Why was Caligula so controversial? | Tony Robinson's Romans: Caligula | Timeline

Tony Robinson's Romans series continues as he examines the life of Caligula.
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[@jahminabefree5751]

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[@jahminabefree5751]

I have attached my resume

[@jahminabefree5751]

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[@jahminabefree5751]

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[@jahminabefree5751]

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[@alexander33221]

Tony Robinson is just a delight to watch

[@ingridakerblom7577]

Imagine being his grandchild, listening to all his stories..

[@Infinitelyinfinite888]

He's a delight because he leaves all of the horrific details out and romanticizes his history. All of European history is romanticized and fabricated.

[@ingridakerblom7577]

@@Infinitelyinfinite888 it has nothing to do with what he says & dosen't say.. It has to do with him, his personality etc

[@badgoat666]

National treasure.

[@NapoleonSolo61]

@@ingridakerblom7577 I've met him, a really nice guy

[@ladysavage84]

You can not find a better combination then Tony, history and storytelling...love watching it while doing anything

[@slappy8941]

Then and than are different words with different meanings, and you've got them backwards.

[@lutschlatsch]

@@slappy8941 thank you for keeping orthography alive. Besides that, just to let you know and at this point I do not even bother about commas, which I never do, because I can't even set them correctly in my mother's tongue, in German for example "than" can mostly be replaced with "denn" and "then" with "dann". Just have a little faith and we'll be just fine :)

[@Baresi-Unico-Capitano]

THAN* Tony, pleb. THAN

[@Quebecoisegal]

@@slappy8941 How petty minded you are.

[@PhoenixProdLLC]

Yes you can. I'll grant he's a good speaker, but the script SUCKS and was not well researched given the pov and point of their approach to Gaius "Caligula".

[@suzannejones5992]

I have always believed that history is such a good teacher and should be taught like this.

[@internetpolification]

John Hurt’s portrayal of Caligula in the 1970’s BBC series “I Claudius” is absolutely amazing! He received a standing ovation from all the actors and production staff after his speech of “vanquishing Neptune”. And the dance scene Tony Robinson refers to is truly hilarious and yet menacing.

[@jaynesegman7847]

I saw it decades ago when it first came out. Still remember the actor portraying Claudius!

[@MarkSchmidt-w6s]

thanks for this tip I'll check it out. I recall this but never watched it.

[@dll_Rhemuth948]

Just finished rewatching “I, Claudius.” All the actors were magnificent in that production, but John Hurt was amazing!

[@thadtuiol1717]

In "I, Claudius", the moment when John Hurt appears on stage as Caligula prancing about in drag and the look on the senators' faces who don't know whether to laugh, clap, or do nothing is one of the funniest moments in TV history. If you're into all things Roman, you have got to watch that series.

[@foxycinnamon7307]

YESSS!!!

[@hddun]

@_ Nemo Loved Life of Brian...and Story of Life. "what you want to do? lets go to a stoning!" "aw nah, we went to a stoning yesterday"

[@gloriamontgomery6900]

I loved John Hurt in that role!

[@alma1715]

When John Hurt did the scene where he speaks to the senators after his triumph over Neptune, the cast and crew on the stage at the moment gave him a standing ovation

[@mackabeats]

I just watched the series again and it still holds up as one of the best Dramas of Roman history I've ever seen.

[@DarkSolace33]

The Classical Era is one of the most interesting periods of history, in my opinion.

[@philsurtees]

+Δημήτρης Μπαλφ - What are you talking about??? Caligula came in the middle of the Classical Era. It started around 700 BC, and ended around 600 AD, with Caligula being Emperor from 37-41 AD.

[@danim5881]

classical era ended around 476 ad

[@marias7599]

True

[@trueromancat7978]

@@danim5881 However, classical Latin is the Latin that refers to the works written in 100BC/100AC, eventually 200 AC. After Marcus Aurelius and Constantine the Great, it is already Late Antiquity. The times of Claudio -Julian dynasty is, what we generally refer to as Classical era.

[@marinazagrai1623]

Primarch Roboute Guilliman, Lord Master...really? I hav to use your whole title to reply...anyway, absolutely the most fascinating, since most accounts cannot be trusted in their entirety (most accounts are written after death, by someone who gave a tainted opinion of their own not exactly the truth - as the account of Richard III as the deformed murderer of the three princes).

