Was Caligula Really the Worst Roman Emperor? | With Professor Mary Beard
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- Опубліковано 3 тра 2024
- Two thousand years ago one of history's most notorious individuals was born. The son of the Roman general Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, Augustus' granddaughter, Caligula was born into the first ruling family of the Roman Empire and became the third Emperor of Rome.
Many consider Caligula to be Rome’s most tyrannical emperor, reaching levels beyond even his infamous nephew Nero. His reign from 37-41 AD is filled with murder and debauchery. The great-great grandson of Julius Caesar certainly left his mark by his possible madness and definitely horrific acts.
In this documentary, Professor Mary Beard embarks on an investigative journey to rome, to explore the life and times of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus...
Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free exclusive podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsely, Mary Beard and more. Watch, listen and read history wherever you are, whenever you want it. Available on all devices: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku, Xbox, Chromecast, and iOs & Android.
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I find it very poignant that Caligula would be horrified to know that that’s the name he is know by.
lol justice
I absolutely love Professor Beard. She's the classicist Attenborough, a national treasure.
Mary Beard is like the David Attenborough for Ancient Rome.
She's awesome!
Fancier shoes
100%
More like Mark Felton
@@cascadianrangers728
Ancient Rome is NOT WW2.
"the first blow didn't kill him, but the next 31 did" ...I mean, that would do it...
Any programme that includes Mary Beard is guaranteed to be a great watch. This one is no exception.
or just her beard
I think she's a old hag
she knows what she is talking about but she has an arrogance about her and the pitch of her voice make it really hard to put up with
@@beachboy13600sadly not everyone can not be photo shopped models........ Answering for a friend!!!
sounds biased, she has great knowledge and good watchable docs and (older) lectures. However, she projected a few times current morals toward the antique times and the romans, which is not objective.
Her look at the statues and busts was pretty insightful, the way that they had been hastily converted from Caligula to Claudius really illuminated the story of the sharp transition of power
Perfect example of how it’s not just the history but how you get the message that makes the difference. The way Mary Beard draws you in; the passion she has in conveying challenging and complex history; and how she brings the ancient to life here and now. She’s fantastic.
Mary Beard is absolutely spectacular. I can't get enough of her enthusiasm and insight. She brings the ordinary (or to us extraordinary) daily hustle and bustle of everyday Ancient Romans to life.
Yes, she is absolutely lovely❤
your just saying that because she isa woman
bot
@@kingKing-is6me I would like to view Mary's beard.
When I said I love the historian Dan Snow someone replied "that's because he's a man" - sheesh you can't win here can ya. damned if you do damned if you don't @@kingKing-is6me
When I was in the Navy, my ship docked in Naples for an extended period of time and I was fortunate enough to visit Capri. It was a bit inspiring walking the same paths as Tiberius and Caligula. We walked through vineyards in lower Capri and up steps carved in rock to get to upper Capri. It was exhausting, but fortunately a bus came along as we were trudging up a road and gave us a lift to the top. Stunning. Cheers....
i am here for Mary Beard’s commitment to the DRAMA
I was just thinking, she's a bit OVER-dramatic.
{:o:O:}
@ansfridaeyowulfsdottir8095 she really makes his story come alive though lol
@@perturbedxtirade7428
Yes, a good documentary, but a little over-emphatic narration.
{:o:O:}
Mary is the perfect narrator and host. I love her energy and enthusiasm she’s awesome!
I was actually horrified when I found out his father was Germanicus, who could've been Rome's greatest emperor
Don't be so sure. There was a time when people thought old Galba would be the perfect Emperor, but when he became so, he proved himself cruel and incompetent. Power distorts people in ways we can't imagine.
I don't think he could be better than Trajan or Augustus.
Germanicus would have been so much better than Caligula! You are so right!
Augustus was an impossible man to follow up, tbh. Only Trajan came close in terms of overall effect on the course of human history.
And that's exactly the problem, since he was so busy with running the empire, he kinda neglected his son education.
Prof Beard is such an engaging and enthusiastic presenter! I've rewatched many of her projects and I never get bored with her style. As always this was an excellent video.
middling at best. whatever she is paid, it is too much
Meh. Just not feelin' it 😢
It's pretty certain that Caligula was murdered in a tunnel now called the Neronian Cryptoporticus. It is on the Palatine Hill and the public can walk through it. I walked it last May (2023). It is one of the SUPER Sites and requires a special ticket, but it is well worth the small added cost.
