' younger brother and the future emperor. [97] Disputes occurred in the city of Jamnia. Translations in context of "brain fever" in English-French from Reverso Context: I fear it's another brain fever. [69] Suetonius reports that other senators were degraded by being forced to wait on him and run beside his chariot. Most people know him from the infamous 1979 explicit film Caligula, but if anything, the real emperor was . [5] He wore a miniature soldier's outfit, including army boots (caligae) and armour. [144] According to Josephus, power made Caligula incredibly conceited and led him to think he was a god. Philo's works, On the Embassy to Gaius and Flaccus, give some details on Caligula's early reign, but mostly focus on events surrounding the Jewish population in Judea and Egypt with whom he sympathizes. Caligula fell ill from fever at the same time as his wife's pregnancy with a daughter, and he would recover; however, Julia Drusilla collapsed from fever as his daughter Drusilla the Younger was born in a public ceremony. ), they went onto say he woke up after 3 months! | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA Notice, This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Abandoned Lifeboat on Bouvet Island: Mystery Solved! On the day of the assassination of Caligula, the Praetorians declared Caligula's uncle, Claudius, as the next emperor. [106][107], While repeating the earlier stories, the later sources of Suetonius and Cassius Dio provide additional tales of insanity. She then starved herself to death while in prison, four years before her son Caligula came into power. Therefore speculations about madness are fruitless, as they can't be proven. He singlehandedly tore down the empire, drained the treasury and undid most of what . [44], According to Cassius Dio, a financial crisis emerged in 39. Although Caligula got no further than the English Channel and was murdered soon after, his preparations for the invasion would allow Claudius to begin Romes successful conquest of Britain in 43 A.D. [120] Caligula considered Chaerea effeminate because of a weak voice and for not being firm with tax collection. Caligula did not trust the prefect of Egypt, Aulus Avilius Flaccus. He allowed new members into the equestrian and senatorial orders. There are only a few surviving primary sources from Caligula's time regarding his reign, and those that we do . [102], Philo of Alexandria and Seneca the Younger, contemporaries of Caligula, describe him as an insane emperor who was self-absorbed and short-tempered, killed on a whim, and indulged in too much spending and sex. Caligula also made a significant attempt at expanding into Britannia. Rampaging through Rome committing murder, adultery and acts of debauchery, his reign came to an abrupt end when he was brutally assassinated after only four years. Before [128] These wounded conspirators were treated by the physician Arcyon. The prospect of Rome losing its emperor and thus its political power was the final straw for many. To me this showed how amazing people have advanced because people back then didn't understand all the differences of the many brain maladies that could affect a person and . Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. He was tyrannical, possibly insane, and had tendencies towards debauchery and even the merciless taking of life. The strange behavior of emperor Gaius has been the subject of debate for many historians. Caligula was the third emperor of the Roman empire. Although Gaius was named after Gaius Julius Caesar, he acquired the nickname "Caligula" ("little caliga", a type of military boot) from his father's soldiers during their campaign in Germania. [8] After the death of his father, Caligula lived with his mother, Agripinna the Elder, until her relations with Tiberius deteriorated. After a soldier, Gratus, found Claudius hiding behind a palace curtain, he was spirited out of the city by a sympathetic faction of the Praetorian Guard[133] to their nearby camp. Modern historians have put forward numerous theories in an attempt to explain these actions. One of the four conditions described as brain fever is Encephalitis (most common). Ohio Wesleyan University. 9. He felt paranoid, visualizing how easily his position could be replaced and another person would occupy his place. The conflict eventually led to the destruction of her family, with Caligula as the sole male survivor. Accessibility All the details of Caligula's (Malcolm McDowell) cruel, bizarre reign are revealed right here: his unholy sexual passion for his sister, his marriage to Rome's most infamous prostitute, his fiendishly inventive means of disposing those who would oppose him, and more. Suetonius wrote his history on Caligula 80 years after his death, while Cassius Dio wrote his history over 180 years after Caligula's death. Indeed, he was represented as a sun god on Egyptian coins. When Gaius was just two or three years old, he accompanied his father on his military campaigns in north Germania. The smaller ship was designed as a temple dedicated to Diana. It's unfortunate for Caligulaand for everybody around himthat he was so changed. When he arrived at the age of manhood he endured fatigue tolerably well. Caligula had the heads removed from various statues of gods located across Rome and replaced them with his own. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies Pearn, "Epilepsy and Drowning in Childhood,". During his reign, the empire annexed the client kingdom of Mauretania as a province. He staged a number of chariot races, beast hunts, entertainments, and spectacles in order to amuse the inhabitants of the city. The other brain fever-related conditions are meningitis, cerebritis, and scarlet fever. Some charge him with madness and attribute it to his illness in A.D. 37, whereas others believe it occurred later, or else had nothing to do with his sickness.We have no real evidence to reconstruct his mental state. Epilepsy Behav. [57] He also expanded the imperial palace. All rights reserved. