Caligula: The Cruel, Unpredictable Roman Leader

The Roman Empire had already undergone significant transitions by the time Caligula entered the world. Tiberius, his great-uncle, succeeded Augustus as emperor in 14 AD, adopting Germanicus as his son. Caligula’s early years were shaped by the Roman military campaigns under Germanicus in Germania, where he earned the nickname “Caligula,” meaning “little boot,” due to the small military boots he wore as a child during these campaigns with his father’s troops.

When Germanicus died under mysterious circumstances in Antioch in 19 AD, Caligula’s family was plunged into turmoil. Agrippina, now a widow, returned to Rome with her six children, only to become embroiled in a bitter conflict with Tiberius. Her family’s tragic fall resulted in the deaths or exile of most of her children, leaving Caligula as the only surviving male. In 26 AD, Tiberius withdrew to the island of Capri, where he lived in seclusion. Caligula followed him in 31 AD, and after Tiberius' death in 37 AD, Caligula ascended to the throne as emperor.