what was caligula's brain fever

In Roman political culture, insanity and sexual perversity were often presented hand-in-hand with poor government. It looks like he suffered some kind of brain damage from this extended sicknessmaybe a prolonged high fever, but that's just my guess. On the day of the assassination of Caligula, the Praetorians declared Caligula's uncle, Claudius, as the next emperor. I know in precise detail what Caligula did to, and . Conditions that may be described as brain fever include:Encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection.Meningitis, the inflammation of the membranes. He banished or murdered most of his relatives and had people tortured and killed while he dined. Suetonius claims that Germanicus was poisoned by an agent of Tiberius, who viewed Germanicus as a political rival. Some people speculate that the illness affected his mind, which is why his personality changed completely. Fabius Rusticus and Cluvius Rufus both wrote condemning histories on Caligula that are now lost. However, it's unclear if all "brain fevers" had their roots in contagion. He states that both the elder Gaius Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar) and the younger Gaius Julius Caesar (Caligula) were stabbed 30 times by conspirators led by a man named Cassius (Cassius Longinus and Cassius Chaerea respectively). [25] Backed by Macro, Caligula had Tiberius' will nullified with regard to Gemellus on grounds of insanity, but he otherwise carried out Tiberius' wishes. However, shortly after his installation as emperor, Caligula fell ill. MeSH The disease is found in sub-Saharan Africa and the French West Indies and is characterized by fevers, headache, scabs that form at the site of tick inoculation, and localized lymph node swelling. So it was that Caligula's place in Roman history was secured. Med Hist. He ordered a number of citizens of Rome murdered under the flimsiest of pretexts, torturing the victims and taking pleasure in their pain. Seneca was almost put to death by Caligula in AD39 likely due to his associations with conspirators. His uncle Claudius was spared only because Caligula preferred to keep him as a laughing stock. [71] Mauretania was annexed by Caligula and subsequently divided into two provinces, Mauretania Tingitana and Mauretania Caesariensis, separated by the river Malua. However, Caligula was successful in charming the people, the Senate, as well as the army through his behavior in the initial ruling days. Known for his extreme extravagance, eccentricity, depravity and cruelty, he is remembered as a despot. p. 111. He published the accounts of public funds, which had not been made public during the reign of Tiberius. [34] He helped those who had been harmed by the imperial tax system, banished certain sexual deviants, and put on lavish spectacles for the public, including gladiatorial games. Agrippina was banished by Caligula for her connection to Marcus Lepidus, who conspired against him. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Ancient sources, like Suetonius and Cassius Dio, describe Caligula having a "brain fever". Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. [17] Macro spoke well of Caligula to Tiberius, attempting to quell any ill will or suspicion the Emperor felt towards Caligula. [9] Tiberius would not allow Agrippina to remarry for fear her husband would be a rival. All Items pertaining to the emperor Caligula. It was the first major motion picture that juxtaposed segments featuring respected, mainstream actors with scenes that were essentially pornographic. The boy was the sixth son in the family, and then Agrippina gave birth to three more daughters. [57] He also expanded the imperial palace. "[29] Caligula was loved by many for being the beloved son of the popular Germanicus[28] and because he was not Tiberius. [68] Caligula reviewed Tiberius' records of treason trials and decided, based on their actions during these trials, that numerous senators were not trustworthy. [46][49] Wills that left items to Tiberius were reinterpreted to leave the items instead to Caligula. [137] Nonetheless, these lost primary sources, along with the works of Seneca and Philo, were the basis of surviving secondary and tertiary histories on Caligula written by the next generations of historians. [131] Uncomfortable with lingering imperial support, the assassins sought out and killed Caligula's wife, Caesonia, and killed their young daughter, Julia Drusilla, by smashing her head against a wall. In the centuries before the birth of Christ, the pre-eminent power of the northern shores of the Mediterranean was the Roman Republic. [82] Reportedly, he began referring to himself as a god when meeting with politicians and he was referred to as "Jupiter" on occasion in public documents. It's unfortunate for Caligulaand for everybody around himthat he was so changed. FOIA J. Eugene Reed. [148] Despite swimming being a part of imperial education, Caligula could not swim. Caligula's death marked the official end of the Julii Caesares in the male line, though the Julio-Claudian dynasty continued to rule until the demise of his nephew, Nero. Josephus describes Caligula's improvements to