[@gonzalocabrera8977]

british and their documentaries... always solid

[@boffeycn]

Set against the yardstick of the BBC as opposed to the USA where it seems to be Fox. Sadly, many Brits seem to want to destroy the BBC and let Fox take over. Amazing.

[@iamkurgan1126]

@@boffeycn useful idiot

[@bluskies1000]

Is their really any "USA" media left? All US news media is a politically owned, "tabloid news" and used for biased partisan political indoctrination. I don't watch it read it or listen to it, or believe what they say without confirmation from multiple sources. The BBC is also tainted, white washing British history, as all countries do with their individual versions of history..

[@boffeycn]

@@iamkurgan1126 Are you? Thanks for letting us know.

[@boffeycn]

@@bluskies1000 I find it interesting that people on the right wing of politics are always screaming about the BBC being left wing and people on the left wing of politics are always ranting that the BBC is right wing. Which is a fact. Try reading HYS for a few weeks and comments on YT etc. Stop and think about that. The only conclusion one can reasonably conclude is that the BBC must be pretty unbiased. Minor bias one way or the other is virtually inevitable though, albeit irrelevant. As was decided by Parliament after several enquiries.

[@sivanlevi3867]

Tony Robinson's personality and presenting style are priceless!

[@pillestyrer]

Caligula seems like he was just testing boundaries. Like a guy who's bank by accident deposits a million dollars onto his account. "Lets see how far i can take this before somebody notices and says stop"

[@ArtofLunatik]

pillestyrer lol i would be that guy

[@panismith1544]

True..

[@indyrock8148]

But ancient Romans said stop by all taking turns stabbing you then cutting up your wife and smashing out your kids brains. Pretty emphatic stop.

[@daniegirl215]

Yea that why he made horse a member of the council

[@DocOrtmeyer]

This.

[@CAP198462]

Eventually, someone will prove that Tony Robinson is an antidepressant and we’ll get prescriptions to watch his films.

[@Lextacy06]

Me too. I watch his videos to get out of my anxiety. Strangely his voice is like a natural pacifier.

[@currentphonograph1734]

I watch Stephen Fry, found myself surrounded with BBC eVAngelists, breakdown, diagnosis of RCA Bipolar, RCA Risperdal, & coupons of 10% off Stephen Fry audio book

[@allieversaid]

It really helps with the rumination. 😜

[@Konrad_Wallenrod]

Tony has been the best antidepressant since his Blackadder days! His cunningness is the key to all !

[@karenfield3892]

Works for me! :-D

[@druidia9]

Caligula: "The password of the day is big willy." I am certain that Robinson wanted to say "Bigus Dickus" but couldn't bring himself to do it.

[@SkoomaCat]

Lol

[@hddun]

"Circumsius Maximus"

[@shamsam4]

Encuntinentia Buttocks.

[@andrewsmith3257]

I always forget about this movie but damn it was a "cult classic"

[@midwestguy1983]

Tony Robinson's many excellent documentaries makes me fully appreciate his comedic genius in the Blackadder series

[@Isildun9]

In all fairness to Tony's comments on Tiberius, it should be said that he was actually a very skilled and popular general in his day, and, according to the historians of the time, he never even wanted to be Emperor, and had no real interest in ruling the Empire.

[@pyromania1018]

Mike Brammer True, and he'd spent decades living in Augustus's shadow, doing his dirty work and getting little recognition for his achievements. By the time he became emperor, Tiberius was bitter and burnt out, and yet he was still pretty effective at ruling when he mustered the strength to care.

[@LifeInPink999]

@@stevemcmahan8277 Probaly this practice was only tolerated if one was an emperor so he was like ''meh then I shall do it then... But let's move to this island just in case pedophilia becomes illigal even for me''.

[@candichaney2873]

That was his early life. He changed

[@shreyaagarwal7682]

Always love documentaries hosted by Tony Robinsons ❤️

[@simonruszczak5563]

The Roman Empire never existed. Dr Anatoly Fomenko, "History: Fiction or Science?".

[@fieracarmen4713]

😂😂😂😂😂​@@simonruszczak5563

[@kieranorourke766]

Always knew that Baldrick was smarter than Blackadder. Great video. Loved all his vids.

[@SuperMrHiggins]

All just part of his cunning plan. 😉

[@gloriamontgomery6900]

AND he has a “cunning plan”!

[@Shamelesscritique1]

So caligula wasn't insane he was just a massive troll. Emperor of the trolls lol

[@admontblanc]

God-emperor of Trolls

[@supercooled]

Idiot.