What we know, or what we think we know, about Caligula was written by sensationalists and people who didn't like him very much. Bearing this in mind, I don't think Caligula was as bad as he has been made out to be. He was very popular with the people. The senators were jealous of him and feared their loss of power because of his popularity. Caligula wasn't very smart. He pissed off the captain of his imperial body guards by mocking him and making fun of him.
I fully agree with you, Leslie! That is why I actually like Caligula
Well if he was a great guy I don't think the Senate would have tried to get ride of all traces of him. It's not like there was love and affection for the guy. After all he was murdered, that in itself speaks of some reality of his popularity.
Just wanted to say. Sounds like a really good emperor - someone with little appetite for war, treating the ordinary people well, gifting them money here and there.
All emperors of Rome had lavish lifestyles, but at least he didn't get their sons killed in endless battles like so many before. The Senate likely didn't wanted his image
to be a portrayal of Rome, because he didn't accomplish a lot - he just spent money all his life :O)
Caligula was a complicated character. He was capable of unthinkable depravity, but what we are told now was evidence of madness may well have been him taunting the establishment of the time, for example making his horse consul. He may never have seriously intended to do this, but it amused him to let other people think he would. The mysterious illness that he suffered when he announced that he was reborn as a god may have made him mentally unstable. The worst emperor? Nero was feckless and incompetent, but let's live a little here. Elagabalus was a disaster. An honourable mention must go to Commodus.
Was Nero the one who filled the Colosseum with water and had a full scale ship battle? That dude was awesome.
@stephenseehorn7286 no, it hadn't been built until after he died.
I agree Nero n elagayboy were worse Caligula caught mental illness badly
Philo of Alexandria is a VERY interesting subject. He lived from 25 BC to 50AD and though he was from Egypt (ie- Philo of Alexandria, with Alexandria being the chief port of Egypt), he spent much of his life in Judea. He was an ENORMOUSLY prolific author, writing things from personal musings and tomes of knowledge, through to many religious texts and the interpretation of the bible (need I specify 'The Torah?'). He even penned (quilled?) a number of chronicles for Rome, about the events in Judea and of the troubles in Herod's court.
In short, Philo of Alexandria was the PERFECT witness to the events leading up to the birth of christ, the course of his life, his death and the aftermath of his death. Philo would have been a man, an adult at the time of Christ's birth and survived Christ by roughly 20 years. Since we know that he was in Judea at this time, then we should find his chronicles of the life and death of christ as the ultimate guide. Unfortunately, Philo never wrote a single word about Jesus. He never even mentioned having heard rumours of a 'Jewish sage, going through Judea, healing the sick and raising the dead.' He never wrote a single word about seeing this Jesus walk on water, or any other miracle. But he couldn't be everywhere, all at once, so even if he just wrote what others were saying, that should be enough. Except that he apparently never hears a single person ever talk about the miracles Jesus was supposed to have been performing. He never hears a single noteworthy rumour about Jesus, at all! Right through to the year 50 AD, he never hears a single thing about Jesus (or anyone else) that was supposedly performing miracles, or being resurrected after their death! Not a single word. Not even a single word about hearing rumours of such events!!
These seem to be the perfect things for a chronicler to have written. To ensure that his chronicles were read thousands of years after his death, he should have written about the living God in his area. No, not Pharaoh, even though Pharaoh was a living God. Not Nero either, even though the Cult of the Emperor proclaimed every Roman Emperor to be a living God. No, I mean the one who not a single contemporary witness ever seems to hear about; Jesus! I just don't understand how it could be possible for Jesus to have existed (as described in the bible) and to performed the miracles and deeds ascribed to him, without any of these deeds, or Jesus himself to have ever found their way to the ears of a chronicler as prolific as Philo. Honestly, it's enough to make a person think that Jesus and his deeds are a work of fiction!
Time to reread I, Claudius..and then rewatch the TV-series!
May I say how much I simply adore Mary Beard. I can't watch enough of the shows she presents. Thank you, Mary Beard and HH.
I am from Katwijk aan Zee in the Netherlands and Caligula is said to have been here and made the tower of kalla. Evidence has been found from a wine pottery which had his seal on it. He ordered his men to collect sea shells as booty.
Mary beard!
A brilliant woman!
Great use the Chapters/timestamps on this video -- nice to see a documentary taking advantage of optional features like that. Love Mary Beard's presentation and it's nice to have a quick way to revisit specific topics.
