©Trustees of the British Museum: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license. Mythbusting Ancient Rome - Caligula’s Horse 4 May 2017 An equestrian statue of a Julio-Claudian prince, originally identified as Caligula. Did Caligula really make his horse a consul? He was the son of a celebrated Roman general and his wife. Info. The Horse That Became a Roman Emperor Caligula – From the Best to a Beast. The way that the imperial system functioned meant that Rome did not actually need a hands-on ruler. Under the empire, the position still existed, though it was primarily an honorific office, which emperors used to reward loyal senators. We think of Augustus as the “first emperor” but he positioned himself as a leading Republican politician, not a monarch. Historians such as Anthony A. Barrett suggest that later Roman chroniclers such as Suetonius and Dio Cassius were influenced by the political situation of their own times, when it may have been useful to the current emperors to discredit the earlier Julio-Claudian emperors. Why would Caligula say this? On the subject of Caligula’s horse, the ancient sources are unambiguous in their testimony: he was not made a consul. Caligula probably never made his horse a consul, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t treat the animal like a human being. Shushma Malik ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche. Caligula was a far cry from his imperial predecessors Augustus and Tiberius. https://historycooperative.org/caligula-romes-insane-emperor Mythbusting Ancient Rome – Caligula’s Horse, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Incitatus&oldid=1020399050, Articles needing additional references from January 2013, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Aujourd'hui, le groupe est composé du chanteur Jim Grey, du guitariste soliste Sam Vallen, du guitariste Adrian Goleby, du bassiste et choriste Dale Prinsse, et du batteur Josh Griffin. According to multiple Roman sources, Caligula treated his favorite force, Incitatus, better than most people. Caligula’s horse also appears in more serious contexts, such as a British response to the American Declaration of Independence of 1776, entitled the “Rights of Great Britain Asserted against the Claims of America”. One of the cleverer examples of this is a piece from the London Magazine and Monthly Chronologer, printed on 6 February 1742. Caligula's Horse biography Founded in Brisbane, Australia in 2011 Taking their name from the mad Roman emperor and his beloved steed Incitatus, CALIGULA'S HORSE is an Australian progressive rock/metal band intent on bridging the gap between dynamic, meaningful songwriting and instrumental prowess. While the ancient evidence mentions a plan for making Incitatus consul, the repeated retelling of the story over centuries (in particular, as a snide way to suggest that a politician might be out of his or her depth) means we often forget that Caligula’s horse never actually sat in the senate at all. #1 The Roman emperors Channelling the raw honesty of rock and the skill of progressive metal into a seamless voice at once energetic, grand and forthright, CALIGULA’S HORSE offers devotees of all strains of powerful and progressive music something unique. Macquarie University et University of Queensland fournissent des financements en tant que membres adhérents de The Conversation AU. 2 volumes Gravure sur Face D. Réédition jusque-là introuvable en Europe des 1er et 2ème albums de la valeur montante du Prog Rock. Incitatus has for centuries been an allegorical figure when referencing examples of political ineptitude, going back at least to 1742. Caligula loved his horse, Incitatus. ©Trustees of the British Museum: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license. Just four years into his reign, at the age of just 29, Rome’s third emperor was hacked to pieces on his way out the theatre. 10 He Invited His Horse To Drink Wine At His Dinner Table. Caligula was born Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus in 12 AD. Des refrains accrocheurs et des riffs dévastateurs, à la fois calmes et violents pour ce … According to legend, Caligula planned to make the horse a consul. Caligula also expanded Rome into northwest Africa. Caligula’s horrible histories of his cruelty, combined with the appointment of his horse as consul, turned him into an endless source of hearsay. When we think of the emperor Caligula, it is John Hurt’s wonderfully maniacal performance in the BBC TV series I, Claudius that usually comes to mind. His horse had a marble stall and an ivory manger and Caligula was even going to appoint his horse to a government position. Named for the prized possession of Rome’s infamous despot, CALIGULA’S HORSE is a progressive alternative rock band from Brisbane, Australia. Perhaps the greatest testament to Incitatus’ immortality, however, is the fact that he has his own Wikipedia page. Gaius Caesar Germanicus, also known as Caligula, was only 24 years old when he was appointed Roman emperor in 37 A.D. and his rein was well received. The office of consul was the highest magistracy in the Roman Republic. We can easily imagine Caligula and his drinking buddies lampooning the stuck-up consuls as “asses”, and the emperor declaring that Incitatus would soon be joining their ranks! On the subject of Caligula’s horse, the ancient sources are unambiguous in their testimony: he was