[@dylanpilcheruniverse6515]

Could be accurate lol

[@bethbartlett5692]

He was a Narcissist possibly to the Sociopath level. Trolls/Bullies display Narcissist behaviors and 99% are, it's like a "stalled in Adolescence" w/o the age excuse. They never fully develop emotionally. Their behaviors are marked by this reality. They feed from the energies of the response to the baits they make. (Any response is a win for then). *Trolls are "Attention Seeking for Feeding their Egos"*

[@maily8388]

Who could be worser, Caligula or Nero?. Both of them died young. Life expectancy wasn’t long back then (2,000 years ago).

[@allanward8194]

Caligula doesn't sound like he was crazy to me. It sounds like he knew the world was crazy and he called them on it.

[@arthas640]

he reminds me alot of Vlad the Impaler: an eccentric leader who used the image of a crazy person to get his way but was later rewritten as a villain by his political opponents by his enemies after his death.

[@dand4139]

@@arthas640 Vlad was, no doubt far more rotten than Caligula though.

[@danielkarlsson156]

@@dand4139 In what way do you mean that Vlad was "more rotten" than Caligula?

[@NapoleonCalland]

@@danielkarlsson156 I think he means that Emperor Caius abolished the sales tax (the Roman equivalent of VAT, in the words of Tony Robinson) ;) 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

[@rabidrabbitshuggers]

Kind of like Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now.

[@martinconnors5195]

His documentaries are great, very informative and practical. A huge thumbs-up 👍

[@Stephen-wb3wf]

I really love this new series about Romans from Tony whom I've always enjoyed watching talk history.

[@octaviancaesarhibernicus4447]

Stephen there's a brilliant 4 part series on KZbin about the first emperors I'd highly recommend. The first episode is called "Order from Chaos" and is narrated by Sigouney Weaver, its a brilliant four parter starting with Augustus and ending with Nero. The profile picture is a marble frieze, very easy to find.

[@pezza2100]

just found out this series was made in 2003 it’s not actually new but still a good watch regardless

[@houriaalgerie9288]

Why israellians not spread religion ? Did prophetes enjoi not spread religion and deined last day for resurrection and occounting and take rights of people to usury ? Why they disbelive prophet king solomon is he spreading religion in india yemen africa ? What is their reaction from insist of jesus christ and christians for spread religion for all all people ? Roman is a great emprore handrends religions why speshely christians ?

[@lydiaanderson2870]

@Hello Stephen, How are you doing?

[@Stephen-wb3wf]

@@lydiaanderson2870 I'm doing very well and I am a very lucky person, I could complain but I shouldn't. Thanks for asking. How about yourself?

[@brendaswampter2307]

Great way to learn history. Wish I had this tool when I was an undergraduate.

[@evilchilde]

I loved this. It puts it in a humanizing perspective.

[@yaboi5047]

I love how watchibg tony go to capri on holiday is so relaxing

[@goldenglove4663]

Amazing Series....Robinson is amazing!

[@dw1664]

Superb! Thanks Tony & production team.

[@salliem4599]

I don't know why, but I'm obsessed with everything Roman.

[@maniyans7361]

You’re not alone😁

[@chris7brook]

Let's start wearing 2,000 year old Roman fashion!

[@simoneteritti1120]

Because in other life you are roman like me

[@rhaenyslys]

You might have a mental illness

[@salliem4599]

@Steven Salcedo just out of curiosity, do you have good boy syndrome?

[@moshemankoff7488]

Thanks!

[@socrates_the_great6209]

Damn, one more world-class documentary. Crushing all the misinformation from past documentaries.

[@AubreyShelton-rr7yy]

I thought Nero made his horse a part of the Senate and made his army pick up seashells

[@admontblanc]

The video starts by emphasizing how little of the records from his time have survived except the accounts left by political opponents, following with the brutal murder of his family and ending with the even more brutal murder of himself and his wife and daughter. Literally 1 in every 5 comments: "I think there was something wrong with him/I think he was bipolar" The truth is that he is possibly one of the most villified historical characters and we can't really know wether he was really mad or if his murderers simply managed to erase all truth about him.

[@homelesssheltervidlogg74]

@Invasion Of Privacy crazy how true that might be

[@jmitterii2]

In fact, how many murders of these so called emperors by the senate, the actual power as well as often pure evil belongs with the senate. Emperor title was just a cunning scapegoat if the mass of people got irritated. When the senate got irritated they just killed the emperor and found another one. Then the military decided they would just be both the senate and emperor king makers. Civil war after civil war.

