[[Image:Caligula.jpg|thumb|Bust of Caligula]]
'''Caligula''' ([[Latin]]: ''Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus'', AD 12 – AD 41) was the fifth [[Rome|third Roman]] emperor, reigning from AD 37-41. Generally known as Caligula (''little boots''), he was one of the most hated emperors, and was killed by his own guards. Though [[history|historical]] accounts depict him as a [[brutal]] monster, engaging in horrendous and despicable behavior, the historical accounts originate from [[senator]]s who despised the empirical systemhim.
It is possible to detect a certain cynical sense of humor in Caligula's acts of madness and tyranny. For example, it is said that he raised his favorite horse [[Incitatus]] to the office of [[consul]], the highest political office in Rome. This act could have been simply madness, but could also have simply been a way of putting the senate in its place.
[[Category:Roman Emperors]]