Caligula: The Mad Emperor Who Made His Horse a Consul - Rome's Darkest Secrets Revealed

Caligula the Roman Empire's most insane Emperor hey everyone and welcome to the channel today we're diving into the dark and twisted reign of one of history's most infamous Emperors Caligula this Roman ruler wasn't just ruthless he was downright bizarre we're talking about an emperor who declared himself a living God demanding his subjects worship Him believe it or not that's just the tip of the iceberg buckle up because we're about to explore the outrageous often shocking Life and Times of Caligula the Emperor who may have been truly insane introducing the emperor born gas Julius Caesar Augustus dramaticus in 12 ad Kul Rose to power in 37 ad but his Reign was far from glorious it was a shockingly short four years marked by rapid descent into madness in this video we'll explore his early life rise to power notorious Act and his eventual downfall early life Caligula wasn't some random person who stumbled into Power he was born with a silver spoon well a golden toer Caligula belonged to the Julio claudian Dynasty a family that had been ruling Rome for decades as a child gas as he was originally called even had a cute little nickname Caligula which means little boot as a young boy traveling with his father a famous General they dressed him in miniature military boots cigi in Latin and that's how gas became Caligula Little Boots now before Caligula took the throne things in Rome weren't exactly sunshine and rainbows the previous Emperor Tiberius was not a good people person he would avoid his subjects this unsurprisingly didn't endear him to the Roman citizens so when Tiaras died and Caligula ascended the throne there was a lot of Hope and excitement for a fresh start Caligula was young and seemingly charismatic he started his Reign on a positive note he recalled people who had been exiled by Tiberius through lavish public games to keep the citizens entertained and even showed some genuine interest in the well-being of the people it seemed like a new era of peace and prosperity was Dawning for Rome but as they say looks can be deceiving and in Caligula's case they were about as deceiving as a toga made entirely of glitter early signs of Madness unfortunately Rome's Newfound optimism wasn't meant to last just 6 months into his Reign disaster struck kilig Gila fell Gravely ill historians aren't exactly sure what it was but it was bad some theories suggest a severe case of epilepsy and sephtis or even poisoning whatever it was it left a lasting impact after recovering Caligula was in quite the same his personality shifted dramatically he became increasingly paranoid prone to Violent outbursts and started making some truly bizarre decisions extravagant spending Caligula spending was out of control he dreamt up ridiculous construction projects like building a bridge across a bay just so he could ride his horse across it he built himself extravagant palaces with golden roofs and extended existing ones with moving walls public games became absurd spectacles imagine chariot races with flamingos instead of horses or massive sea battles staged in freshwater lakes all to appease Caligula's ever growing sense of grandeur cruelty and sadism the Real Horror wasn't the spending it was the cruelty Giga reveled in inflicting pain he had people tortured and executed for the most trivial offenses like losing a game of dice or simply displeasing him with a look his sadism reached New Heights when he forced loved ones to watch their family members suffer before meeting their own demise the Roman senate once a powerful body became a tool for his paranoia he'd accused senators of treason on a whim and have them brutally eliminated fear became the currency of Rome under Caligula's Reign demanding Divinity Caligula's Madness didn't stop at excessive spending and sadist IC punishments he craved more something truly outrageous godhood Yes you heard that right Kula declared himself a living God he demanded statues of himself to be erected in temples replacing the heads of existing deities with his own he even dressed up as various gods and goddesses parading around the palace in a bizarre attempt to embody their power the Romans a traditionally religious people were understandably disturbed by this Blas but Caligula didn't care he believed his own hype becoming increasingly convinced of his Divine status this delusion of course fueled his already inflated ego and further Justified his cruelty incitatus a horse or a senator Caligula's Madness wasn't limited to just self-importance he also harbored some truly strange obsessions take his horse in satus for instance this wasn't just an ordinary Ste Caligula sh powered in satatus with lavish gifts including a luxurious stable supposedly outfitted with marble floors and an ivory manger the rumors get even Wilder historians debate whether Caligula actually appointed Inus as a senator a position reserved for the most distinguished Roman citizens while the exact details remain fuzzy one thing is clear Caligula's relationship with his horse was far from normal military Misadventures Caligula's Madness wasn't confined to R's borders his military campaigns were just as outlandish as his domestic policies one Infamous episode involved a massive military buildup in Northern Gul imagine thousands of soldiers horses and Supplies amassed on the coast poised for a great Invasion the enemy well that would be the English Channel Caligula in all his delusional Glory ordered his troops to invade the sea Yes you heard that right they Mar merched into the waves brandishing their swords and Spears