[@lilacsunshine3044]

They put up with two emperors before him but did away with him. Somethign was very bad about him.I hate this need to rehabilitate this monsters image,

[@vincegalila7211]

@@lilacsunshine3044 it's the possibility that the Senate outright lied and made up some of Caligula's atrocities because he insulted them personally. By for example putting a Horse in a position normally occupied by a Senator possibly not out of pure insanity but as a calculated insult to the Senate's "powerlessness" in other words Caligula might have "merely" been an overconfident idiot and not a bloodthirsty monster ( I should note that ultimately an overconfident Idiot is not someone that should be emperor, and that his Brother Claudius was a significantly more competent emperor so Caligula's death was a net good either way)

[@simonruszczak5563]

The Roman Empire never existed. Dr Anatoly Fomenko, "History: Fiction or Science?".

[@davedogge2280]

As a kid I remember Tony Robinson's stories of The Odyssey for kids TV in the UK ... they were amazing.

[@leesloan8216]

Weren't the the ones where he was riding a motor cross bike?

[@tylerbrown8306]

i like the Roman civilization, At lest Julius Cesars' Rome, by far my top favorite of all civilizations

[@itsjustnopinionok]

You go back in time and your in a slave ship rowing for the romans. Or in the arena with lions coming at you and romans cheering them on. Or a good roman citizen drawing water from a well in a little town called Pompeii on Nov 24, 79AD. 🤗

[@jedchristian3423]

@@itsjustnopinionok lol during Ceasars time there are no slave rowers on each of their ships since it can delay them during voyage or during war specially when they're ramming enemy ships, instead , they use a trained Roman rowers. Slave rowers only exist during dark ages including during eastern empire reign.

[@hddun]

@@itsjustnopinionok Sounds so exciting, put me in the Transporter Doc! "I gotta go BACK IN TIME"

[@abubakarabdi6664]

I watch this when I'm going to bed

[@VladTheImpalerDracul]

Abu bakar Abdi same bro!

[@ReddyDutch]

Funny how people who will probably never meet IRL develop the same habits, lol. Exactly the same here!

[@martinh1437]

Oh yeah the nightmates of beinf at one of those 3 day parties.

[@coolcat1684]

Extended Movie unless you’re a Roman senator or one his sisters you’re ok

[@peterfawkes350]

These are good for bed times, bottle of bubblgum pop helps too

[@bosozoku1000]

Wow I see Caligula in a different light now. Not mad just bitter, sad and full of anger.

[@fieracarmen4713]

A fost și este nedreptățit acest tânăr împărat,de istoricii falși gen Suetonius și de istoricii de astăzi!

[@andrewt836]

9:23 the paper writes about one of the two goals Gary Neville scored in his long Man Utd career. It was vs. Basel in 2003.

[@livecarsonreaction]

"Caligula was the most insane emperor" Elagabalus: *Hold my wine*

[@EuanWhitehead]

😂 this is true

[@fieracarmen4713]

Habar n-ai ce vorbești!

[@ek7593]

...A wonderful narrator, always deep into the history of his documentaries! He could tell me about Grimm's fairytales and still - I would believe him...

[@shirleylane131]

Did you see his ‘Tales of Black Tulip”? That was the first time I heard Tony tell a story, I’ve been hooked on him ever since .

[@ek7593]

@@shirleylane131 : Thank you very much for the tip. Let's see...:)

[@blue04mx53]

The more I learn about the past the happier I am that I live in this era.

[@nupraptorthementalist3306]

They were more "in life" than we are; more sane, strange as it sounds, less "detached".

[@CultofThings]

One thing we can all agree on about Caligula is that he really loved his family.

[@jansandman6983]

I'm from the Philippines and I really love any documentaries hosted by Pvt. Baldrick

[@creatrixcorvusarts876]

The more I learn about Caligula the more I believe that he suffered from bipolar. His behavior is too similar to those that I know that have it. Maybe I’m seeing patterns that aren’t there....but it would explain so much.

