His mother, Agrippina, was the granddaughter of Emperor Augustus (63 B.C.E. After surviving the illness, Caligula resumed his rule as a more psychotic Roman Emperor. Gaius's brothers were Nero and Drusus. This event, however, is best described by modern historian Geoff W. Adams. A. Talbert wrote: “Yet within a year Gaius fell seriously ill, perhaps with a brain fever, and, although he recovered, his erratic behavior escalated. Even febrile seizures, which occur in children, do not cause any permanent damage. This particular account was documented in the annals of Tacitus. Recent sources say that Caligula probably had encephalitis. Caligula also remembered this moment with silent reproach against Tiberius and waited patiently for revenge. “The Lives of the Twelve Caesars” p. 292, [12] Adams, Geoff W. “The Roman Emperor Gaius ‘Caligula’ and His Hellenistic Aspirations.” p. 150, [13] Richard, Carl J. Though it was never proven formally, it was known within the Roman public that Germanicus’ controversial death produced feelings of “hatred against Tiberius and Livia, and suspicions that they had plotted the murder along with Piso and his wife.”[2]This event was no doubt a traumatic one for the young boy Caligula. He emerged a very different person and would wander his palace throughout the night, his head pounding. It is said that he often tortured people slowly to death to prolong their agony from which de derived some perverse pleasure but also as some experiment to understand or obtain proof of an after life. Caligula was born in Antium (modern Anzio and Nettuno) on 31 August 12 AD, the third of six surviving children born to Germanicus and Germanicus' second cousin Agrippina the Elder. What is the timbre of the song dandansoy? “Globetrotting Brainiac: 600 Historical Facts & Fun Trivia from Around the World”. Perhaps the most extreme evidence of madness was when Caligula’s attempted appointment of his horse, Incitatus, to consul and priest. All of these events created disdain among his people and eventually led to his death in 41CE at the hands of his own Praetorian Guard. This was the illness that was considered by early historians to be the turning point in Caligula’s behavior from a somewhat even temperance to stark madness. –37 B.C.E. ) Cassius Dio is not nearly as graphical as Suetonius in his biography of Caligula but makes reference to incest, prostitution and adultery along the way. Using sources from both the past and present one will argue that Caligula’s madness during his adulthood as emperor was set to detonate like a time bomb by his brutal past as a child. All work is written to order. Enter Caligula the Cruel Late in 37 A.D., Caligula fell ill with some sort of brain fever. Of Little Worth. Then imagine having to harbor such atrocities and hardships internally with no time for remorse. Caligula was sexually active from an early age and according to Suetonius had a strong libido which bordered on perversion. Whether it was an extreme fever, malaria, or simply a nervous breakdown, we don't know. Caligula’s family enjoyed a great deal of success in military campaigns in the north and his father was considered to be charismatic. The best known of these is the emperor Hadrian’s “villa” at Tivoli (pictured above; actually it’s the size of a small town). After the death of his father, Caligula lived with his mother and siblings. Study for free with our range of university lectures! The brutal deaths of Caligula’s close family members, however, certainly caused permanent psychological damage to Caligula and played a major role in shaping his actions later in life. Published: 1st Jan 1970 in The mental conditions that existed prior could have been exacerbated by the illness that Caligula experience. Evidence such as this serves as a reminder that one should always ask questions and investigate when presented with material claiming to be ‘fact.’, [1] Boatwright, Mary T. “A Brief History of the Romans” p. 203, [2] Barrett, Anthony A, “Caligula: The Corruption of Power” p. 15, [3] Roberts, Peter. What is the point of view of the story servant girl by estrella d alfon? Morbid facts about Caligula. While these events were unfolding during Caligula’s adolescence one can find evidence that he was experiencing the onset of mental instability. After his illness, Caligula became a vicious tyrant. When an otherwise healthy person has a fever due to, say, a viral or bacterial infection, it is unlikely to cause brain damage. Known by his nickname “Caligula,” the notorious Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus was the third emperor of the Roman Empire. Accounts of his reign by ancient historians are so biased against him that the truth is nearly impossible to discern. Second, it leads one to believe that Caligula may have been exhibiting signs of mental illness before the alleged disease “changed” him in adulthood in 38 CE. Find the perfect caligula film stock photo. Still, Caligula held himself together for the time being and waited for his opportunity to seize power from Tiberius. The young Roman emperor Caligula ran his government with politics reputed to be unstable and blood-thirsty. When Emperor Augustus died, he left Tiberius in command to become the royal heir to the emperor. Caligula found within himself the strength to quell his rage in an effort to save himself and his