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Question: How was Caligula's relationship with Tiberius!?
I know it was strained but how was everyday life for Caligula with Tiberius!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


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Caligula is known in history as being a cruel and perverted ruler, which also showed in his younger years!. Tiberius was known as an emperor who liked the carnal desires too and it wouldn't surprise me if Caligula "helped" his great-uncle indulge in all sorts of pleasures, during the time he lived on Capri!.

There were few living successors with any real claim to the imperial purple, and Tiberius settled, as Augustus had done before him, on the least offensive of an undesirable lot!. His choice was Gaius Caesar, still a young boy and known by the nickname the Roman legions had given him when he was a camp mascot, Caligula, or Little Boots!. Caligula, a great-grandson of Augustus through Julia and her daughter, had a claim to the throne as good as any!.

If Caligula's morals and habits were less than attractive, Tiberius did not seem to mind!. "I am nursing a viper in Rome's bosom," Tiberius observed, and named Caligula his adopted son and successor!. Some thought that he had picked Caligula because, compared to him, Tiberius’ rule would look good!.

From a very early age Caligula learned to tread very carefully!. According to both Tacitus and Suetonius, he surpassed his brothers in intelligence, and was an excellent natural actor, realizing the danger when other members of his family could not!. Caligula survived when most of the other potential candidates to the throne were destroyed!.

Suetonius wrote of extreme perversions happening on Capri, as Tiberius was without the people who managed to keep him in line (Augustus, Livia, his brother Drusus and best friend Nerva) so he felt free to indulge in any perversion he desired!. Whether this is true or not is hard to say!. Unpopular Emperors such as Tiberius and Caligula may not have had the whole truth written about them, and gossip is common throughout ancient texts!.

Suetonius also wrote of Caligula's servile nature towards Tiberius, and his indifferent nature towards his dead mother and brothers!. By his own account, Caligula mentioned years later that this servility was a sham in order to stay alive, and on more than one occasion he very nearly killed Tiberius when his anger overwhelmed him!. An observer said of Caligula "Never was there a better servant or a worse master!"

Caligula proved to have a flair for administration and won further favor with the ailing Tiberius by carrying out many of his duties for him!. At night, Caligula would inflict torture on slaves and watch bloody gladiatorial games with glee!. In 33 Tiberius gave Caligula the position of honorary quaestorship, the only form of public service Caligula would hold until his reign!.

Hope this helped you out a bit!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

On account that Tiberius killed Caligula's brothers, one whom died of starvation while crazily trying to eat his matress! I would say it was a lot worst than strained, perhaps he learned to lay low and "pretend" condiality in front of this man in order to survive!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Must have been just peachy!. Tiberius was a murderer and Caligula was a power crazed pervert!.Www@QuestionHome@Com