Caligula

Reign: 37 – 41
Life: 12–41

Gaius accompanied his father, mother and siblings on campaign in Germania, at little more than four or five years old. He had been named after Gaius Julius Caesar, but his father's soldiers affectionately nicknamed him "Caligula" ('little boot'). Germanicus died in Antioch in AD 19, and Agrippina returned with her six children to Rome, where she became entangled in a bitter feud with Emperor Tiberius, who was Germanicus' biological uncle and adoptive father. The conflict eventually led to the destruction of her family, with Caligula as the sole male survivor. In 26, Tiberius withdrew from public life to the island of Capri, and in 31, Caligula joined him there. Of the few surviving sources about Caligula and his four-year reign, most were written by members of the nobility and Senate, long after the events they purport to describe.

During Caligula's reign, Saint Peter ruled Papacy, Emperor Guangwu of Han ruled China, and Emperor Suinin ruled Japan.

Further reading: Caligula: The Abuse of Power by Anthony A. Barrett

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Caligula

The World During Their Reign

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Further Reading

Caligula: The Abuse of Power