sisters from being killed by Tiberius. Caligula was only 25-years-old when he became the emperor of Rome in 37 AD. Such worries were common among imperial dynasties, but not with the danger that Tiberius posed. Info: 2865 words (11 pages) Essay Caligula’s suffering, however, had just begun to escalate. Incest was not the only warning of growing mental instability within Caligula. Introduction. In order to understand the synthesis of Caligula’s madness one must explore his life leading up to the alleged illness that changed his behavior. The material on this site can not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Multiply. … “Sick Caesars.” p. 34, [9] Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius. Why don't libraries smell like bookstores? Tiberius had Drusus imprisoned and left him to die in the most horrid conditions. Word of Germanicus’ visits to the area were not received on good terms by Tiberius who began expressing hostility towards Germanicus. When he arrived in Rome on March 28, 37 AD, he was greeted enthusiastically by all, showing great deference to the senators and promising to share power with them in all ways. VAT Registration No: 842417633. He died soon after in Antioch in the year 19 CE. This evidence suggests two aspects about Caligula’s life. Are you involved in development or open source activities in your personal capacity? His mother, Agrippina the Elder made him a miniature Roman uniform in which he would totter about the army camp, being fussed over by the Centurions who thought he was adorable and adopted him as their mascot, giving him the affectionate nickname, "Caligula", meaning "little boots" a reference to the small boots or sandals (caligae) he wore on his feet. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk.   While there is such a risk if one's body temperature exceeds 107.6 degrees F, a fever … Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, better known by his nickname Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor who reigned for a short period of 4 years from 37 AD to 41 AD.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. 7. Discussed below are the Atrocities and Tortures carried out by Caligula.He was certainly addicted to other people's suffering. Although epilepsy is not directly linked to other mental disorders there is evidence that it is associated with behavioral problems. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? This illness was not the only agent involved in Caligula’s behavioral change, but rather an amalgam of events beginning in his childhood. What is the WPS button on a wireless router? Caligula was by no means humbled by Tiberius’ violent actions towards his family and he held a deep seeded resentment towards him. One source sums this event up by stating “Macro, smothered Tiberius, and then arranged the killing of the next in line to succeed Tiberius, a grandson named Gemmelus.”[10]With his revenge complete and Tiberius out of the way, Caligula took his position as Roman Emperor. This was only the beginning of a series of hardships Caligula was forced to endure. With emotional damage, incest, insomnia and an epileptic condition, it is clear that Caligula was plagued with many mental problems during his childhood that would follow him into adulthood. Brain fever is an inflammation or infection of the brain which causes a fever. Introduction. What does it mean when there is no flag flying at the White House? As a toddler Gaius marched with his father into several bloody campaigns in the territory of Germania. Among the historians of Caligula’s time, Suetonius wrote of the condition Caligula suffered from in great detail. “The Roman Empire.” p. 108, [6] Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius. “Excel HSX ancient history, Book 2.” p. 162, [4] Tacitus, Cornelius, Translated by Woodman, John. 3. This madness, however, did not suddenly overcome Caligula in a “brain-fever” during his time as emperor as early historians suggested occurred in 38 AD. His sisters were Agrippina the Younger, Julia Drusilla, … It is important to note Caligula’s obedience was probably due to fear of what Tiberius might do to his sisters if he refused. Gaius was born to Agrippina the Elder and Germanicus Julius Caesar in 12 CE. Copyright © 2003 - 2021 - UKEssays is a trading name of All Answers Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. [4] These horrific events scarred the young Caligula who by this point was only twenty-one years old. Historical accounts of Caligula may vary, but nearly all historians agreed on one dark fact: this deranged emperor placed very little value on human life.In one twisted story, Caligula was supposedly meant to sacrifice a bull to the gods by hitting it over the head with a huge mallet. Registered Data Controller No: Z1821391. Philo of Alexandria reports it was nothing more than a nervous breakdown, as Caligula was not used to the pressures of constant attention after being out of the public eye for most of his life. Caligula’s madness only became more severe in the years after his illness. See Julio-Claudian family tree. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! It’s unfortunate for Caligula—and for everybody around him—that he was so changed. Imagine being born into a world of violence, betrayal, broken family, imprisonment, and utter misery. The series of traumatic and psychologically damaging events that occurred early in Caligula’s life had only been made more acute by the illness Caligula contracted as Emperor. Therefore, one can conclude that early signs of Caligula’s mental instability, demonstrated through his incestuous habits, occurred because of trauma from his childhood and began well before the alleged sickness changed him. Historians believe that he probably went insane. What the Roman public did not realize was that Caligula’s psychological torment was a time bomb just moments from detonation. Most historians generally describe his rule as a period of violent, scandalous, insanity and rightfully so. In this game one of the cards states “Fact: In 37 CE, Caligula was diagnosed with ‘brain fever’ and soon thereafter began forcing many people including his father-in-law, to commit suicide.”[14]The card suggests that Caligula somehow transformed suddenly into a mad tyrant. Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. Caligula, Roman emperor from 37 to 41 CE, who succeeded Tiberius and transferred the last legion under a senatorial proconsul to an imperial legate, completing the emperor’s monopoly of army command. Therefore, one concludes that Caligula’s disease was significant but it should not be used to account for his madness. How long will the footprints on the moon last? Gaius was an army brat who was born in Germania, in the the base of his father Germanicus, a popular and charismatic Roman general. Early life Caligula was born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus in Antium (modern Anzio) on August 31, 12 C.E. After the death of his first wife, Caligula’s temperance with Tiberius had begun to wear thin. The most common causes of a brain infection are Meningitis, Encephalitis and Cerebritis. His childhood was not a happy one, spent amid an atmosphere of paranoia, suspicion, and murder. From the evidence provided in this essay, however, one can see how this ‘fact’ card somewhat misconstrued Caligula’s madness as a sudden event that was a result of a single illness which occurred later in his life. Elements of Caligula’s madness during his reign were reflected in his violent unpredictability, sexual promiscuity (including his sister whom he continued incestuous relations), and crude behavior towards his peers. Music by: Carlo Maria Cordio: Cinematography: Joe D'Amato: Edited by: Vanio Amici Together Tiberius and Piso conspired against Germanicus and, while in Syria, Germanicus fell ill due to poisoning by Piso. The account leads one to believe that Caligula was developing habits considered to be socially deviant within his society. [8] This evidence reveals that Caligula’s mental stability may have been exacerbated or induced on account of his epileptic condition. It was because of this particular attire Gaius wore that soldiers began to call the young boy Caligula meaning “miniature military boots (caliga).”[1]The name happened to stick with him for the rest of his life. Evidence of this type of thought comes from the writings of Suetonius and Dio Cassius. No plagiarism, guaranteed! The deaths of Caligula’s mother Agrippina and Brother Nero, however, were not enough to satisfy Tiberius’ dominance over Roman politics. Regarding this relationship Suetonius stated “There never was a better servant, nor a worse master.”[9] From this evidence one can see the fragile nature of Caligula and Tiberius’ relationship. The Emperor Who was Loved and Sometimes Mocked . Finally freed from being the “pampered prisoner” of his father’s murderer, Caligula was a loved and welcomed emperor. Adams summed up this type of thought by stating “Both Suetonius and Dio Cassius attribute [or at least infer] that the alteration of Gaius Caligula’s character occurred following from the illness he suffered during AD 38.”[12] This evidence leads one to believe that many early historians portrayed Caligula’s madness as a result of this disease. These happy times, however, were not long lived as a cloud of turmoil enveloped Caligula’s life. New evidence has led one to believe that the madness that Caligula experienced was a result of a series of traumatic events over his life rather than a single event that occurred during his reign as Emperor. For the first six months he was a good ruler, but that all changed when he became ill with what was described at the time as a "brain fever." The nickname stuc… He stated “Amongst the people the remembrance of Germanicus’ virtues cherished for his family an attachment which was probably, increased by its misfortunes; and they were anxious to see revived in the son the popularity of the father.”[11]Suetonius’ account is evidence that Caligula’s initial popularity was garnered by the achievements of his father and the public sympathized with the misfortune of his family’s demise. The evidence also indicates that these problems were affecting Caligula well before he was emperor. This model best fits the Roman emperor Caligula. *You can also browse our support articles here >. This also meant Caligula had to silently obey Tiberius’ every command in order to ensure his survival and the survival of his sisters. One could say with certainty that such internal pain could lead to a whirl-wind of self destruction and violent tendencies later in life. 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