I’m grateful to have discovered this channel today. Absolutely wonderful!
Can you imagine if she was your advisor? School would be so great. She really brings Roman history alive. It’s amazing how much of it is still around.
Binge watched 'I' Claudius' again over the last week, Excellent, as before.
I've watched this a few times. Each time has proven rewarding.
A wonderful historical coverage (video)of the Caligula empire of Rome.... thank you for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it
This was a great presentation honestly couldnt stop watching as she went on
Gosh, I remember looking down from those marvelous cliffs above the Capri villa. Quite a different sentiment now....
6:20 I can't believe how similar he looks to the evil kid emporer in game of thrones!
Thanks Mary, wonderful narrative.
Very interessting and well made!
Well, put it this way: He was bad enough that his own bodyguards killed him after only four years on the throne. Considering that his predecessor Tiberius was a greedy, paranoid, unscrupulous thug and yet still managed to reign for twenty three years says a lot in my mind to just how crazy and incompetent Little Boots really was. Yes, he was terrible - rivalled in all Roman history only by Nero, Commodus, and Elagabalus (Caracalla and Honorius also get dishonorable mentions).
I think Tiberius lasted as long as he did was because he got out of Rome and retired to Capri. It was safer to govern from afar, plus he wasn't extravagant, debauched and irresponsible like Caligula. The empire was stable under his rule even if his rule was harsh and at times cruel.
That's a pretty good point. I know there is a tendency to lean against the narrative of historical commentators after the fall of leaders. The argument being that the commentators worked for the opposition, so naturally they would be biased against Caligula or Nero or Richard III, or Louis XVI or whoever. Skepticism is good, but at the same time, where there is smoke there is almost always fire. Someone must have been angry enough to bump off the dude and have a large enough following to get away with it, that usually happens for a reason.
Hmmm, but maybe the real danger to the Roman state was the compent Imperator or Pinceps. That certainly was what Claudius and Heroiditus seem to have thought. The destruction of the Republic was more to be blamed on competant men who appealed to the masses through their ability to deliver than it was on bald tyrants who couldn't offer enough to gain support. This, of course, comes from the point of view of the wealthy mainly Senetorial sources we have. A hand to mouth labourer wasn't an idiot for liking being given bread and circuses. The bread meant he saw tommorow's sunrise, the circusses meant he forgot fpr a moment the bone breaking work he hoped he'd be signed up for.
Also, I have a bit of a soft spot for Elagabulus. He seems like the kind of wierdo trust fund hippie who should never be given any responsibiltiy other to say something wierd enough to keep the energy up at a party that's flagging after midnight. Also, queer as fuck so full marks there.
Back to boring mode, I think focusing on individuals is not as insightful as focusing of structures of power and the societal trends they produced, and seeing the individual rulers, especially the weak ones, as being more like flotsome rolling with, or being smashed against the rocks by, the far more powerful societal tides.
He's hardly unusual in being assassinated by his guards, throughout history and across cultures that isn't hugely uncommon and it doesn't always mean the leader in question is unusually terrible.
@@bearhustler It's true that during the Anarchy of 235 to 284 CE all but one of the emperors who reigned at that time suffered violent deaths - a few other reasonably good emperors met with the same (Domitian and Alexander Severus come to mind); But Caligula, Nero, Commodus, and Elagabalus were different - they reigned at times when the empire was relatively prosperous, politically stable, and at peace at home and abroad. People are just more willing to put up with sh1tty leadership when they're well-fed and safe...and yet these four rulers were all killed by elements within their own government. The reason: they were all young (24, 19, 19, and 14 years of age at their accession respectively), spoiled from having been brought up at court, and woefully unprepared to wield absolute power over the strongest empire on earth.
Very good video! As always, very important to take histories with a dollop of salt though as testimonies and records are usually not totally accurate
As soon as I heard the intro, I recognized the great Mary Beard! Incredible narrator, astonishing historical knowledge!
The 1979 movie Caligula was amazing, and shocking, and had an A-list cast.
Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O'Toole, and John Gielgud
Not as good as Carry On Cleo though .!
Watched it at The University of Akron theater in the student center, 1990/1991 or so.
John Hurt in I Claudius, is my go-to image of Caligula.
@@2msvalkyrie529😂😂
Thank you that was very good, as well as imformative !!!! Professor Beard is cool 😊
I'm from near Rome and this incredibly well done video has made me want to visit a Museum. Many of us Italians take all this for granted.
