10. Caligula Kicked Off the Weird Early
When Tiberius finally died and Caligula was freed of the ever-present threat of execution by his paranoid uncle, he cut loose. He dove head first into an orgy of hedonism and a lavish lifestyle, as the combination of sudden freedom and sudden unlimited power went to his head. He kicked off the weird behavior early. He wanted to demonstrate his contempt for a soothsayer’s prediction that he had no more chance of becoming emperor than riding a horse across the Bay of Baiae. So he ordered a two-mile bridge built across the bay, then rode his horse across it, clad in the armor of Alexander the Great.
On another occasion, Caligula started to cackle uncontrollably at a party. When asked what was so funny, he replied that he found it hilarious that with a mere gesture of his finger, he could have anybody present executed. On one occasion, Caligula was displeased by an unruly crowd at the Circus Maximus. So he pointed out a section of the stands to his guards, and ordered them to execute everybody “from baldhead to baldhead“. On another occasion, bored at an arena when told that there were no more criminals to throw to the beasts, he ordered a section of the crowd thrown to the wild animals.