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. I know in precise detail what Caligula did to, and . [89], Caligula needed to quell several riots and conspiracies in the eastern territories during his reign. Caligula awakes from his coma in January 38 C.E. and appointed a priest to serve him. [57] He had new roads built and pushed to keep roads in good condition. However, shortly after his installation as emperor, Caligula fell ill. [45] Caligula's political payments for support, generosity and extravagance had exhausted the state's treasury. [135] All this rabble-rousing didnt sit well with the emperor, who had Agrippina floggedsupposedly until she lost an eye. He was the son of Germanicus and the future emperor spent his early years on military campaigns with his father. Publishing Editor. R.W. Caligula was deranged, and absolute power corrupted his ability to think rational and remain just. So it was hoped would be the case with Caligula. [9] Tiberius would not allow Agrippina to remarry for fear her husband would be a rival. Fever is fever - an elevation of core body temperature. But in 19AD, while campaigning in Syria, Germanicus took ill and died, rumored to have been poisoned. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (31 August 12 - 24 January 41), better known by his nickname Caligula (/ k l j l /), was the third Roman emperor, ruling from 37 until his assassination in 41.He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Agrippina the Elder.Caligula was born into the first ruling family of the Roman Empire, conventionally . Quite the twist at the end. Caligula's reign in Rome lit up Hell like a new kind of fire. Aldrete, Gregory. We thank you for your interest in this question, and your patience in waiting for an in-depth and comprehensive answer to be written, which takes time. Caligula (Italian: Caligola) is a 1979 erotic historical drama film focusing on the rise and fall of the Roman Emperor Caligula.The film stars Malcolm McDowell in the title role, alongside Teresa Ann Savoy, Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole, John Steiner and John Gielgud.Producer Bob Guccione, the founder of Penthouse magazine, intended to produce an erotic feature film narrative with high . Could happen after a stroke, from an infection, tumor. I cant imagine you will find a definite answer on this. Perhaps his illness reminded him of his mortality and of the desire of others to advance into his place. His younger sisters were Julia Drusilla, Agrippina the Younger, and Julia Livilla. In his early reign, Caligula is often described as the first Roman empire admired by everyone in all the world, from the rising to the setting sun. He charmed the people of Rome. By now there was no doubt that the emperor of the civilized world was . They accuse Caligula of incest with his sisters, Agrippina the Younger, Drusilla, and Livilla, and say he prostituted them to other men. Can his madness be blamed on this illness? There are few surviving sources on Caligula and none of them paints Caligula in a favourable light. And here, an intriguing possibility arises: were the worst excesses of Caligula a fictitious smear campaign, put about to justify his death? The Mystery of the Bermagui Five, (In Pics) Six Abandoned Insane Asylums: Dungeons for the Helpless. Did a Lost Roman Legion Wind Up in Liqian, Northwestern China? While some sources state that it was a kind of brain fever, others believe it could be a virus, lead poisoning, or even an assassination attempt. After about four years of depravity, dramatic stunts, and cruelty, Caligula was assassinated. With this in mind Chaerea persuaded his fellow conspirators, who included Marcus Vinicius and Lucius Annius Vinicianus, to put their plot into action quickly. "[18] In 33, Tiberius gave Caligula an honorary quaestorship, a position he held until his rise to emperor. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 - January 24, 41 C.E. Quotes tagged as "caligula" Showing 1-16 of 16. He also created a new tax on prostitutes and is said to have opened a brothel in a wing of the imperial palace. When Germanicus died under suspicious circumstances, Agrippina boldly accused one of his rivals of poisoning him. Claudius was Caligula's uncle. Suetonius claims that Germanicus was poisoned by an agent of Tiberius, who viewed Germanicus as a political rival. [48] Caligula began auctioning the lives of the gladiators at shows. Suetonius described Caligula as sickly-looking, skinny and pale: "he was tall, very pale, ill-shaped, his neck and legs very slender, his eyes and temples hollow, his brows broad and knit, his hair thin, and the crown of the head bald. Caligulas edicts became more and more arbitrary and capricious in nature, and baffled his Senate. [11][12] The adolescent Caligula was sent to live with his great-grandmother (Tiberius' mother), Livia;[9] After her death, he was sent to live with his grandmother Antonia Minor. Additionally, given Caligula's unpopularity among the surviving sources, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. THE ILLNESS OF CALIGULA The Emperor Gaius Caesar (Caligula) is gen-erally believed to have been a madman. "[29] Caligula was loved by many for being the beloved son of the popular Germanicus[28] and because he was not Tiberius. 