1 00:00:09,009 --> 00:00:11,845 [ominous music playing] 2 00:00:46,921 --> 00:00:47,964 [music intensifies] 3 00:01:10,528 --> 00:01:11,613 [slicing sound] 4 00:01:12,989 --> 00:01:16,159 [gasps, pants] 5 00:01:21,748 --> 00:01:23,291 [narrator] In 39 A.D., 6 00:01:23,792 --> 00:01:27,128 Caligula is one of the most powerful men in the world. 7 00:01:29,047 --> 00:01:30,632 But he will come to be known 8 00:01:31,424 --> 00:01:33,384 as Rome's mad emperor. 9 00:01:38,556 --> 00:01:40,975 [theme music playing] 10 00:03:05,435 --> 00:03:09,731 [narrator] In just over a century, the Roman Empire has doubled in size. 11 00:03:11,191 --> 00:03:14,027 Now stretching nearly two million square miles 12 00:03:14,611 --> 00:03:16,779 from the Atlantic Ocean to Egypt. 13 00:03:21,451 --> 00:03:24,037 The city of Rome is rapidly expanding, 14 00:03:27,540 --> 00:03:29,542 [Tom Holland] Rome was an enormous city, 15 00:03:30,543 --> 00:03:32,170 even by the standards of today. 16 00:03:34,130 --> 00:03:37,383 And there was a sense in which 17 00:03:37,634 --> 00:03:41,638 infrastructure had been key to its growth, right from the very beginning. 18 00:03:41,721 --> 00:03:44,682 And the engineering feat was 19 00:03:45,308 --> 00:03:47,018 indeed formidable. 20 00:03:48,978 --> 00:03:52,106 [narrator] Roadways now connect Rome to places like Northern Africa, 21 00:03:53,399 --> 00:03:55,693 modern-day France, and Spain. 22 00:03:58,029 --> 00:04:00,156 And advancements in design, like aqueducts... 23 00:04:04,535 --> 00:04:05,578 sewer systems... 24 00:04:06,829 --> 00:04:07,997 and amphitheaters... 25 00:04:09,457 --> 00:04:11,000 have turned Rome into one of the most 26 00:04:11,084 --> 00:04:13,795 advanced civilizations on the planet. 27 00:04:18,174 --> 00:04:21,719 [Mike Duncan] Rome was as powerful as it had ever been, 28 00:04:21,803 --> 00:04:24,389 and was continuing to grow in power. 29 00:04:24,973 --> 00:04:27,392 They were at the zenith of their power. 30 00:04:27,850 --> 00:04:28,768 So... 31 00:04:29,143 --> 00:04:31,396 when it came to its position 32 00:04:31,521 --> 00:04:36,484 relative to other foreign powers, Rome was the biggest power in the world. 33 00:04:39,237 --> 00:04:41,030 [narrator] Rome's rise to global dominance 34 00:04:41,155 --> 00:04:43,574 is in part thanks to its powerful military, 35 00:04:44,617 --> 00:04:47,412 made up of nearly 300,000 soldiers. 36 00:04:48,955 --> 00:04:52,041 The Roman military dominated the Western world. 37 00:04:53,126 --> 00:04:55,420 There was nothing to match the Roman military. 38 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:02,468 [narrator] The Roman army has been waging a war against barbarians in Germania, 39 00:05:04,637 --> 00:05:06,597 hoping to keep their borders secure. 40 00:05:08,766 --> 00:05:10,601 [screaming] 41 00:05:23,948 --> 00:05:27,952 Rome has spent years and years fighting on the German frontier, 42 00:05:28,077 --> 00:05:33,166 to ensure that the German tribes were not able to come and march into Gaul 43 00:05:33,249 --> 00:05:35,001 or into other parts of the Empire. 44 00:05:35,084 --> 00:05:37,128 So it's a very big operation. 45 00:05:54,145 --> 00:05:55,146 [man] Here, take this. 46 00:05:56,397 --> 00:05:57,774 Hold it high and strong. 47 00:05:57,857 --> 00:05:58,983 Feet apart. 48 00:05:59,442 --> 00:06:01,319 [narrator] On the sidelines of the battlefield... 49 00:06:01,402 --> 00:06:02,528 One, two... 50 00:06:03,613 --> 00:06:05,615 ...a young Caligula is growing up. 51 00:06:08,409 --> 00:06:10,370 For the first years of his life, 52 00:06:10,453 --> 00:06:12,246 Caligula was pretty much on the road, 53 00:06:12,330 --> 00:06:14,415 going from military camp to military camp. 54 00:06:14,582 --> 00:06:18,961 His playground was, effectively, the most violent arena of war. 55 00:06:23,257 --> 00:06:28,805 Caligula is brought up in a household of great privilege, great expectations. 56 00:06:29,472 --> 00:06:31,766 Because he was the son of a great general. 57 00:06:31,849 --> 00:06:34,936 And not only was his father a great general, 58 00:06:35,019 --> 00:06:38,773 a man of honor, but he was the nephew of the ruling emperor of Rome. 59 00:06:42,151 --> 00:06:45,571 [narrator] Caligula's father is the most beloved leader in the Roman army, 60 00:06:46,823 --> 00:06:49,492 and next in line to become emperor of Rome. 61 00:06:51,327 --> 00:06:53,704 His name is Germanicus. 