Where there's smoke, Dr Beard, there's fire.
Love Mary Beard, she’s just so engaging
Brilliantly related by an awesome historian 👍👌👏
the greatest threat to elites is other elites
Not so much now, BUT it might go that way!!!
To this exact point … 22:30
It’s ALWAYS the case there’s a new ruling elite waiting to take the place of the current one. Even today; especially today. It’s only a matter of how effective the current ruling elite does it’s job in either oppressing all possibility of a new elite coalescing, or effectively causing the current administrative class and professionals from misidentifying their interests as being identical to those of the current ruling elite, or a combination of the two strategies.
The current US situation is the combination.
But have no doubt there is an effective new ruling elite with a new ruling ideology waiting in the wings at all time!
Very good ..thx
I was fortunate enough to work at Cambridge University for 8 years and studied Roman architecture for my BSc. I wish I had taken the opportunity to chat with her.. I am a member of the senate House!
Professor Mary stylin those gold high-tops ❤❤
I’d listen to Mary read the yellow pages. So calming. History ASMR
Good stuff
Chaos and instability produce violence ......well that is a basic law which was and is true since all times. I love to watch and listen Mary Beard - awesome presentation bringing the roman times to life!
When I think back on my university days I think that I would have gotten on quite well with Caligula. We had similar interests and lifestyle preferences. It would have been a case of one outdoing the other. You would have had to be robust to keep up.
very interesting and well researched video. I do wonder, though, that you do not wear gloves when touching the relics and artifacts (especially coins etc).?
Mary Beard is a star.❤❤ You get the sense that self preservation was key in the empirial family- survival at all cost meant that you had to kiss goodby compassion, family sense and humanity. It makes perfect sense because those are concepts that we gained from christianity, who only became prevalelent in Rome with Konstantin in the 4. century.
Romans, and the Greeks before them, had dozens of schools of philosophy who all taught some version of compassion, respect, religious tolerance and community-mindedness. Christians were persecuted in Rome because they alone refused to allow religious freedom. The conversion of the Emperor to Christianity was the beginning of the fall. You can't keep a diverse empire united if you go about telling them their gods are fake and they must worship yours instead.
Multiple hats off to Mary Beard. Superb indeed, every step of the way.
mary brings the roman empire to life
Tive o prazer de ler duas obras da Mestre Mary Beard. 👏👏📚
It was Tiberius who said "Let them hate me so long as they fear me ", not Caligula.
The Roman museum MB refers to around 4 minutes into the video is in Xanten and not Zantan as in the transcript
I like Mary Beards programme's she's very knowledgeable , i have read her book about Pompeii
One if Caligula's favorite sayings was "Too much if a good thing is wonderfu...uh, no wait, that was Liberace. 😅
Looking at the considerable height of that cliff on Capri, I can’t imagine anyone still being alive at the bottom, to be finished off with the oars of Tiberius’ troops.
once again, i am thinking of Rome
"You really think a crown give you power?"
"No. I think armies give you power."
Why would anyone object to the name “Caligula?” He had a friend named “Biggus Dickus.”
he has a wife, you know........
@@OboeCanAm "You know what she's called? Incontinentia. Incontinentia Buttocks...... "
Mary Beard! Excellent Roman historian. Caligula, started with so much promise! Excellent pedigree,his father Germanicus was the best Emperor Rome never had. But Caligula was dealing with some childhood trauma thanx to an aging suspicious Tiberius. So we should remember this when judging him. Some what tragic figure.
12:23-12:36 made me scream laugh because of how she just sort of chuckles about what she just said
Im actually surprised how much I enjoyed this. I was expecting a full dive into how Caligula was a sick monster based on sources well after his death like always and ignoring the fact that there is actual archeological evidence of huge public infrastructure improvements during his time. Genuinely reckon he was the best emperor therefore had to be smeared the most by later senators and this balanced view gave me much to consider that challenges that notion in such a way that you would actually want from a documentary. Fair play Mary.
Well done ! I have to get to Rome one day
Excellent history lesson by someone who knows their stuff...
Mary's brilliant
Mary Beard serves such a delicious Roman course! The details and the eloquence of her narrative are truly inspirational , especially in the manner with which she brings the ancient times to life! 🏛🏛🏛
56:00 Meet the new boss, same as the old boss!
Fabulous
Nero has entered the chat.
Nero was actually pretty good he just tried to make the rich people pay after rome burned down.
Umu!
