Caligula: Insane or Arrogant?

[Ariovistus Maximus]

Hey guys!

I'm no expert on the late Roman empire, I confess, but I have a little pet theory about Caligula.

I've been taught in school that Caligula was mad. But I have my own ideas...

The two primary evidences that I was taught of Caligula's madness are:

1. Built a temple to himself.

2. Tried to make his horse a senator.

However, I think there is another interpretation.

1. Anybody with the powers of an emperor who was extremely full of himself would want to proclaim himself as a deity. Extremely obnixious, perhaps, but not insane.

2. I think this was hardly a sign of madness; rather a sign of wit! I think that Calligula was frustrated with the Senate (either because he was a jerk or because the Senate really was ineffective).

And what better way to express your contempt for the Senate than to enlist a horse in their ranks!

He would, in effect, be telling the Senators, "My horse could do this better than you."

So then the Senate had Caligula murdered. Of course, they told everybody that Caligula needed to be put away because he was insane, and since the guy was a jerk anyway, the people were fine with that.

And all the histories we have that reference Caligula are written by whom?

By people who would have had access ONLY to information which the Senate gave them, or people who were under the Senate's thumb!

So I think that the Senate did away with Caligula for political reasons because he was too much for them to handle!!! Then they masked it with the pretext that he was insane.

All the information that we have today is tainted with the Senate's "viewpoint!"

What do you guys think?

[Fragony]

There is quite some revisionism going on, he humiliated the senate by with the horse thing. Everything (known) was written after his death, and supposedly people loved him. Building a temple or a shrine for yourself wasn't unusual at all. There are no signs of any misgovernment, Rome did fine under Caligula.

[Ariovistus Maximus]

So it's not a new theory? Rats; here I thought I'd come up with something brilliant.

[Fragony]

So it's not a new theory? Rats; here I thought I'd come up with something brilliant.

Afraid not, but you still thought it up by yourself

[Ariovistus Maximus]

bumr.

Well, thanks anyway.

[Centurion1]

Its was a mixture in my opinion of growing up in the lap of luxury, a sharp wit, and the ability to do whatever the hell he wanted to. As for the temple thing Julius caesar built four LARGE temples (not including smaller ones) for himself and he wasnt even an emperor technically.

Oh and they believe he had lead poisoning from the aqueducts

[Riedquat]

I agree with you, but also he was insane, all info that reached us can't be wrong, I agree most of it is bad propaganda from opposition but not all. I've read somewhere there was an after and a before in Caligula's behavior due to some mental(?) illness he suffered.

One thing I am completely sure is his horse was smarter than the rest of Senators.... ;)