not made a consul. Caillan Davenport receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Early Life . Maybe rather than a sign of madness, this was a boastful display over having proved … His mane friend. Incitatus was Caligula’s prize racehorse, and he got special treatment for it. Many bizarre things happened in ancient Rome, and one of them is the appointment of a horse as a senator. At the climax of this passage, Suetonius writes: …it is also reported that he designated [Incitatus] to the consulship. [4], Barrett noted, "Many stories were spread about Incitatus, originating most likely from Caligula's own humorous quips. The internet is awash with articles and blogs chewing over whether it is really true. The youth of Rome loved their horse-racing. This has usually been overlooked, perhaps because Dio mentions it in a different section and does not explicitly name Incitatus. These parts were recorded for Rise Radiant over a year ago now, and it was such a … Droits d'auteur © 2010–2021, The Conversation France (assoc. However, it's a little more complicated than it sounds: he may have done this in order to mock the Senate ("My horse could do as good a job as any of you clowns! Caligula, the Infamous Roman Emperor Who Made His Horse a Senator Natasha sheldon - October 23, 2018 In 37 AD, the people of Rome rejoiced when they finally gained a new emperor. The accuracy of the received history is generally questioned. He was the emperor, so bigger and better was the name of the game. Written by Shushma Malik, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Queensland; When we think of the emperor Caligula, it is John Hurt’s wonderfully maniacal performance in the BBC TV series I, Claudius that usually comes to mind. Cassius Dio states that Caligula made a horse – assumed to be Incitatus – a priest of the emperor’s cult. He was keen to experiment with the opportunities his position allowed him, adopting ceremonies and dress that were more in keeping with eastern kings. Le premier succès commercial du groupe fut en 2015 avec la sortie de leur album Bloom, qui atteint la 16 place des charts d'albums australiens. Here the story of Incitatus becomes a parable of what happens when a state abandons its founding principles at the behest of sycophants. 1901), L’expertise universitaire, l’exigence journalistique. The empire had gone peacefully about its business. Caligula’s three sisters: Drusilla, Agrippina, and Livia. "[5] "Possibly out of perverted sense of humor Caligula would pour libations to Incitatus' salus [health and well-being], and claimed that he intended to co-opt him as his priest. Mike Duncan - Caligula's Rise - YouTube. "[5], Ancient sources are clear that the horse was never made a consul. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Supposedly, Thrasyllus predicted that Caligula had “no more chance of becoming emperor than of riding a horse across the Gulf of Baiae.” This may shed some light on Caligula’s reasoning for having the floating bridge constructed for his seemingly pointless activity of riding his horse across it in triumph. The attention Caligula lavished on Incitatus went above and beyond that shown to prize steeds by other young aristocrats. Though known for his harsh treatment of others, the infamous Roman emperor Caligula lavished attention upon his horse Incitatus, giving the animal his own house with a … He adored his four-legged confidant so much that he built Incitatus his own house, which extravagantly included a marble stall and ivory manger. Share. But there is a final twist in this horse’s tale. [6], Learn how and when to remove this template message. Advertisement. And as if that wasn’t enough, it was said that Caligula planned on making the horse a consul. A joke by Caligula the comedian has been interpreted as historical fact. The prejudices and fears of the rabble were the steps by which ambitious men ascended to a power, which they converted into tyranny over their foolish Constituents…the grandsons of voters who placed Marius, Cinna, and Caesar at the head of the State, were employed by Caligula in raising his horse to the Consulship. “Incitatus” means “fast-moving”. His name was scrubbed from monuments. Watch later. The emperor pampered him during his reign. Caligula's Horse (Interprète) (Vinyle album). The horse has even made it into the Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: its definition for the name “Incitatus” reads “the name of Caligula’s horse, made a consul by the emperor”. Suffice to say Caligula didn’t last long. This page was last edited on 28 April 2021, at 21:21. Shopping. As a result, we have been accustomed to interpreting this story as one about the abuse of political, rather than religious, power. However, the accounts of his insanity are far more remembered, and one of the most well-known aspects of this is the story of his horse, Incitatus. The story that Caligula made his favourite horse, Incitatus, a consul has long tickled our imaginations. And he would most certainly have done this, if he had lived longer. The people wanted no more reminders of their mad tyrant. Even though Caligula’s horse never actually got to sit in the ivory chair in the Roman senate (his ivory stable had to suffice), we still like to imagine a time when a politician literally was an ass. The real blow, however, is dealt at the end of the piece: Whoever considers these Things with an unprejudiced Judgement, will upon an impartial Comparison with another whom I have in my Eye, be obliged to own, that the Horse was not only the honestest, but by far the wisest Minister of the two. He may not have had a great love for his people, but Caligula was very fond of his … Caligula, on the other hand, was a boisterous young man in his mid-twenties. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. The dour, Emperor Tiberius was dead, and it was good riddance as far as the populace was concerned. Hurt dances in a gold bikini, sports a beard soaked with the blood of his progeny, and parades … Incitatus, whose name means “swift” in Latin, was Caligula’s favorite horse. Caligula, the Infamous Roman Emperor Who Made His Horse a Senator. According to the historian Suetonius, Incitatus lived in a stable made of … The story of Caligula and Incitatus proved so irresistible as a paradigm of political abuse that it didn’t seem to matter that the horse never donned the consular toga. In short, Caligula wanted to be – and be seen to be – a monarch. P98723940. At the very start of his reign, Caligula led a … Their unique tapestry of progressive metal laced with raw rock power is at once fluid, monumental, and striking, offering a wide audience a broad palate of unforgettable moments and timeless music. Caligula's Horse est un groupe de metal progressif australien originaire de Brisbane, dans le Queensland. Suggestion are that the treatment of Incitatus by Caligula was an elaborate prank intended to ridicule and provoke the senate, rather than a sign of insanity, or was perhaps a form of satire with the implication that a horse could perform a senator's duties. Another ancient source, the historian Cassius Dio, gives a slightly different version: …and he even promised to designate [Incitatus] consul. Voir les partenaires de The Conversation France. Two thousand years ago one of history's most notorious individuals was born. His First Few Months As Emperor Went Reasonably Well. Suetonius also wrote that the horse had a stable of marble, with an ivory manger, purple blankets, and a collar of precious stones. According to Suetonius, in the Lives of the Twelve Caesars (121 AD), Caligula planned to make Incitatus a consul,[1] and the horse would "invite" dignitaries to dine with him in a house outfitted with servants there to entertain such events. He is the very model of a mad Roman emperor. Before Claudius had established himself on the throne, Caligula was gone, almost wiped from Roman history. In particular, commentators through the centuries have had a great deal of fun in comparing contemporary politicians to the emperor’s favourite horse. Named for the prized possession of Rome’s infamous despot, CALIGULA’S HORSE is a progressive alternative rock band from Brisbane, Australia. Caligula, ruler of Rome, had been out of action for weeks – and nothing had happened. Also, the lurid nature of the story added spice to their narratives and won them additional readers. Caligula did hold parties for his friends in the horse’s grand stables, where Incitatus himself was the “host”. Channelling the raw honesty of rock and the skill of progressive metal into a seamless voice at once energetic, grand and forthright, CALIGULA’S HORSE offers devotees of all strains of powerful and progressive music something unique. One of the most popular theories is that the emperor was criticising the consuls: they were such “asses” that he might as well include his horse in this elite group. Copy link. Hurt dances in a gold bikini, sports a beard soaked with the blood of his progeny, and parades his favourite horse, clad in the toga of a consul, in front of shocked onlookers. Caligula’s horse also appears in more serious contexts, such as a British response to the American Declaration of Independence of 1776, entitled the “Rights of Great Britain Asserted against the Claims of America”. The historian David Woods has ingeniously suggested that the name was intended to be an insult directed towards one particular consul, Asinius Celer, whose name means “swift ass”. The story therefore probably owes its origin to an off-hand remark made by Caligula that he would make Incitatus a consul (though he never followed through with it). Cassius Dio (155-235 AD) indicated that the horse was attended by servants and was fed oats mixed with gold flake[2] and that Caligula made the horse a priest.[3]. One, likely fictitious, telling has it that the army even tracked down and killed Caligula’s horse. In a column entitled Common Sense, the subject for discussion is “Caligula’s Prime Minister”. And, while he was suspicious of other people, he placed unwavering trust in his equine friend. The provinces had been governed as usual, the senate met and passed decrees and the praetorian prefects administered justice. The name of the horse is particularly relevant here. Mythbusting Ancient Rome - Caligula's Horse . Caligula’s Best Friend was a Horse This actually sounds pretty endearing, until you consider that Caligula loved his horse as much as he hated other people (more on that later). But all the bling was really for Caligula and his mates, so they could live it up in style – it was not for the horse. Le groupe est fondé par Sam Vallen et Jim Grey au début de 2011. Picture Credit: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Wikimedia Commons. 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