😂❤
Caligula and Nero get all the smoke but dudes like Caracalla and Septimius Severus did way more damage to the empire. I'm sure it's just down to who was writing about them..?
I bet this is a great video! I would have no idea, because there’s an ad literally every two minutes and I cannot handle that BS.
34:35 * insert Hair Conditioner Advert here *
It seems like she has to touch all the historical plaques-like a bad tourist
I just wish that some of Claudius writings had survived.
Mary Beard what a historian
A gladiator once surrendered to 5 opponent's in the games and he was given the thumb by the people in fear he quickly picked up his trident and killed all 5 opponent's nobody knows the details of how exactly he was able to do this but it's said that when Caligula heard about it he was so disgusted that he ordered the death of the gladiator.
A perfect example of getting out of the frying pan and into the Furnace.
Thank yoou.
Did the assassins really just get more of the same? Wasn't Claudius a preferable improvement for Rome?
You got it quite right. Describe Caligula how you will, what he was not was unusual.
41:57 "without the the military pedigree" - but he had one, the video talks how prominent military leader his father was.
Up there at least.
Bootkins? tehe... poor guy.. Loved this and loved the presenter!
Yes, 2013. This objectivity is not allowed today. A new aera of thought control by language has started, too early in the game to be noted by many. But 2016 will mark this significant blow over in history, or the latest 2020, for future historians, documenting the end of the West.
Great documentary. One thing though. She constantly says Cesar, but in those days it was pronounced as kaisar. So Julius Ceasar, was spoken as iulius kaisar.
I'd say Nero, Commodus, and Elagabus (?), were probably in the same category.
Or the same song at least
I never realized until seeing Mary's fine video that the man himself would be actually dismayed that 2000 years later he is known as Caligula. (meaning to him "little boots") His proper name was apparently "Gaius." But from our modern American point of view, "Caligula" is MUUUCH better! It's a distinctive and powerful name to US, nor does it mean anything to us about little booties. Haha!😊
I’m not sure who’s worse out of him, Nero or Elagabalus
With only four years in power, he is in the running, but I rank Tiberius worse. Tiberius separated himself from Rome, and left someone in power to rule in his name, while he took part in all sorts of depravity. After Tiberius found out his proxy was undermining him, and had him executed, he still lasted longer and did even more horrible acts. He doubled down on it. Caligula started out not that bad, being the anti-Tiberius. But then he flipped. Was there any good that Tiberius did? I might go Tiberius worst, Caligula second, and not sure after that.
Yes, sure. The key difference between the two is that Tiberius was competent. He stabilized the financial situation of the empire, quite successfully resolved emerging crises (for example, the financial crisis in the empire in 33, when the emperor actually played the role of a central bank, or the confrontation with Parthia in the last years of his life, when, as a result of the intrigues of Tiberius, Parthia lost Armenia) and suppressed corruption and the abuses of provincial governors. Compared to him, Caligula was an incompetent young idiot who had little understanding of how to govern the country.
Great documentary, however was a little taken aback with the literally hands on approach. Surely priceless artifacts shouldn't be handled without fear of damaging them ? Gloves may show a little more consideration ?
It's been proven that if you wear gloves you tend to touch things harder and cause more damage.
@@jimmyh6601 Yep agree there, but was thinking of the soft white gloves, to prevent oils and moisture from the skin being transferred
If the serious illness was a fever, early on in his reign, was it brain damage because of that made him worse than the average "mad emperor?"
Every sense I have, and I have these senses about some people in history, says he may well have been an enormous victim of circumstance..
@27:00 and throughout - Good Grief! Who in the world agreed she could touch the artefacts? And why would she? That is museum "no-no" 101.......
His grandfather was Agrippa and although his ancestor was one of the greatest Romans ever lived. He hated the fact that he was his ancestor due to Agrippa’s humble origins and spread false rumours about Augustus and his daughter Julia.
Near the end, the scene with the bust of Claudius, I am reminded of the last lines of the Who song We Won't Get Fooled Again, "Meet the new Boss, same as the old Boss."
Commodus ran him a pretty close second, how Commodus managed to be the son of Marcus Aurelius is one of the great mysteries of the human race.
"Great" fathers often produce inadequate sons....they can't live up to them.
Elagabalus: sure...
Yeah I bet NO ONE called him calligula to his face. Probably just imperator or gaius julius caesar germanicus before Tiberius died. Gaius Augustus Caesar Germanicus after Tiberius died.
great