Source edition
Suetonius. De Vita Caesarum Libri VIII. Ihm, Max, editor; Leipzig: Teubner, 1908.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This biography details the life and extreme transformation of Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, famously known as Caligula, the third emperor of the Roman Empire. The narrative begins with the untimely death of his highly virtuous father, Germanicus, and the profound grief of the Roman people. Raised among soldiers, Caligula ascended to the throne amid public enthusiasm, initially winning popularity through generous and reformative policies. However, he soon underwent a monstrous change, deifying himself and unleashing a reign of terror marked by the murder of his relatives, cruel persecutions, and severe financial ruin caused by his bizarre projects. His erratic behavior culminated in absurd military campaigns and paranoid plots against the Senate, leading to a conspiracy against his life. The work concludes with the dramatic details of his assassination, the ominous omens preceding it, and the Senate's subsequent attempt to restore freedom to Rome.