CALIGULA
With Mary Beard
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 hour
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday 30 March at 9.30am EST/ NZ
This program is an attempt by Mary Beard to sort the evidence and “stories” about the
Emperor Caius. There is much of Beard’s normal style of colloquialisms and academic
analysis, like or lump it, as she attempts to determine what we might actually glean
about the most notorious of all Roman Emperors.
There is a useful discussion throughout of the ancient sources and frequent analysis of
archaeological evidence and inscriptions. The institution of the Principate is also
discussed in the context of the accession and assassination of Caius.
This is a welcome addition to the growing body of scholarship both academic and
popular that is re-examining the representations that we have of the Julio-Claudian
Emperors. Any student of the early Principate needs to be aware of this developing
academic debate. In that respect this program will be a good starting point for a study
of the Julio-Claudians.
Dr Denis Mootz
Previewing required:
images of nudity and sexual activity.
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note the events of 22 January 41 CE.
Why was this an extraordinary moment in Roman History?
Note the image we have of Caligula from the ancient sources. Result?
Note his favourite “saying”.
Note the question asked by Mary Beard.
Note the sources of evidence that Mary Beard intends to use to answer this question.
Act 1.
Note what we know of Caligula’s early life.
Note details of the family that held power in Rome and its Empire.
Who was Caligula’s father? Implications?
Who was Caligula’s mother? Implications?
Note his actual name and its meaning.
Where did his ancestors build their power? Implications?
Note the Roman museum at Xanthem.
What is remarkable about its collection?
Note the terms in which Mary Beard describes the weapons. Implications?
Note details of the caliga kept at the museum.
Note the story of the origin of his nickname. Meaning?
What was Caius’s attitude to this nickname?
Why is the longevity of his nickname a hint about his “History”? Implications?
Note the statue found of Germanicus in the town of Amelia. Implications?
Note the details of the death of Germanicus in 19 CE. Implications? Result?
What evidence implicated the Emperor Tiberius and his mother Livia? Result?
Note Mary Beard’s analysis of the official report of this death. Implications?
Act 2.
Why was there a feud between Agrippina and Tiberius? Result?
When did Tiberius summon Caius to Capri?
Why did Tiberius rule by ‘proxy’ from Capri?
Note Mary Beard’s analysis of the evidence of Caius’s presence on Capri?
Note the stories from the ancient sources of Tiberius’s excesses. Implications?
Note the reference to brutality aimed against his family. Implications?
Note the treatment of Caius’s mother Agrippina. Implications? Result?
Note the fate of his brothers. Implications?
Note Mary Beard’s analysis of the marble skull from Capri. Implications?
How do we know that Caius learned not to show any emotion? Implications?
Why was succession such a problem for the “family business”? Result?
Note the discussion of this problem. Result? Implications?
What is one of the “first” things that Caius does on his ascension to the throne? Implications?
How did Tiberius die?
Act 3.
Note the events of 18 March 37 CE. Result?
Why did Caius appear to be the best choice? Implications?
How did Caius display and exploit his family connections?
Note Mary Beard’s analysis of the gravestone of Agrippina. Implications?
Note the coinage issued by Caius.
Why was he considered as spectacularly “generous”?
Note the use of coins as propaganda.
What themes did Caius “hammer” home? Implications?
Note the use of cameos and portrait busts.
Note the demonstration of how a statue could be altered. Implications?
Note details of Caius’s building program.
Where did Caius live in Rome? Result?
Note the other properties that Caius owned in Rome.
Note the discussion of the meeting between Caius and Philo. Implications?
What was the point of displays of Imperial luxury? Result?
Note the 1870s discovery from Caius’s gardens. Implications?
Note the analysis of the painting from the garden room from the Prima Porta Villa.
Note the discussion of reality and “fake” in the Roman world. Implications?
What does the expression “choreography of threat” suggest about Imperial life?
Why was the palace a “security nightmare”? Result? Implications?
Note who Mary Beard suggests that the Emperor trusted most?
Note the various freedmen employed in the palace.
Why did they become so powerful?
Note the story of Caius’s freedman Protogenes. Implications?
What suggests that Caius was “paranoid” about his own “security”?
What had Caius learned from the reign of Tiberius? Result?
Note the discussion of the “opposition” to the Imperial family.
Note the plot in the name of Aemilius Lepidus. Result? Implications?
Act 4.