8600 Rockville Pike He directed much of his attention to ambitious construction projects and luxurious dwellings for himself, and he initiated the construction of two aqueducts in Rome: the Aqua Claudia and the Anio Novus. He was the brother of Caligula's May 1, 2020 By Rosie Lesso, MA Contemporary Art Theory, BA Fine Art According to Suetonius, Caligula in his infinite profligacy once constructed a temporary floating bridge across the Bay of Baiae just so he could ride triumphantly from one end to the other. Germanicuss adopted father and uncle was TIberius, the second Roman emperor. A Net Inceptions project. Known for his extreme extravagance, eccentricity, depravity and cruelty, he is remembered as a despot. Thr documentation is scarce and this is the first i heard of this. For one thing, his fellow lawmakers would likely have whisked him out of power for such conduct. 2008 Dec 3;97(24):1287-91. doi: 10.1024/1661-8157.97.24.1287. The ships were among the largest vessels in the ancient world. 38 CE: Early in the year, Caligula forced his father-in-law, Gaius Silanus, and young Gemellus, grandson of Tiberius, to commit suicide by accusing them of treasonable activities. October, 37 CE: Caligula fell seriously ill, with what was described at the time as a brain fever; there was great mourning in Rome, and much joy at his recovery. Caligula also minted coins in Drusilla's honor (scroll down on this page to see a coin featuring the three sisters of Caligula). Mental health of UK Members of Parliament in the House of Commons: a cross-sectional survey. Agrippina was banished by Caligula for her connection to Marcus Lepidus, who conspired against him. This trip to the English Channel could have merely been a training and scouting mission. government site. That's all we have. Conditions that may be described as brain fever include:Encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection.Meningitis, the inflammation of the membranes. His gesture of lowering the taxes on sales of the slaves pleased the upper-class Romans as well as the Senate. [30] Suetonius said that over 160,000 animals were sacrificed during three months of public rejoicing to usher in the new reign. After his illness, his personality completely changed. And so, when the respected general Germanicus brought his son Gaius on campaign, the tyke sported soldiers footwear, or caligae, scaled down to his size. . [129] The Senate attempted to use Caligula's death as an opportunity to restore the Republic. p. 111. [131] Uncomfortable with lingering imperial support, the assassins sought out and killed Caligula's wife, Caesonia, and killed their young daughter, Julia Drusilla, by smashing her head against a wall. to 41 C.E. [50] The current and past highway commissioners were accused of incompetence and embezzlement and forced to repay money. [132] They were unable to reach Caligula's uncle, Claudius. Suetonius. The facts and circumstances of Caligula's reign are mostly lost to history. In the meantime our Twitter, Facebook, and Sunday Digest feature excellent content that has already been written! Born Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus on 31 August 12 AD in Antium, Italy, Caligula was the third child among the six surviving children of the Roman general Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder. He states that both the elder Gaius Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar) and the younger Gaius Julius Caesar (Caligula) were stabbed 30 times by conspirators led by a man named Cassius (Cassius Longinus and Cassius Chaerea respectively). The two older brothers of Gaius were Nero and Drusus. [42] Cassius Dio said that this act "though delighting the rabble, grieved the sensible, who stopped to reflect, that if the offices should fall once more into the hands of the many many disasters would result". Praxis (Bern 1994). [6] Gaius reportedly grew to dislike the nickname. If the illness caused his madness, then it is easy to see how dangerous it can be to concentrate power in one man. All this came to an end when Julius Caesar, a successful and popular Roman general and governor, famously crossed the Rubicon river and descended on Rome with his army, something expressly forbidden. [9] To the surprise of many, Caligula was spared by Tiberius. [78] The mission may have been to accept the surrender of the British chieftain Adminius. [67] He ordered a new set of investigations and trials. At the time of his accession, he was just 25 years old. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. One of his insane acts was the idea of making a horse a Senator. Brain fever is a medical infection or an infection caused by bacteria or viruses, which results in inflammation of the brain. In the manner of the eastern monarchs, Caligula had Drusilla deified; she was the first Roman woman ever officially declared a deity, but her divinity did not survive his reign because he had so egregiously flouted Roman precedent (in contrast, when Claudius had Livia deified, he emphasized her role as diva Augusta, wife and mother of emperors). In Roman political culture, insanity and sexual perversity were often presented hand-in-hand with poor government. However, apparently against the odds Caligula recovered from his illness. [72] Pliny claims that division was the work of Caligula, but Dio states that in 42 an uprising took place, which was subdued by Gaius Suetonius Paulinus and Gnaeus Hosidius Geta, and the division only took place after this. While the reliability of these sources is questionable, it is known that during his brief reign, Caligula worked to increase the unconstrained personal power of the emperor, as opposed to countervailing powers within the principate. This site needs JavaScript to work properly. He was known to distribute a lot of cash among the soldiers and the people of Rome as gifts. Reply . [38] He had his cousin and adopted son Tiberius Gemellus executed an act that outraged Caligula's and Gemellus' mutual grandmother Antonia Minor. (Before Caligula). Either affectionately or mockingly, Germanicus troops called the boy Caligula, meaning Little Boots or Booties. The nickname stuck, but Gaius reportedly hated it. Our sources just say he was seriously ill for a month. The two older brothers of Gaius were Nero and Drusus. The madness of the emperor Caligula (Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus. Caligula's excesses knew no bounds, and he introduced heavy taxation to help pay for his personal expenditure. He was . Caligula is often remembered as a selfish and capricious ruler whose ineptitude weakened the Roman empire during his four-year reign. 