Doug Stanhope

It's when he does that whole thing with the shells on the shore of the channel, which we talked about in our series on Roman Britain, and which I frankly said then, and repeat, I've no idea what's going on with that. I mean, there are so many theories. We don't know. It's an example of, I think, of just how garbled lots of the stories that are told about Caligula becomes.

It's when he does that whole thing with the shells on the shore of the channel, which we talked about in our series on Roman Britain, and which I frankly said then, and repeat, I've no idea what's going on with that. I mean, there are so many theories. We don't know. It's an example of, I think, of just how garbled lots of the stories that are told about Caligula becomes.

But anyway, he then comes back from Germany in Gaul. And while he's in Gaul, he's met by various emissaries from the Senate. And Caligula tells them, I no longer acknowledge your authority. I despise you. I do not recognize that you have authority. any kind of role to play in the running of the empire.

But anyway, he then comes back from Germany in Gaul. And while he's in Gaul, he's met by various emissaries from the Senate. And Caligula tells them, I no longer acknowledge your authority. I despise you. I do not recognize that you have authority. any kind of role to play in the running of the empire.

But anyway, he then comes back from Germany in Gaul. And while he's in Gaul, he's met by various emissaries from the Senate. And Caligula tells them, I no longer acknowledge your authority. I despise you. I do not recognize that you have authority. any kind of role to play in the running of the empire.

And it's on his return to Rome, it seems that the horrors and the outrages that Suetonius lists, which we just went through, that they seem to have been perpetrated. And it's a reign of terror that works because the Senate is effectively left completely broken. You know, they feel powerless before him. They grovel before him and just, you know, like,

And it's on his return to Rome, it seems that the horrors and the outrages that Suetonius lists, which we just went through, that they seem to have been perpetrated. And it's a reign of terror that works because the Senate is effectively left completely broken. You know, they feel powerless before him. They grovel before him and just, you know, like,

And it's on his return to Rome, it seems that the horrors and the outrages that Suetonius lists, which we just went through, that they seem to have been perpetrated. And it's a reign of terror that works because the Senate is effectively left completely broken. You know, they feel powerless before him. They grovel before him and just, you know, like,

And I think that that's why he has the fame that he does. So in recent times, he's become almost a kind of existential hero.

And I think that that's why he has the fame that he does. So in recent times, he's become almost a kind of existential hero.

And I think that that's why he has the fame that he does. So in recent times, he's become almost a kind of existential hero.

So this notion that politics is purely about power and Caligula is perhaps the emperor who most brutally demonstrates that, most brutally recognizes it. But having said that, he does make one terrible mistake. So you ask, well, what's the basis of his power? The basis of his power is his popularity with the Praetorians.

So this notion that politics is purely about power and Caligula is perhaps the emperor who most brutally demonstrates that, most brutally recognizes it. But having said that, he does make one terrible mistake. So you ask, well, what's the basis of his power? The basis of his power is his popularity with the Praetorians.

So this notion that politics is purely about power and Caligula is perhaps the emperor who most brutally demonstrates that, most brutally recognizes it. But having said that, he does make one terrible mistake. So you ask, well, what's the basis of his power? The basis of his power is his popularity with the Praetorians.

And so it is foolish of him then that he can't... Caligula does seem to have loved a joke. And he can't resist making a joke even about Praetorians. And there is one Praetorian in particular, a guy called Cassius Kyria, who's actually rather like me. He's massive, you know, huge gym toned body, enormous rippling muscles. but has perhaps a slightly effeminate voice, a slightly soft voice.

And so it is foolish of him then that he can't... Caligula does seem to have loved a joke. And he can't resist making a joke even about Praetorians. And there is one Praetorian in particular, a guy called Cassius Kyria, who's actually rather like me. He's massive, you know, huge gym toned body, enormous rippling muscles. but has perhaps a slightly effeminate voice, a slightly soft voice.

And so it is foolish of him then that he can't... Caligula does seem to have loved a joke. And he can't resist making a joke even about Praetorians. And there is one Praetorian in particular, a guy called Cassius Kyria, who's actually rather like me. He's massive, you know, huge gym toned body, enormous rippling muscles. but has perhaps a slightly effeminate voice, a slightly soft voice.

And so Caligula finds the combination of, you know, the muscle man and the kind of the slightly female sounding voice very amusing. Yes. And so Suetonius writes, Caligula would make priapus or Venus the watchword. And sometimes when the tribune had reason to thank him for something, Caligula would hold out his hand to be kissed, then make an obscene gesture with his fingers.

And so Caligula finds the combination of, you know, the muscle man and the kind of the slightly female sounding voice very amusing. Yes. And so Suetonius writes, Caligula would make priapus or Venus the watchword. And sometimes when the tribune had reason to thank him for something, Caligula would hold out his hand to be kissed, then make an obscene gesture with his fingers.

And so Caligula finds the combination of, you know, the muscle man and the kind of the slightly female sounding voice very amusing. Yes. And so Suetonius writes, Caligula would make priapus or Venus the watchword. And sometimes when the tribune had reason to thank him for something, Caligula would hold out his hand to be kissed, then make an obscene gesture with his fingers.