The Roman Empire oversaw a period of unprecedented prosperity and stability that came to be known as the Pax Romana. However, imperial rule, with power concentrated in the hands of a single man, was ripe for abuse. To be sure, there were good and conscientious emperors, such as Augustus or Trajan, who took their job seriously and did their best to advance the public good. Unfortunately, there were also plenty of decadent and depraved emperors, who lived up to the adage that “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely“. The former burned the midnight oil to take care of the empire, while the latter burned the midnight chandeliers wallowing in decadence and depravity. Below are twenty things about four of Rome’s most decadent and depraved emperors.
20. An Emperor Raised Out of Spite to be a “Viper for the Roman People“
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (12 – 41 AD) was nicknamed Caligula (“little boots”) because of the miniature legionary outfits he wore in childhood while accompanying his father on military campaigns. He grew to become emperor of Rome from 37 to 41 AD, and is probably the gold standard for crazy rulers. He was raised by his uncle, Emperor Tiberius, a paranoid odd fish who spent much of his reign as a recluse in a depraved pleasure palace in Capri. He surfaced on occasion to order the execution of relatives accused of treason. His victims included Caligula’s mother and two brothers. Tiberius probably poisoned Caligula’s father as well. A great natural actor, Caligula hid any resentment felt towards his uncle. He thus survived the bitter Tiberius, who remarked as he named him heir: “I am rearing a viper for the Roman people“.