[@72Yonatan]

Well, that would be an interesting diagnosis if we had more balanced information, but the Flavian dynasty which came after the death of Nero was not going to pass down anything which flattered the Claudius family that preceded it, precisely because they did not have any Patrician roots to boast about. It was all going to be bad. In spite of his best efforts here, I do not think that I view this man as anything but ultimately evil, in spite of providing fruits for some of the plebians at the games. His excess behavior towards all senators and patricians shows that he did not have his paranoia under control, and apparently he did not have any trusted advisors who would try to stabilize his excessive behavior. One can pass off as a cruel and demeaning joke the verbal suggestion that he made to the senate about his horse being given a position as counsel or whatever. One cannot defend his torture and murder of so many innocent patricians. His cruel jokes on his military were also over the edge of tolerable behavior from anyone, even an emperor. Republican Rome was the best political expression for Rome and the Italian people lost much when they gained an emperor, no matter how much the public in general loved him.

[@pyromania1018]

I figured it was a combination of too much drinking*, a traumatic childhood, Tiberius's influence, and an illness that permanently left him in cuckoo-for-cocoa-puffs mode. * lead-loaded wine, at that

[@petitequinte]

I think it's very plausible that the kind of traumatic upbringing he had, culminating in his suddenly becoming emperor, could have set him up for a pretty serious psychotic break.

[@age-ben4910]

I don't think most Bipolar people are that evil and mean-spirited as Caligula seems to have been. Caligula was purely sadistic in nature. Perhaps even psychopathic it seems.

[@darrelljohnson1319]

Bipolar is a spiritual disease of Soul not body ike all imaginary mental charletons since 300 BC

[@colinlatimer9501]

Excellent presentation Informative Thank you

[@gjsterp]

Great series. It makes One realize how little has changed for the masses. The obscenely rich and powerful continue to use the masses as canon fodder!

[@oscartravis5740]

My favourite part of Suetonius' Twelve Caesars was on Caligula. So many viciously humorous lines fell from his lips. He certainly brought colour to the role of Caesar lol

[@kafka27]

I came here from "Caligula With Mary Beard " o_0

[@reinadegrillos]

Me too:)

[@edwardjenner5736]

I'm not so sure. You get more of Caligula's biography from Tony and at least the voice and the camera are in sync.

[@iamkurgan1126]

@@Robespierre-lI if youre a feminist or feminist sympathizer

[@freedinner886]

I can't watch Mary beard

[@ek7593]

@@freedinner886: Why:) ?

[@chrisgay9623]

At around 40:00 we see two giant busts that are implied to be Caligula. They are not. They are Constantine. A little earlier, the bronze equestrian statue depicts Hadrian, not Caligula.

[@locknn911]

smh how could he not know that

[@darrelljohnson1319]

no evidence for Constantine another in long line of evil men of Rome

[@casperbetz1949]

Obviously the choice of setting is intended to exemplify what the word "colossal" in "colossal statue" actually means and thereby to point out that Caligula's plan was literally a colossal offense to the Jews, and hence it is entirely beside the point whether the bust shows Caligula or not. Also, there are few surviving Caligula statues and none of that size. Bottom line: This was not only not a "blunder", but on the contrary a careful and deliberate choice, because those people know how to make films like these work, and you don't.

[@sauronsrighthandman301]

I have a cunning plan.

[@geoffreycurrie9582]

so did caligula!

[@CashelOConnolly]

Yawn

[@adrianekelly2966]

Sauron's Right hand man -Cheers to Blackadder and Baldrick!

[@karenfield3892]

I have a cunning stunt!!

[@Spacemonster2024]

Black Adder? 😁

[@DarthWill3]

Evidence, as shown in an episode of Ancients Behaving Badly, suggests that Caligula _did_ have serious designs to conquer Britain. After his assassination, Claudius continued the preparations Caligula had started and was said to have taken all the credit.

[@itsjustnopinionok]

I dont think Caligula drew up plans to take Britain. He only co-signed the plans made by his top generals. He just rolled with the punches. I believe Claudias was more hands on with the conquest.

[@indyrock8148]

The sea shells thing was interesting. If you watch the one about Thespasian it took Claudius ages to get his troops to go across the channel. Collecting the shells was probably a good response to their refusal.

[@hddun]

That is the height of hypocrisy! Taking credit for such a wonderful/sunny/low cost of living, etc. country - Britain. And then making it look like Turdus Maximus responsible for conquering Poland...

[@simonruszczak5563]

The Roman Empire never existed. Dr Anatoly Fomenko, "History: Fiction or Science?".

[@Dorgpoop]

@@simonruszczak5563 you are daft mate

[@carlosrios3215]

Imagine being called Emperor Little Boots for the rest of eternity.

