We see that javascript is disabled or not supported by your browser - javascript is needed for important actions on the site. Read more

What's New - Home - Login

Member $avings: $81,570,456.61 | Books Available: 795,193 | Members Online: 246

Swap Used Books - Buy New Books at Great Prices!

How To Swap Books Sign Up Search submenu

PBS Market (New Books)

Gift Buying Guide

Book Browser Advanced Search Books Posted Today Member Book Reviews Award Winning Books NYT Best Sellers Amazon Best Sellers Most Traveled Copies Club Wish List

Discussion Forums Book Lists

Club Lists My Book Lists My Watched Lists Create a List

Blog Donations

School Donation Program In Memory of... Military Donation Program Friends of PBS

Box-O-Books Maps The Eclectic Pen Fun Stuff

20 Questions Sudoku Bookmark Creator

Top 100

Requests Posts Swappers Referrers Reviewers

Pulse of PBS Spread The Word

Invite Friends Bookmarks Facebook Page Facebook App More Ways...

Photo Gallery Recipes Club Tag Cloud Member Testimonials

Help Center submenu

How To Swap Books Browse Help Docs Ask the Librarian PBS Member Icons Live Help

Kiosk

PBS Market (New Books) Go Shopping Buy Credits Buy PBS Money Upgrade Membership Gift Certificates Transfer Credits

Need Help?

Search - Caligula & Nero: Rome's Worst Emperors

Caligula Nero Rome's Worst Emperors
Author: Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures of famous art depicting Caligula, Nero and important people, places, and events. — *Discusses the facts and legends surrounding Caligula's madness and the excesses of his turbulent reign. — *Describes ancient accounts of Nero's reign, including the murder of his mother, the Great Fire of Rome, and his suicide. — *Includes a bibli... more »ography for further reading.

*Includes Suetonius's accounts of the lives of Caligula and Nero

Given how bad some of Rome?s emperors were, it?s a testament to just how insane and reviled Caligula was that he is still remembered nearly 2,000 years later as the epitome of everything that could be wrong with a tyrant. The Romans had high hopes for him after he succeeded Tiberius in 37 A.D., and by all accounts he was a noble and just ruler during his first few months in power. But after that, he suffered some sort of mysterious illness that apparently rendered him insane. Indeed, the list of Caligula?s strange actions is long. Among other things, Caligula began appearing in public dressed as gods and goddesses, and his incest, sexual perversion, and thirst for blood were legendary at the time, difficult accomplishments considering Roman society was fairly accustomed to and tolerant of such things.

In fact, the Romans were so taken aback by some of Caligula?s behavior that historians catalogued some of his strangest antics. Suetonius wrote that as Caligula?s relationship with the Senate deteriorated, he ordered that Incitatus be made a member of the Roman Senate and a Consul. Incitatus, Latin for ?swift,? was Caligula?s favorite horse. But far from simply being a way to stick it to the Senate, Caligula invited guests to dine with Incitatus and had the horse?s stables made of marble, suggesting Caligula was simply mentally unstable himself.

In 41 A.D., the Praetorian Guard turned on Caligula and assassinated him. Caligula?s reign was so traumatic to the Romans that they even considered restoring the Republic, but military officials ultimately installed Claudius, the only male left in the Julian family line, as emperor. Claudius's short reign was followed by Caligula?s nephew Nero, a man whose excesses sometimes made Caligula seem tame.

Nero ranks among the very worst of the Caesars, alongside the likes of mad Caligula, slothful Commodus, and paranoid Domitian, a figure so hated that, in many ancient Christian traditions, he is literally considered the Antichrist. According to a notable Biblical scholar, the coming of the Beast and the number 666 in the Book of Revelation are references to Nero. He was the man who famously ?fiddled while Rome burned?, an inveterate lecher, a murderous tyrant who showed little compunction in murdering his mother and who liked to use Christian martyrs as a source of illumination at night by burning them alive. His economic policies, according to many historians, virtually bankrupted Rome.

Even his appearance, apparently, was unattractive. His busts show him to be fleshy-faced, with a weak chin that he attempted to disguise with a distinctly unprepossessing beard, and according to Suetionius he was also spotty, stinking, pot-bellied and thin-legged ? not a pretty picture.

The best known accounts of Nero come from biographers like Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Suetionius and Josephus, but there are also indications that, to some extent, reports of Nero?s cruelty were exaggerated. Nero was popular with the common people and much of the army, and during his reign the Empire enjoyed a period of remarkable peace and stability. Many historians, including some of his ancient biographers ? such as Josephus ? suggest that there existed a strong bias against Nero.

Caligula & Nero profile the lives, crimes, and excesses of the two notorious emperors. Along with pictures and ancient accounts, you will learn about Rome's most famously bad emperors like never before.

ISBN-13: 9781492340232
ISBN-10: 1492340235
Publication Date: 9/5/2013
Pages: 124
Rating:

0 stars, based on 0 rating

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

Genres:

History >> Ancient Civilizations >> Rome

Back to the Top ↑

Search - Caligula & Nero: Rome's Worst Emperors

Loading...