Caligula (Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History) and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more


or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Trade in Yours
For a £4.85 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Colour:
Image not available

 
See all 2 customer images
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Start reading Caligula (Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Caligula (Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History) [Paperback]

Sam Wilkinson (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
RRP: £16.99
Price: £16.28 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £0.71 (4%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 1 left in stock (more on the way).
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.
Want it Friday, 21 June? Choose Express delivery at checkout. Details

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition £14.65   -- --
Hardcover £55.19   -- --
Paperback £16.28   -- --
Trade In this Item for up to £4.85
Trade in Caligula (Lancaster Pamphlets in Ancient History) for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £4.85, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Card, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more

Book Description

Publication Date: 2 Dec 2004 | ISBN-10: 0415341213 | ISBN-13: 978-0415341219 | Edition: New edition

Sam Wilkinson provides an accessible introduction to the reign of Caligula, one of the most controversial of all the Roman Emperors. Caligula's policies have often been interpreted to be those of a depraved tyrant.

This study provides a reassessment of this controversial reign by scrutinising the ancient literary sources that are so hostile to Caligula, and by examining the reasoning behind the policies he enforced. Key topics discussed include:

* Caligula's early life and accession to power
* Caligula's relationship with the Senate
* how far Caligula's domestic and foreign policies can be judged to be a success
* why Caligula was assassinated in AD 41, only four years after his accession to power.

With a guide to primary and secondary sources, a chronology and a detailed glossary, Caligula is an invaluable study of the reign of this fascinating Emperor.

Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed

Product details

  • Paperback: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Routledge; New edition edition (2 Dec 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0415341213
  • ISBN-13: 978-0415341219
  • Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 1.1 x 13.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 392,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

  • See Complete Table of Contents

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Sam Wilkinson Page
Sam Wilkinson
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
The Emperor Gaius, otherwise known by his nickname Caligula ('little boot'), came to power at the age of 24 in March AD 37, only the second man to inherit the principate. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Search inside this book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

› Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars what we've all been waiting for... 17 Feb 2005
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Well, where do i begin. Pure genius. I purchased this book a few weeks ago and was surprised when i was not confronted by the densely lifeless trawl through the vast expanses of Ancient Rome that have come to typify such historical works. Wilkinson ingeniously takes us into the nooks and crannies of Rome's cracked and triumphant architecture, sweeping aside the cobwebs and wiping away the depraved residue that has for so long occluded our studies. His treatment of the emperor Gaius is both subtle and astounding and he approaches the morbidly fascinating elements of Gaius's controversial statesmanship with a particularly refreshing gaze. Not only is this book essential to anyone studying the topic but with its dealing of widespread executions, horses being made consul, lunacy, depraved sexual practices and hints of incest, I defy any one to read this book without feeling that they have just been taken on a tour of the REAL Ancient Rome. Wilkinson reveals the underbelly of a Rome where the tattered and frayed history books of our day, those books by which we commit so much, dare not venture.
Wilkinson tackles the world of academia head on as he combines delicate historical detail with high art rigour. He writes with zeal and candour, artfully lulling us into his grasp before bringing us face to face with the quirks and whims of this controversial emperor. Wilkinson is a surprise package, much like Leeds United in their infamous champions league campaign; an author who i will indeed be looking out for in the future as I plant a joyful kiss goodbye on the dusty, faded, grey covers of those cumbersome historical journals that populate our decaying libraries.
I bought it.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but...the premise is a little too simple... 29 Feb 2008
By Peter Appleton
Format:Paperback
I have read everything on Caligula from Balsden to Barrett to Ferrill as well as all the extant historical works (still hoping the lost chapters of Tacitus will turn up somewhere...), and I found this to be a worthwhile addition to the genre.

While I can perhaps agree with the basic premise of the work - that Caligula was influenced by his early experiences in the east and did not approach his rulership in a manner in keeping with Roman traditions, I found that the author tends to use this to explain every action by the later emperor, which while I can appreciate that is his theory, seems a little too simplistic to me.

Caligula was only in the East from 16-19AD (when he would have been aged 4-7) which hardly seem like enough time to me to develop lifelong approaches to power based on the myriad of cultures he would have experienced over the period.

Finally there are some typos and factual problems that should have been picked up in editing (for example the author mentions Caligula spending several years in Egypt when in fact his father Germanicus visited there once a sight-seeing trip in 18AD and died the next year - hardly enough time for a young boy to decide that the Ptolemies got it right and screwing your sisters was the right way for monarchs to behave).
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Caligula 7 Nov 2005
By "peter676"
Format:Paperback
Finally a realistic portrayal of the emperor Caligula. He acted like his contemporaries and used the power he had, which was total. Forget the myth; here is an accurate account of the man. He was not mad; he knew exactly what he was doing. Wilkinson's opinion on the Jewish question is the most sensible I have come across. A concise and precise account.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars Elightening 8 July 2008
By Adam Graham Malster
Format:Paperback
This biography of one of Rome's most misunderstood emperors is very short but at the same time very informative. At around only one hundred pages I can only say that my one disappointment was its brevity.

The story of the emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, better known as Caligula is familiar to many. We are told he was the emperor who went crazy with disastrous consequences not only for those close to him but also for the empire itself. His rule was so insane that he had to be assassinated by his own government. This story has been popularised and repeated many times perhaps most famously by the film starring Malcolm McDowell and also the I Claudius books by Robert Graves.

The picture painted here of the young man who came to power at the age of twenty four and was murdered less than four years into his reign is quite different. Wilkinson weighs the different biases of the historical sources with the verifiable facts of his reign and comes to a completely different conclusion than insanity. His sketch of an intelligent emperor who strove to wield his awesome power with responsibility is a convincing one.

Perhaps it is difficult to write at more length about someone who only ruled for such a short time, lived so very long ago and who has had his reputation twisted by so many writers since his death. Sam Wilkinson's book has encouraged me to find out more.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Caligula 10 July 2009
By Mr. Pj Bishop
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I found this book very disappointing. The author has tried to turn history on its head by looking at one aspect of Caligulas life and making him out to be victimised by those he opposed ie the Senate and wealthy. All of history's biographers and sources have been said to have been heavily biased against Caligula. Whilst the author does have some good points and mabye Caligula's worst points have been exagerated. In my view he has spoiled these by applying the theory of gross exageration and bias to everything. Surely in this case there was no smoke without fire.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

There's a problem loading this menu at the moment.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.

    Your Shopping Basket is empty.

    Give it purpose -- fill it with books, DVDs, clothes, electronics and more.

    If you already have an account, sign in.

    There's a problem previewing your shopping basket at the moment.

    Check your Internet connection and go to your cart, or try again.

    View Shopping Basket (0 items)

      Customer Discussions

      This product's forum
      Discussion Replies Latest Post
      No discussions yet

      Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
      Start a new discussion
      Topic:
      First post:
      Prompts for sign-in
       


      Active discussions in related forums
      Search Customer Discussions
      Search all Amazon discussions
         
      Related forums

      Listmania!

      Create a Listmania! list

      Look for similar items by category

      Feedback


      Amazon.co.uk Privacy Statement Amazon.co.uk Delivery Information Amazon.co.uk Returns & Exchanges