Caligula ─ The Abuse of Power

The Roman Empire has always exercised a considerable fascination. Among
its numerous colourful personalities, no emperor, with the possible exception of
Nero, has attracted more popular attention than Caligula, who has a reputation,
whether deserved or not, as the quintessential mad and dangerous ruler.

The first edition of this book established itself as the standard study of
Caligula. It remains the only full length and detailed scholarly analysis in English
of this emperor’s reign, and has been translated into a number of languages.
But the study of Classical antiquity is not a static phenomenon, and scholars are
engaged in a persistent quest to upgrade our knowledge and thinking about the
ancient past. In the thirty years since publication of the original Caligula there
have been considerable scholarly advances in what we know about this emperor
specifically, and also about the general period in which he functioned, while newly
discovered inscriptions and major archaeological projects have necessitated a
rethinking of many of our earlier conclusions about early imperial history. This
new edition constitutes a major revision and, in places, a major rewriting, of the
original text. Maintaining the reader-friendly structure and organisation
of its predecessor, it embodies the latest discoveries and the latest thinking,
seeking to make more lucid and comprehensible those aspects of the reign
that are particularly daunting to the non-specialist. Like the original, this revised
Caligula is intended to satisfy the requirements of the scholarly community while
appealing to a broad and general readership.

Anthony A. Barrett is Professor Emeritus of Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies, University of British Columbia, and Gastprofessor, University of Heidelberg.