[@kylewetzel1750]

I think "Bull Moose" for the US president Roosevelt is almost just as bad but he ran with it! "Takes more than that to kill a bull moose!" LOL 😆 🤣 😂

[@wildflowerred6323]

Lady Bird Johnson, First Lady of the US from 1963 - 1969, had an equally silly family nickname that stuck. Her name was Claudia, but she was always known as “Lady Bird” because that’s the nickname her nanny gave her. She’s not as important to history, sure, but she’ll always be known to history as Lady Bird.

[@Ahmedab1]

@@kylewetzel1750 the same time as the first time y

[@mauricamcginnis4063]

How appropriate hahahahaha.

[@MrDetroit1701]

Air Nike's didn't exist back then.

[@alanwitton5039]

I just love Tony Robinsons documentary programmes

[@jasonbourne9819]

Seems like a very merciful Emperor considering the power he possessed and the two-faced, pretentious, dangerous people he had to deal with on a daily basis.

[@simonruszczak5563]

The Roman Empire never existed. Dr Anatoly Fomenko, "History: Fiction or Science?".

[@timwatts9371]

@@simonruszczak5563 Yawn!

[@johnpark8989]

Tony robinson documentarys are all absolutely quality...

[@Cybermat47]

“The early Emperors had ruled through their own charisma, but Tiberius...” Bit of an odd thing to say, given that Tiberius was only the second Emperor. Although I suppose you might count Caesar’s position as “dictator for life” as being Emperor, but that still leaves Tiberius as only being the third Emperor.

[@davidfinch7810]

The early emperors would also include some after him.

[@aquarius4953]

No historians count Caesar as Emperor just because he wasn't. The first Emperor was Octave who took the name of Auguste.

[@jedchristian3423]

Nah, Augustus was the first. Ceasar was just a Dictator. If he isn't been assasinated then he would be the first.

[@hddun]

CyberMat--"what would you guess was the life expectancy of a Roman Emperor...maybe 7 to 8 months?"

[@simonruszczak5563]

The Roman Empire never existed. Dr Anatoly Fomenko, "History: Fiction or Science?".

[@kazkk2321]

I always liked Caligula and it's good to know that he was intelligent and well rounded politically. Poor guy.

[@Nekogal21]

Agreed. He definitely was pushed to his limit mentally quite a few times which of course would make anyone lash out and do outrageous things poor guy indeed can't imagine what it would be like to lose your dad as a child and then be cut off from the rest of your family like that

[@hddun]

I'm thinking that in light of the current US Senate a Horse Member might bring some "outside the box thinking to that institution.."

[@dankmazzi2376]

Great partying... plenty of.. well anything you could imagine... Yes.everything....

[@jameskenny8821]

Caligula was actually very progressive for his time. He was an animal rights activist.

[@cheebaman4728]

They had progressive nimrods then too?

[@sincitycapital]

He made parents watch their children's execution. Great activist

[@hddun]

To FUNNY Dude! Think he made all Romans join PETA

[@sincitycapital]

@Mekehl huh

[@karenannskreation2022]

Thanks for the knowledge

[@The_Daily_Tomato]

I always do smile a bit when documentaries show modern day people walking around. The technology, cars, clothes, fashion among other things just don't age well :)

[@milliebanks7209]

I can understand why you have become Sir Tony! You are splinded Sir!

[@creationsxl2979]

I love this series and full of great facts, what I don’t like is when they show statues of other emperors implying they are of Caligula. Like the 2 colossus’s of Constantine and the equestrian Marcus Aurelius.

[@finnjones6912]

On a lighter note when Tony interviews Wallace Hadrill from the British School of Rome....you can tell Wallace has spent a great deal of time in Italy....his hand gestures are very Italian and very charming

[@teshahartke5468]

Or he just talks with his hands. I'm an American and I do that.

[@the1flym459]

I know Caligula was probably evil and crazy and all, but I kinda respect his style

[@arthas640]

I actually kinda respect people who _act_ batshit crazy but arent. i do like some of his petty revenge like electing his horse as senator. The US would probably do better with a few dogs or horses instead of the current lot. Might put the fear of God in them and get them to work harder if they know they can be replaced by a horse.

[@v.sandrone4268]

Make Rome great again?

[@georgejetson3588]

Caligula was never crazy or stupid. He was head and shoulders above his rivals,who killed him and wrote the history.

[@lynnrinaldo6795]

🤔 huh?

[@shabaanj8413]

Tony is the best at explaining history.

[@djbreez6027]

Needs more ads.

[@foxycinnamon7307]

Who hasn't downloaded ad blocker...

