Arvee and welcome to Empress of Rome, a podcast series looking at the rulers of the ancient Roman Empire.

I'm your host Matt Smith and with me as always is Dr.

Rianna Evans, a lecturer in ancient Mediterranean studies at Lutrobe University.

This is episode X I I. I. I. The rule of Caligula.

With the death of the mostly absent ruler Tiberius,

Rome embraces the new emperor Caligula.

Tiberius's grandson and the son of their beloved hero Germanicus.

And for somebody who is only in power for four years,

Caligula has had a lasting impact on history,

but not in the way that he may have liked. He's Rianna Evans.

Calicula came from a very elite background. In fact, even though other people might be more famous in terms of their lineage or prestige,

you know Augustus is emperor for a long time.

Caligula as we'll see only ends up being emperor for four years.

Caligula has the best family tree of any of the emperors in some ways.

He is related back directly to Augustus and he's related back directly to Livia. So like Tiberius he's a

Giulio Claudian in other words he has family on the Julian side the

Augustine side and he has family on Livia's side, but he has it in a very direct way.

He is the son of Germanicus, Livia's grandson, and Germanicus his wife is Agrippina who is Augustus's granddaughter.

What is the significance of his name because his name isn't colligula?

Caligula is a nickname.

The Romans like to give children nicknames,

partly because they had very boring first names

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