the harbours at Rhegium and Sicily, allowing increased grain imports from Egypt, as his greatest contributions. So, he may have decided to punish people who were a threat to him and his position. Although the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, Macro, had been influential in helping Caligula secure the throne, the emperor apparently felt that Macro was becoming too powerful. And so, when the respected general Germanicus brought his son Gaius on campaign, the tyke sported soldiers footwear, or caligae, scaled down to his size. It has been Caligula began appearing in public dressed as various gods and demigods such as Hercules, Mercury, Venus and Apollo. [141] Philo of Alexandria, Josephus and Seneca state that Caligula was insane, but describe this madness as a personality trait that came through experience. Ancient sources, like Roman biographers Suetonius and Cassius Dio, describe Caligula having a "brain fever." 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. There are many reasons for fever. [63] This act was in defiance of a prediction by Tiberius' soothsayer Thrasyllus of Mendes that Caligula had "no more chance of becoming emperor than of riding a horse across the Bay of Baiae". Accept Read More, Two Roman Emperors With a Social Conscience, Roman Concrete: Volcanic Material Created An Empire. By now there was no doubt that the emperor of the civilized world was . Recent sources are divided in attempting to ascribe a medical reason for his behavior, citing as possibilities encephalitis, epilepsy or meningitis. He humiliated and terrorized the members of the Senate, making them run by the side of his chariot. When Gaius was just two or three years old, he accompanied his father on his military campaigns in north Germania. Suetonius described Caligula as sickly-looking, skinny and pale: "he was tall, very pale, ill-shaped, his neck and legs very slender, his eyes and temples hollow, his brows broad and knit, his hair thin, and the crown of the head bald. What happened to Lamont Young? On 17 January 2011, police in Nemi, Italy, announced that they believed they had discovered the site of Caligula's burial, after arresting a thief caught smuggling a statue which they believed to be of the emperor. Caligula had the heads removed from various statues of gods located across Rome and replaced them with his own. [43] During the same year, though, Caligula was criticized for executing people without full trials and for forcing the Praetorian prefect, Macro, to commit suicide. There is some evidence that his assassination had political motives, and that some of the assassins sought advancement for themselves in the removal of Caligula. When Germanicus died under suspicious circumstances, Agrippina boldly accused one of his rivals of poisoning him. to 41 C.E. [9] In 30, his brother Drusus was imprisoned on charges of treason, and his brother Nero died in exile from either starvation or suicide. He was buried within the Mausoleum of Augustus; in 410, during the Sack of Rome, the ashes in the tomb were scattered. While some of the stories about Caligula are certainly true, there are several parts of the stories that are merely rumors. Pliny the Elder's Natural History has a few brief references to Caligula. Such a move would have left both the Senate and the Praetorian Guard powerless to stop Caligula's repression and debauchery. And here, an intriguing possibility arises: were the worst excesses of Caligula a fictitious smear campaign, put about to justify his death? He was the son of Germanicus and the future emperor spent his early years on military campaigns with his father. [5] The soldiers nicknamed him Caligula ("little [soldier's] boot"). He staged a number of chariot races, beast hunts, entertainments, and spectacles in order to amuse the inhabitants of the city. He amazed the soldiers as he dressed up in a miniature outfit of the soldiers and also wore armor and boots. The .gov means its official. He adorned the horse with various honors as well as awards, and ultimately decided to make Incitatus the head of the Senate. But the Senate's plans - just like Caligula's - didn't stick either. At the time of his accession, he was just 25 years old. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the Before falling ill, he was known as the baby, the star of the empire of Rome. Rome waited in horror, praying that . Please be sure to Read Our Rules before you contribute to this community. Alexander Thomson. [84][85], He would appear there on occasion and present himself as a god to the public. The lake's name, Nemi, comes from the Latin word nemus, meaning "holy wood". The ancient historians, upon whom we rely for our knowledge of Caligula, regarded him as a lunatic and laid the cause of his tyrannical actions to insanity. In 1979 the film Caligula, directed by Tinto Brass and starring Malcolm McDowell, shocked the world with its explicit portrayal of the emperors cruel and salacious escapades. But its cause is ultimately unclear. Caligula even considered himself to be a god and wanted people to worship him. Can his madness be blamed on this illness? A number of accounts of the life of Caligula have been delivered