[@samuelthomson1004]

Dumbass why would we want more ads? What an idiot. No watches youtube for the ads

[@ElReyMrz1]

Just a tip fast forward to the end then replay. No ads

[@terrywrist9204]

And you need to be punched in the mouth. You are a pillow biter. Imbecile.

[@samuelthomson1004]

mine was also a joke

[@casedistorted]

47:25 that music slaps

[@paulvonhindenburg4727]

The most even handed docu I've seen on this figure.

[@bobh5087]

This was fascinating. Many thanks.

[@stayniftyGuyFaceMannPersonDude]

Anyone else think that Ken Burn's bowl-cut looks ridiculous?

[@hddun]

Definitely. When you get to Ken's age there are two No-No's for men--the Bowl-Cut and stop allowing people to call you "Skipper"

[@gitana8281]

This documentary was a good one. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👌

[@RiichanTV103]

Andrew wallace hadrill is everywhere i love this guy's enthusiam 👍🏻 It's so effective

[@AgustePerry]

Always brilliant content!

[@jacobcox4276]

I’m amazed, with Caligula’s personality, his last words weren’t “worth it” in reference to his jokes and taunting.

[@tessat338]

Tony, you're really fabulous at this!

[@thanksfernuthin]

Time to rewatch "I, Claudius" I feel. Probably not historically accurate but a jaw dropping bit of theater.

[@robertcrothers9417]

"I, Claudius" no special effects needed with a wonderful script and great actors to enjoy

[@thanksfernuthin]

@@robertcrothers9417 I did rewatch it and it did give me chills. Such compelling characters!

[@aliciahentz7700]

Class in session I love it cool can watch this all day

[@camilokarlsson]

So Tony Robinsson is basically the lawyer of all these emeperor? "but was he really crazy?"

[@hddun]

"I ask this Court, what did he know and when did he know it?"

[@Kevin-hb5rk]

Very good documentary 👍

[@audreymuzingo933]

I would so love to see a debate about who was worse: Caligula or Nero. It would be fun if it was staged by a couple of historians really trying to one-up each other about how bad their guy was.

[@alma1715]

You could add Domitian, Commodus, Caracalla and Elagabalus to the battle for the worst one. Of Commodus they said: "More savage than Domitian and filthier than Nero"

[@audreymuzingo933]

@@alma1715 I mean when you really think about it, the whole sickness of the Roman society, the utter lack of empathy, in fact true sadism, it makes it easy to understand why ANY person with great wealth and power would just use it to do BIG sadism. Like, did thousands of citizens show up to gleefully watch helpless people being eaten by animals because their leader thought it was okay, or did the leaders think it was okay because thousands of citizens would show up to gleefully watch? And I can just hear a thousand cynics replying to this, saying that gladiator-like spectacles would be just as popular now if they happened, and anyone who disagrees is "naive." But I think the ancient Romans were truly unique. They were a culture far more advanced than any that had ever existed before, or even after for a while, considering that stuff like the use of concrete disappeared for centuries before reemerging again. The Romans could live in unprecedented comfort, and yet tragic suffering was still around every corner, what with the lack of medical knowledge. The people of Rome didn't have to fear freezing or starving to death, but anything from an infected tooth to a broken leg could mean a slow agonizing death, as could myriad diseases that nobody understood. This cruelty could come even for a ruler or his family members, as there was no place in the world they could go conquer and it would save them. I think it was this combination of supreme luxury and helpless suffering all around, that made them utterly insane, perhaps trying to numb their collective pain by creating spectacles of suffering that made "ordinary" death seem lucky.

[@neilbowman573]

Most of them after Octavian/Augustus were pretty bad.

[@jaynesegman7847]

You should write the script.

[@audreymuzingo933]

@@jaynesegman7847 Well it would be an actual debate between two historian experts. Not something that could be scripted by an armchair history buff like me, lol.

[@swissmilitischristilxxii3691]

Incitatus, the first horse senator.

[@suecastillo4056]

Donald Trump, first and worst jackass president.

[@foxycinnamon7307]

@@suecastillo4056 Not the first, definitely the worst!

[@foxycinnamon7307]

@CXVII 117 R She's not president & not killing hundreds of thousands with inane and insane lack of empathy or interest in the citizens of America during the Pandemic. Sooo?

[@deejayk5939]

Not the last horses rear end!!