but instead of facing a mighty enemy they were met with the vast emptiness of the Sea undeterred by this Minor Detail Caligula declared victory over the ocean itself he even had his men collect sea shells as Spoils of War a pathetic trophy for a non-existent conquest this act of sheer lunacy left his soldiers baffled and demoralized historians offer various explanations for this bizarre event some say was a symbolic victory over the ocean a punishment for a storm that had damaged a bridge he was building others believe it was a way to boost morale or simply a cruel joke at the expense of his soldiers the downfall political alienation all right so we established that Caligula didn't exactly follow the script of a wise and benevolent Emperor now let's delve into how his actions alienated the very people who held the real power the Senate Caligula saw the Senate as is a challenge to his absolute Authority he mocked them publicly ignored their advice and even replaced some Senators with his own horses this blatant disrespect eroded any trust the Senate might have had for him on top of that paranoia became Caligula's constant companion he saw enemies everywhere especially within his own family he ordered the execution of his cousin tiberious gemus his closest living relative and even threatened his own sisters with Exile this Ruth streak terrified the Roman Elite never knowing who might be next on his chopping block Caligula's assassination the year is 41 ad Caligula's erratic Behavior had reached a fever pitch casus Kyra was a Tribune of the pretorian guard the elite soldiers responsible for the emperor's safety KRA along with other discont pretorians s Caligula as a threat not just to the Senate but to the entire Empire the details of the plot are a bit murky but it seems CA and the conspirators decided to take action during some Palace games in a brutal act they stabbed cular death right there in the arena along with his wife and daughter aftermath the succession of Claudius Caligula's assassination plunged Rome into chaos the Senate still reing from years of Caligula's tyranny saw an opportunity to restore the Republic however their dreams were shortlived the petorian guard fearing a power of vacuum and possibly motivated by self-preservation took matters into their own hands they found Caligula's Uncle Claudius hiding in the palace and declared him the new emperor Claudius A man previously overlooked due to a perceived stutter was an unlikely Choice Claudius surprisingly proved to be a capable Emperor he focused on stabilizing the Empire restoring the Senate's role to a degree and launching successful military campaigns impact of Caligula's Reign cula's Reign though shortlived left a lasting mark on the Roman Empire it served as a stark reminder of the dangers of a tyrant with absolute power the Senate forever wary of another Caligula sought to exert more power over future Emperor the petorian guard having tasted the power of kingming became a more prominent player in Roman politics sometimes for better sometimes For Worse Caligula's Reign may have been a chaotic mess but it played a significant role in shaping the future of the Roman Empire it forced a Reckoning with the balance of power the dangers of unchecked authority and the importance of a stable and just ruler so the next time you hear the name Caligula remember him not just for his crazy Antics but for the lasting impact his short and brutal rain had on Roman history how is Caligula remembered today Caligula's rain may be a distant echo in the halls of history but his story continues to capture our imaginations his outlandish behavior and dramatic downfall have made him a popular figure in pop culture he's been the subject of countless books from historical accounts by satus and Josephus to fictionalized portrayals like Albert C play Caligula which explores themes of power and Rebellion films have taken a more Sensational route with depictions ranging from the Epic I Claudius to the notoriously graphic Caligula by Tinto Brass television hasn't shied away from Caligula either shows like Dr who and Horrible Histories have offered humorous takes on his eccentricities while documentaries delve deeper into the historical complexities of his rule a last question all right everyone that brings us to the end of our journey into the wild world of Caligula we've explored his rise to power his descent into madness and the lasting impact his Reign had on the Roman Empire but before we go I have a last question for you what do you think is the most unbelievable story about Caligula was it his attempt to make his horse a console or maybe his crazy Bridge Project let me know in the comments below and be sure to share your thoughts and theories about this enigmatic Emperor if you enjoyed this dive into history make sure to like this video subscribe to the channel and hit the notification icon so you'll never miss out on more fascinating stories from the past there are countless Emperors Rebels and historical figures waiting to be explored so stay tuned

Channel: Lost Ages

Views: 457

Keywords: ancient egypt, egypt, lost ages, knowledge, history documentation, isis, anubis, egypt gods, history, true history story, documentation, eternal secrets, Coffin Texts, Pyramid Texts., Ani, Cleopatra', pharaoh, pharaoh's curse, mummy, pyramid, story, true story movies, true story, egypt story, life after death, death, ancient history documentary, ancient history, mystery recapped, civilization, caligula, roman empire, roman empire history, roman empire documentary

Id: XmP4qspo5dg

Length: 11min 56sec (716 seconds)

Published: Mon May 27 2024