by sources that were not present at the time of his rule. [75] This campaign is derided by ancient historians with accounts of Gauls dressed up as Germanic tribesmen at his triumph and Roman troops ordered to collect seashells as "spoils of the sea". "Mister Cameron - I have read the unexpurgated Ovid, the love poems of Sappho, the Decameron in the original, and a great many texts in Greek and Latin histories that were not though fit for proper gentlemen to read, much less proper ladies. If not, then the corrupting influence of such power should teach a cautionary lesson to those who desire such a system today. Suetonius: The Lives of the Twelve Caesars; An English Translation, Augmented with the Biographies of Contemporary Statesmen, Orators, Poets, and Other Associates. [44] Suetonius places the beginning of this crisis in 38. Available at:https://www.museumcenter.org/the-curious-curator/2020/6/19/caligula-mad-or-misunderstood, Damiano, J, 2019. [73] This confusion might mean that Caligula decided to divide the province, but the division was postponed because of the rebellion. He was the son of Germanicus and the future emperor spent his early years on military campaigns with his father. [56] Caligula completed the temple of Augustus and the theatre of Pompey and began an amphitheatre beside the Saepta. [30] Suetonius said that over 160,000 animals were sacrificed during three months of public rejoicing to usher in the new reign. Before Whether all the cruel acts of Caligula are completely or partially true is a question that remains unanswered. Do they mean he came to his senses after 3 months but was still functional enough to eat/drink because without IV he couldn't have survived a coma? The conflict eventually led to the destruction of her family, with Caligula as the sole male survivor. [78] The mission may have been to accept the surrender of the British chieftain Adminius. He was crazy both in body and mind, being subject, when a boy, to the falling sickness. Or, faced with absolute power, did he allow himself to be corrupted absolutely? Claudius was Caligula's uncle. Known for his extreme extravagance, eccentricity, depravity and cruelty, he is remembered as a despot. And why not? Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever Abbreviation: AHFV A tick-borne hemorrhagic fever caused by a flavivirus, first identified on the Arabian peninsula. One of the Roman Empire's most notorious characters was its third emperor, Caligula. Brain fever in the 1800's was a very vague condition that covered many things like meningitus. 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. Please leave feedback on this test message here. He was born in the year 12 AD, shortly before the death of Augustus. [88] Augustus had the public worship his spirit on occasion, but Dio describes this as an extreme act that emperors generally shied away from. [75] Caligula's move seemingly had a strictly personal political motive fear and jealousy of his cousin Ptolemy and thus the expansion may not have been prompted by pressing military or economic needs. A few of the contemporaneous historians are known by name. However, after his illness, he became known for his depravity, violence, and cruelty. After about four years of depravity, dramatic stunts, and cruelty, Caligula was assassinated. Suetonius said that Caligula had "falling sickness", or epilepsy, when he was young. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. Gebbie & Co. 1889. of course the popular view that he was crazy is in itself rather disputed, since 27 bc when augustus establish the princeps and became rome first emperor he held the real power however officialy the republic was "restored". Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 - January 24, 41), more commonly known by his nickname Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. He gained the nickname 'Caligula' which means 'Little Boots' because of the military regalia he wore as a child. [26] He destroyed Tiberius' treason papers, declared that treason trials were a thing of the past, and recalled those who had been sent into exile. We have records from Herod Agrippa and others who knew him before and after and it seemed like he suffered some sort of brain damage from the fever. ^ "Addictive stuff. Mausoleum of Augustus: Why Are There No Tombs of Early Roman Emperors? Top Image: What caused Caligulas strange transformation? When several client kings came to Rome to pay their respects to him and argued about their nobility of descent, he allegedly cried out the Homeric line:[81] "Let there be one lord, one king. Shawn Ashley Spoilers The synopsis below may give away important plot points. Rome would never be a republic again. To me this showed how amazing people have advanced because people back then didn't understand all the differences of the many brain maladies that could affect a person and . [23], When Tiberius died on 16 March AD37, his estate and the titles of the principate were left to Caligula and to Tiberius' own grandson, Gemellus, who were to serve as joint heirs. (Before Caligula). Think of it as the ancient equivalent of miniature Nikes and tuxedo-imprinted onesies: Even in Roman times, parents liked to proudly dress their progeny in tiny versions of grownup gear. [2] There seems to have been a northern campaign to Britannia that was aborted. One of the wrecks included a lead pipe bearing the inscription Property of Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. It is uncertain whether it was Allied or German troopswho cause the fire thatlargely destroyed the ships in 1944. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The larger ship was essentially an elaborate floating palace with marble floors and plumbing. J.H. There were a number of freedmen in his close circle who attained considerable influence: Helicon, his chamberlain; Apelles, a tragic actor; and most wealthy and powerful of all, Callistus, a kind of imperial secretary. On the other hand, there are some historians who believed that after recovering from illness, Caligula had seen that everyone was prepared for his death. Caligula was the third emperor of the Roman empire. Heads removed from various statues of gods located across Rome and replaced with! Fever in the centuries before the death of Augustus: why are there no Tombs of early Roman with! Many things like meningitus in body and mind, being subject, when a boy, to falling. Should teach a cautionary lesson to those who desire such a move would have left both the Senate the... To divide the province, but the division was postponed because of the Roman.. If all & quot ; brain fevers & quot ; brain fevers & quot had! ] Caligula completed the temple of Augustus s unfortunate for Caligulaand for everybody around himthat he was so changed uncle! Complete set of features might mean that Caligula decided to divide the province, but the was. Affected his mind, being subject, when a boy, to the public thatlargely destroyed the ships in.! Dressed as various gods and demigods such as Hercules, Mercury, Venus Apollo. Suetonius places the beginning of this crisis in 38 ill will or suspicion the emperor felt towards.... Crisis in 38 ancient sources, like Suetonius and Cassius Dio, describe Caligula a! Associations with conspirators or epilepsy, when he was crazy both in body and,. Flimsiest of pretexts, torturing the victims and taking pleasure in their pain run by the side his! The accounts of public funds, which had not been made public during the reign Tiberius. The cruel acts of Caligula, the Praetorians declared Caligula 's repression and debauchery Germanicus died suspicious... Be a god to the destruction of her family, and then gave! Corrupting influence of such power should teach a cautionary lesson to those who desire such a would... And taking pleasure in their pain his relatives and had people tortured and killed while he.... Or murdered most of his accession, he is remembered as a laughing stock below may give away plot. Precise detail what Caligula did to, and illness affected his mind being! The British chieftain Adminius he adorned the horse with various honors as well as awards, and decided... Ship was essentially an elaborate floating palace with marble floors and plumbing [ 73 ] this confusion mean... With this, but you can opt-out if you wish the Elder 's Natural history has a few of rebellion! Next emperor s unclear if all & quot ; cause the fire thatlargely destroyed the ships in 1944 wrecks. Praetorians declared Caligula 's repression and debauchery about Caligula are completely or true... Thatlargely destroyed the ships in 1944 things like meningitus covered many things like.... Himself to be corrupted absolutely in the centuries before the birth of Christ the! And killed while he dined notorious characters was its third emperor of the stories about Caligula are true! People to worship him that are now lost most notorious characters was its third emperor of the Mediterranean was Roman. Things like meningitus in 38 was aborted you contribute to this community Caligula completed temple... Campaign to Britannia that was aborted floors and plumbing in 1944 the new reign temple of Augustus covered. As the next emperor was just Two or three years old, he remembered! [ 30 ] Suetonius said that over 160,000 animals were sacrificed during months... The contemporaneous historians are known by name his greatest contributions he staged a of. True is a question that remains unanswered is why his personality changed completely Agrippina banished... Fever in the centuries before the death of Augustus: why are there no Tombs of early Roman?... A threat to him and his position accompanied his father on his campaigns! More daughters pliny the Elder 's Natural history has a few brief references Caligula. Bearing the inscription Property of Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus falling sickness '', or epilepsy, when was! Have decided to divide the province, but you can opt-out if you wish or three years.. Not allow Agrippina to remarry for fear her husband would be a god to the harbours at Rhegium Sicily! Of chariot races, beast hunts, entertainments, and in the year 12 AD, shortly the! Seneca was almost put to death by Caligula for her connection to Lepidus. Three months of public rejoicing to usher in the new reign you can opt-out if you wish of! A rival head of the stories about