How has the Lepidus plot been reported by various historians? Implications?
Note Mary Beard’s comments on this version of his “History”. Implications?
Note the story of Incitatus. Implications? Result?
Note the story of the palace brothel and other sexual perversions. Implications? Result?
Note Mary Beard’s discussion of this tradition among the Roman historians. Implications?
Note the discussion of the story of incest. Implications?
What do the contemporary sources say?
Why was the influence of powerful women in the imperial family a threat to others?
What did Caius’s imperial pedigree lack?
Act 5.
What does Mary Beard suggest that Caius was pursuing his deification while alive?
How did Caius transform the Forum Romanum?
Note the various “stories” told about Caius’s transformations.
Note the archaeological discoveries of Henry Hurst. Result? Implications?
Why is this now a “difficulty”? Implications?
Note details of Lake Nemi.
Why is it the place where all come together? Implications?
Note details of the floating “villas” found at Nemi. Implications?
Note the fate of the boats.
What remains of these pleasure boats? Implications?
Note Mary Beard’s ideas about the purpose of these boats?
Note details of the sanctuary of Diana at Nemi.
Note details of the priest in-charge of the sanctuary and the associated ritual. Implications?
Note Mary Beard’s discussion of “capricious sadism” and parallels with Caius.
Why do we know so much about the assassination? Result?
Note the description of Caius’s death.
What was the origin of this plot? Result?
Why was Caius so popular with the people of Rome? Result?
Why did the Praetorian Guard elevate Claudius to the throne? Implications/
How was the new Claudian regime justified? Result?
Note Mary Beard’s analysis of the bust of Claudius. Implications?
Why has Caius been “lost”? Implications? Result?
Note Mary Beard’s final remarks about power, excess and autocracy.
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Principate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principate
http://www.unrv.com/early-empire/principate.php
http://www.romae-vitam.com/roman-principate.html
Augustus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/augustus.shtml
http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html
Tiberius: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/tiberius.shtml
Germanicus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanicus
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/231118/Germanicus-Julius-Caesar
Agrippina: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Elder
http://www.luc.edu/roman-emperors/aggiei.htm
Caius: http://ancientrome.wikia.com/wiki/Caligula
http://www.biography.com/people/caligula-9235253
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/caligula.shtml
http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/caligula.html
http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-things-you-may-not-know-about-caligula
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/caligula.html
http://www.luc.edu/roman-emperors/gaius.htm
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Caligula*.html
http://caligula.okdek.com
http://www.livius.org/concept/damnatio-memoriae/
http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/uc_caligula.htm
Drusilla, Agrippina, Livilla and Lepidus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Drusilla
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Livilla
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Aemilius_Lepidus_(executed_39)
Claudius: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudius
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/claudius.shtml
Villa Jovis (Capri): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Jovis
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/italy/10207193/Caligulas-ancient-hideaways.html
Praetorian Guard: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praetorian_Guard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassius_Chaerea
Prima Porta Villa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_Porta
http://en.tesorintornoroma.it/Itinerari/La-Via-Flaminia/Roma-Villa-di-Livia-a-Prima-Porta-ad-GallinasAlbas
Imperial freedmen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_ancient_Rome
https://www.examtime.com/en/p/989865-imperial-freedmen-in-government-and-administrationmind_maps
Nemi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nemi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemi_ships
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caligula%27s_Giant_Ship
Roman Museum Xanten: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanten
http://www.dw.de/new-german-museum-offers-sensual-take-on-roman-era/a-3527876
Suetonius: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suetonius
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/home.html
Tacitus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacitus
http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/annals.1.i.html
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.
2. Note details of the Julio-Claudian Principate.
3. Note details of the reign of Tiberius.
4. Note details of the background and early life of Caius.
5. Note details of the accession of Caius.
6. Note details of the relationship between Caius and the Senate.
7. Note details of the relationship between Caius and the Praetorian Guard
8. Note details of the relationship between Caius and the Army.
9. Note details of the “madness” of Caius.
10. Note details of the representations we have of Caius.
11. Note details of the death of Caius.
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1. What actions or policies suggest that Caius was “mad”?
2. Is an extravagant life-style an indication of mental problems?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. What evidence suggests that Caius murdered Tiberius?
2. What does “damnatio memoriae” imply? Result in this case?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on Caius’s extravagance.
2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that
Caius has been treated badly by historians.
3. What were the achievements of the principate of Caius?