Stephen Dando-Collins - Caligula: The Mad Emperor of Rome

Was Caligula really mad, bad and dangerous to know? Discover whether he deserves his infamyor notin this engrossing character study of the famous emperor.

MARGARET GEORGE, New York Times bestselling author of The Confessions of the Young Nero and The Splendor Before the Dark

Caligula, The Mad Emperor of Rome is a compelling page-turner. It reads like a political thriller. Which it is. It reads like a work of investigative journalism. Which it is. It reads like a myth-busting period history. Which it is. The author, clearly familiar with the primary sources, dispels many old libels masquerading for centuries as fake news. Meanwhile he provides us with an abundance of documented stories so lurid as to dwarf the overhyped misdemeanors of today. Long ago I was tipped off to an open secret. Colleen McCulloughs pulp masterpieces in Masters of Rome were so accurate as to be held in awe as a kind of quasi-history by the Secret Fraternity of Latin Teachers. If you enjoy historical fiction you will love this historical fact of Caligula (the book, not the emperor!) Caligula may herald the perfection of a new literary genre: forensic history. It takes narrative history to a virtuosic level with a timeless story extremely well told.

RALPH BENKO, US columnist

A marvelous book. Stephen Dando-Collins offers a fresh scholarly perspective on the notorious emperor that succeeds admirably in being of interest to professional scholars of the early Roman Empire and to the general reader. This is a lively, engaging volume that is a true pleasure to read. Anyone interested in ancient Rome will want to acquire and enjoy this great new addition to the bibliography.

DR. LEE FRATANTUONO, Professor of Classics, Ohio Wesleyan University, author of Caligula: An Unexpected General

Since ancient Roman times Caligula has ranked alongside Nero as one of the mad emperors of Rome. In this new biography, Stephen Dando-Collins has used a wide range of ancient sources to construct a far more three-dimensional portrait of this important ruler. By linking his adult actions and behaviors to early childhood experiences, all well attested in the ancient sources, the author is able to evoke the turbulent world of early imperial Rome, and clearly delineate Caligulas important role in its development.

PROFESSOR JOHN R. HALE, University of Louisville, author of Lords of the Sea

onward, we learn details about the man that are shocking but not surprising: multiple murders, self-aggrandizement (he ordered a statue of himself be installed in Jerusalem, outraging Jews), paranoia, profound insecurity, and jealousy. The author also discusses Caligulas travels, his wars (his legions refused to invade Britain), and the lives and deaths of some prominent New Testament figures, including Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas. Dando-Collins argues that Caligula was probably bi-polar, and he does see parallels to Trump. A sturdy account of blood, sexual perversion, beheadings, war, intrigue, betrayal and assassination.

KIRKUS REVIEW

There have been many biographies of Caligula, but none that have such spark and vivacity: this reads more like a thriller than a biography, and the balance of good and bad in the terrified young man who gained too much power is deftly done. If you want to read a fast-flowing well-crafted book, you cant do better than this. And the final chapter making the comparison with Trump us excellent. We can only hope that when Trump is finally deposed there isnt a Claudius hiding behind a curtain, ready to be dragged into power.

MANDA SCOTT, bestselling author of the Boudica and Rome series and A Treachery of Spies, and former president of the Historical Writers Association of the UK

CALIGULA

THE MAD EMPEROR OF ROME

STEPHEN DANDO-COLLINS

TURNER PUBLISHING COMPANY

Turner Publishing Company

Nashville, Tennessee

www.turnerpublishing.com

Copyright 2019 Stephen Dando-Collins

Caligula: The Mad Emperor of Rome

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 750-4744. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to Turner Publishing Company, 4507 Charlotte Avenue, Suite 100, Nashville, Tennessee, (615) 255-2665, fax (615) 255-5081, E-mail: .

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and the author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Cover design: Jeremy Child, The Artifex Forge Limited

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Dando-Collins, Stephen, author.

Title: Caligula : the mad Emperor of Rome / Stephen Dando-Collins.

Other titles: Caligula, the mad Emperor of Rome

Description: Nashvile, TN : Turner Publishing Company, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index. |

Identifiers: LCCN 2018049261 (print) | LCCN 2018049772 (ebook) | ISBN 9781684422876 (ebook) | ISBN 9781684422852 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781684422869 (hardcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Caligula, Emperor of Rome, 12-41. | Emperors--Rome--Biography. | Rome--Kings and rulers--Biography. | Rome--History--Caligula, 37-41. | Political corruption--Rome--History. | Power (Social sciences)--Rome--History.

Classification: LCC DG283 (ebook) | LCC DG283 .D36 2019 (print) | DDC 937/.07092 [B] --dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018049261

Printed in the United States of America

17 18 19 20 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Beware of the snake lurking in the grass.

Virgil, Ecologues

With thanks to
my New York literary agent, Richard Curtis, for his perseverance;
my publisher, Stephanie Beard, for her enthusiasm;
and my empress, Louise, the power behind my throne.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAPS

The Roman World, AD First Century. (From Blood of the Caesars, Wiley, 2008)

Rome, AD 1868. (As above.)

PHOTOGRAPHS

#1. A bust of the young emperor Caligula, made during his reign, beside a lifelike modern colored reconstruction using traces of paint found on the originalclassical statues were painted using life like colors. NY Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. Photo: Ole Haupt.