Caligula. The Visual Representation of a Roman Emperor

Abstract

Imperial-era, Senate-influenced historiography passed a verdict of insanity on the third Roman princeps, Caligula. Researchers into ancient history have understood this judge- ment as the consequence of the young Emperor’s contempt for the rules of a communication system in which the Emperor, the Senate and the people were all implicated: Caligula had sought to define his role as absolute ruler. Visual depictions of Caligula were very much part of this communication system. Systematic analysis of the representations of the ruler in various media, taking the media contexts into account, can reveal how continuity of tradition with Augustus and Tiberius was projected on the one hand while on the other – particularly in the private, military and courtly sphere – new, accentuating forms of depiction were employed for Caligula which allow his redefined role of the ruler to be integrated into the framework of contemporary requirements.