Caligula

Caligula examines the short reign of Gaius Caesar, whose name became a byword for imperial excess and cruelty. It follows his upbringing within the Julio-Claudian dynasty, early popularity after the death of Tiberius and the rapid deterioration of relations with the Senate and court.

The biography assesses stories of madness, sexual scandal, humiliation and extravagant projects against the biases and distance of surviving sources. It concludes with Caligula’s assassination by members of the Praetorian Guard and the political interests that shaped his hostile posthumous reputation.