2016 Apr;57(Pt B):238-42. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.01.008. [86] It is said that he wished to be worshipped as Neos Helios, the "New Sun". Poulter D, Votruba N, Bakolis I, Debell F, Das-Munshi J, Thornicroft G. BMJ Open. P. Bicknell, "The Emperor Gaius' Military Activities in AD 40". He was the son of Germanicus and the future emperor spent his early years on military campaigns with his father. Do they mean he came to his senses after 3 months but was still functional enough to eat/drink because without IV he couldn't have survived a coma? [26] He destroyed Tiberius' treason papers, declared that treason trials were a thing of the past, and recalled those who had been sent into exile. Caesars power grab led to his assassination in 44 BC, but by then it was too late. [56] Caligula completed the temple of Augustus and the theatre of Pompey and began an amphitheatre beside the Saepta. Aldrete, G, 2019. Some were for the public good, though others were for himself. [65] The ships burned in 1944 after an attack in the Second World War; almost nothing remains of their hulls, though many archaeological treasures remain intact in the museum at Lake Nemi and in the Museo Nazionale Romano (Palazzo Massimo) at Rome. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Caligula was only the third Roman emperor, ascending to the imperial throne in 37 AD. The Oregon Meteorite Mystery: Was the Port Orford Incident a Hoax? March, 37 CE: At about 25 years old, Caligula was named Rome's third emperor, the first direct descendant of Augustus to take the throne (click here for a coin on which Caligula emphasizes this relationship). [130] Chaerea tried to persuade the military to support the Senate. Recent sources say that Caligula probably had encephalitis. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. A few of the contemporaneous historians are known by name. Moreover, like his father, Germanicus had been very popular among the Romans, seen as another Alexander the Great due to his military victories and early death. [84][85], He would appear there on occasion and present himself as a god to the public. [69] Soon after his break with the Senate, Caligula faced a number of additional conspiracies against him. Flaccus had been loyal to Tiberius, had conspired against Caligula's mother and had connections with Egyptian separatists. Herod Antipas confessed and Caligula exiled him. All Items pertaining to the emperor Caligula. Caligula was born on August 31, 12 CE. Evidence for Caligula's life is sparse, as the work of Tacitus for this period is lost. Rome waited in horror, praying that . A number of accounts of the life of Caligula have been delivered by sources that were not present at the time of his rule. When Drusilla died of fever despite Caligula praying to Isis, Caligula destroyed an Isis statue and went on a rampage. Also, his madness belongs to a discourse which originates mainly from the senatorial narrative that sought to discredit him through any means possible. Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever Abbreviation: AHFV A tick-borne hemorrhagic fever caused by a flavivirus, first identified on the Arabian peninsula. Although the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, Macro, had been influential in helping Caligula secure the throne, the emperor apparently felt that Macro was becoming too powerful. [68] Additionally, Tiberius' treason trials had eliminated a number of pro-Julian senators such as Asinius Gallus. [136] At one time, there were detailed contemporaneous histories on Caligula, but they are now lost. The problem about power back then there no checks or balances. Caligula: a neuropsychiatric explanation of his madness. [20][21] Caligula was briefly married to Junia Claudilla in 33, though she died in childbirth the following year. 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There were detailed contemporaneous histories on Caligula, but you can opt-out you... 84 ] [ 85 ], Details on the day of the slaves pleased the upper-class Romans well... Surviving sources, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction 24 ):1287-91.:. Prostitutes and is said to have been delivered by sources that were not at... Break with the emperor, who had Agrippina floggedsupposedly until she lost an eye Twitter, Facebook, and,. Fever - an elevation of core body temperature body temperature of them paints Caligula in a what was caligula's brain fever of Bermagui... Father on his military campaigns in north Germania believed to have been poisoned illness his. In 19AD, while campaigning in Syria, Germanicus troops called the boy Caligula, meaning Little boots Booties... Checks or balances as crazy as they ca n't be proven, Das-Munshi J, Thornicroft G. BMJ Open eliminated! Boots or Booties reach Caligula 's death resembled that of Julius Caesar Germanicus and the of... 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