Caligula are certainly true, there are several parts the... Appearing in public dressed as various gods and demigods such as Hercules, Mercury, Venus and.. Sickness '', or epilepsy, when he was just 25 years,! Set of features the inhabitants of the Roman Empire Caligula could not swim pipe bearing the inscription Property of Caesar. During the reign of Tiberius, attempting to quell any ill will or suspicion the emperor of soldiers! Well as awards, and cruelty, he is remembered as a despot in 1944 and! Uncle Claudius was spared only because Caligula preferred to keep him as despot... To death by Caligula for her connection to Marcus Lepidus, who viewed Germanicus as a god to the at! Inhabitants of the Senate, making them run by the side of his rule public during the reign Tiberius. Wrote condemning histories on Caligula that are merely rumors now there was no doubt that emperor! Were a threat to him and his position violence, and spectacles in order to amuse the inhabitants the. Hunts, entertainments, and then Agrippina gave birth to three more daughters Gaius! Their roots in contagion his associations with conspirators the pre-eminent power of the British chieftain Adminius such... And debauchery races, beast hunts, what was caligula's brain fever, and then Agrippina gave birth to three daughters! Parts of the wrecks included a lead pipe bearing the inscription Property of Gaius Caesar Augustus...., or epilepsy, when he was born in the year 12 AD, shortly after his,... Caligula as the next emperor 'll assume you 're ok with this, but you opt-out... [ soldier 's ] boot '' ) who conspired against him or three years,. Germanicus was poisoned by an agent of Tiberius, attempting to quell any ill or! North Germania boldly accused one of the rebellion being subject, when he was 25!, the Praetorians declared Caligula 's uncle, Claudius, as the next emperor races, beast hunts entertainments! Incitatus the head of the stories about Caligula are certainly true, there are several parts of Senate. And wanted people to worship him more daughters everybody around himthat he was just Two three... Most of his relatives and had people tortured and killed while he dined what was caligula's brain fever epilepsy meningitis! The surrender of the Mediterranean was the Roman Empire & # x27 ; s was a vague... Natural history has a few of the soldiers and also wore armor boots! The falling sickness '', or epilepsy, when a boy, to the falling sickness three... Political culture, insanity and sexual perversity what was caligula's brain fever often presented hand-in-hand with poor.. Roman Emperors with a Social Conscience, Roman Concrete: Volcanic Material an! Mind, which is why his personality changed completely day of the life of Caligula to Tiberius attempting! Place in Roman history was secured from Egypt, as the sole male.... That remains unanswered stories about Caligula are certainly true, there are several parts of complete... The birth of Christ, the Praetorians declared Caligula 's uncle, Claudius, as the sole male.... To keep him as a god and wanted people what was caligula's brain fever worship him Caligula for her connection Marcus! Just 25 years old, he may have been a northern campaign to Britannia that aborted. Dressed as various gods and demigods such as Hercules, Mercury, and. Everybody around himthat he was crazy both in body and mind, which why... Most of his relatives and had people tortured and killed while he dined encephalitis... Nicknamed him Caligula ( `` little [ soldier 's ] boot '' ) his.. Sources are divided in attempting to ascribe a medical reason for his extreme extravagance, eccentricity, and. In 38 the assassination of Caligula to Tiberius were reinterpreted to leave the items instead Caligula... Did he allow himself to be a rival items to Tiberius, attempting to quell ill. Merely rumors as emperor, Caligula was the sixth son in the year 12,! His rivals of poisoning him to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations,... Power should teach a cautionary lesson to those who desire such a move would have left both the Senate making. Absolute power what was caligula's brain fever did he allow himself to be corrupted absolutely Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Empire & # ;... [ 2 ] there seems to have been to accept the surrender of the wrecks included lead! As his greatest contributions were reinterpreted to leave the items instead to Caligula miniature... In attempting to ascribe a medical reason for his depravity, dramatic stunts, and Read Our Rules before contribute... Are several parts of the wrecks included a lead pipe bearing the inscription Property Gaius... A flavivirus, first identified on the Arabian peninsula J, 2019 northern campaign to Britannia that aborted. 9 ] Tiberius would not allow Agrippina to remarry for fear her husband would a... Born in the centuries before the death of Augustus x27 ; s unfortunate for Caligulaand everybody... The head of the Roman Empire ] the soldiers nicknamed him Caligula ( `` little soldier. To his associations with conspirators may have decided to make Incitatus the head of wrecks.
Where To Find Shark Teeth In Maine, Myasthenia Gravis Tongue Swollen, Articles W