[@hddun]

TOO DAMN FUNNY DUDE!! but in light of present USA Senate, a Horse might add a touch of light fun...just sayin' BTW: does Tony wear very tight slacks which can pinch one's maleness and cause a very high pitched voice...

[@DMEB]

I love these shows. Very interesting still

[@samkostos4520]

RIP young Emperor, may your soul be among the great warrior kings of your proud blood line.

[@billijomaynard8924]

Gaius was not a very good emperor but i pity him. If someone had murdered my father and brothers and my mom in protest of her treatment starved herself to death i would be probably be just as messed up as he was if not more so.

[@wkwk3632]

The only documentary channel with commercials.

[@judilynn9569]

"Chick, star and babay!"...just cracks me up! lolol

[@oscartravis5740]

Seems a dodgy translation as the Suetonius book I read claimed it was "Chick, Pretty Puppet and Bantling" the crowds called him

[@shanewalters4632]

@ 10:28 Anthony Barrett comes on. My 1st year Latin prof and author of a book on Caligula that I have in my library. Amazing guy.

[@bfairfax8772]

He wasn't really anymore of a monster than most elite Roman citizens any other Roman placed in the same position of power wouldn't have likely been any less ruthless as a young man . Only those who at least had some life experience dealt with the appointment better and some of that may be who wrote the accounts of their deeds as always in history . I think he just wasn't very good at revenge , as the saying says it's a dish best served cold and it seemed his disposition was serving everything hot .

[@kevinmcfarley156]

I read complaints about commercials but I watch these videos without any commercials. Why? Is it because I'm in the U.S.? They have one commercials at the start and then no more.

[@j.m.waterfordasxiphanex3738]

The behavioural pattern of Caligula sounds like a classic narcissist. * high energy honeymoon period (at the beginning of his reign) * crash and dramatic personality change at the 3 month mark (when they run out of energy to flirt and curry favour and let their true agenda show) * values and responses to what people do that are not normal, often interpreted as mental illness. * devastation at the death of a like minded sibling who to that point was one of the few people in the world who could celebrate the stories they would have regaled each other with about how they hurt people. No one else would have understood him. No one else would have genuinely celebrated him, as he was. * victimising people who want him to be different to the way he is, the same way he hates people who are his open enemies, * joy and high spirits after getting his supply of high feeling from terrorising people by having them assemble under threat of death or exile * even the maintenance of a beloved public front. Copyrighted: J. M. Waterford, 2018.

[@suecastillo4056]

Trump?

[@bedorset579]

@@suecastillo4056 Exactly.

[@oscartravis5740]

Jose Mourinho

[@767scarecrow]

@@suecastillo4056 Caligula was described as being articulate though... Maybe Trump from the '70s but sharper?

[@Limba777]

Wonderfully done 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Will-gd8wu]

Lol Caligula was such a troll

[@jetpigeon8758]

But if you had existed from 37AD to 41AD you would not have dared to say that.

[@suecastillo4056]

Awwww, but we aren’t back then... we’re NOW... with Donald Trump... damn!

[@JohnYoo39]

@@jetpigeon8758 I mean, one "working class" guy did apparently according to Tony. Caligula found that observation hilarious.

[@AkDragosani]

Great Documentary.. Caligula very Intriguing 👍🏻

[@Moepowerplant]

26:30 - 26:48 uhh what? This is probably going to stand out to me more than the horse gig.

[@bvxter]

when he so expressively recalls "by hurling them" i gasped 😱🤭

[@nicknewman7848]

The newspaper he's reading at the cafe in Capri is from 13th March 2003.

[@maximsteelusa4855]

Great videos Tim Robbins!!!

[@yousircantknow8987]

No Malcolm McDowell?

[@domitianalexanderkennedybe3744]

Very good information.

[@thepiperreport8198]

Besides the 339 different ads (or so it seemed) this was pretty good

[@pellman87]

Who are you people not using ad block in the 21st century?

[@xeenslayer]

"The way I see it, at the end of his reign Caligula was rather crazy, and ages ago he wasn't so crazy, right? So there must have been a moment when he wasn't crazy went away, and he being crazy came along. So, what I wanna know is, how did we get from the one case of affairs, to the other case of affairs.?"

[@piinkkitt]

I watch these to pass time at work😄 very interesting...

[@Tha1st333]

Caligula: My time as a good emperor was the longest 6 moths of my life!

[@Doppe1ganger]

Never watched these. Big fan of black adder, medieval times, roman times, weird people and strange facts. Gonna enjoy this :D