62 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:57,583 [Germanicus] How many men to a cohort? 63 00:06:59,293 --> 00:07:00,711 Four hundred and eighty. 64 00:07:01,045 --> 00:07:02,380 How many to a legion? 65 00:07:03,589 --> 00:07:04,632 One thousand. Five thousand. 66 00:07:07,552 --> 00:07:08,511 Led by? 67 00:07:10,430 --> 00:07:11,597 Six tribunes... 68 00:07:12,348 --> 00:07:15,810 [Amanda Ruggeri] Germanicus was a blue-blooded Roman prince. 69 00:07:17,019 --> 00:07:19,897 The guy was handsome, he was charming, 70 00:07:20,481 --> 00:07:21,983 he was well-educated. 71 00:07:22,942 --> 00:07:26,112 [Amanda Ruggeri] He was, at the time, the most respected general in Rome. 72 00:07:26,446 --> 00:07:29,073 So Caligula as a child would have been growing up 73 00:07:29,157 --> 00:07:31,868 as the son of this incredibly popular guy, 74 00:07:32,410 --> 00:07:34,454 and he is traveling around with his father 75 00:07:34,537 --> 00:07:36,664 all throughout his young childhood. 76 00:07:38,291 --> 00:07:40,585 Are you tired, or should we move onto weapons? 77 00:07:41,002 --> 00:07:41,961 Weapons. 78 00:07:43,212 --> 00:07:45,465 -Javelins are made of... -Wood and iron. 79 00:07:45,631 --> 00:07:47,967 -Short swords? -Steel. 80 00:07:51,929 --> 00:07:54,724 [narrator] Germanicus trains Caligula to be a great warrior, 81 00:07:56,184 --> 00:07:58,853 forming a close bond between father and son, 82 00:07:59,937 --> 00:08:02,273 but that's all about to change. 83 00:08:10,740 --> 00:08:13,242 While Germanicus protects Rome's borders, 84 00:08:14,327 --> 00:08:16,287 nearly a thousand miles away, 85 00:08:20,124 --> 00:08:24,420 the reigning emperor, Tiberius, works to protect his legacy. 86 00:08:26,589 --> 00:08:29,258 Tiberius was not a natural politician. 87 00:08:29,342 --> 00:08:30,801 Anything but. 88 00:08:31,052 --> 00:08:33,221 He was charmless in many ways, 89 00:08:33,304 --> 00:08:34,805 he had many enemies, 90 00:08:34,889 --> 00:08:36,682 he clashed with the Senate. 91 00:08:36,766 --> 00:08:41,812 He ended up leading the trial and execution of numerous senators. 92 00:08:42,605 --> 00:08:46,609 Under Tiberius, Rome underwent a reign of terror. 93 00:08:50,363 --> 00:08:53,908 [narrator] Tiberius is only the second emperor Rome has ever had, 94 00:08:56,452 --> 00:08:59,789 but he spends much of his reign in the shadow of his predecessor. 95 00:08:59,872 --> 00:09:01,207 [crowd cheering] 96 00:09:01,290 --> 00:09:03,584 [Adrian Murdoch] The previous emperor, Augustus, 97 00:09:03,668 --> 00:09:06,170 was the greatest emperor that Rome ever had. 98 00:09:07,547 --> 00:09:09,465 He managed to do the impossible. 99 00:09:09,549 --> 00:09:11,050 He brought Rome together, 100 00:09:11,133 --> 00:09:12,843 he brought the provinces together, 101 00:09:12,927 --> 00:09:17,181 but on the other hand, the emperor Tiberius was the emperor of austerity. 102 00:09:17,682 --> 00:09:19,600 There was none of the glamour of Augustus, 103 00:09:19,684 --> 00:09:21,811 he didn't want to push the Empire forward. 104 00:09:27,483 --> 00:09:29,485 [indistinct chatter] 105 00:09:33,406 --> 00:09:35,700 [narrator] Caligula's father, Germanicus, 106 00:09:35,783 --> 00:09:38,244 may be next in line to be emperor of Rome... 107 00:09:40,204 --> 00:09:41,414 [inaudible whispers] 108 00:09:41,581 --> 00:09:44,917 ...but Tiberius wants to pass on the throne to his son. 109 00:09:51,340 --> 00:09:54,051 So he makes a move to take out Germanicus. 110 00:10:14,780 --> 00:10:15,698 [soldier] Guards! 111 00:10:16,324 --> 00:10:18,326 [ominous music playing] 112 00:10:25,958 --> 00:10:27,251 [soldier 1] Don't touch him. 113 00:10:27,627 --> 00:10:28,753 [soldier 2] What happened? 114 00:11:05,623 --> 00:11:07,708 [narrator] Caligula is only seven years old 115 00:11:07,792 --> 00:11:09,835 when his father dies suddenly, 116 00:11:11,545 --> 00:11:16,050 leaving him, his two brothers, and three sisters without a father. 117 00:11:18,052 --> 00:11:19,470 And the Roman Empire 118 00:11:19,845 --> 00:11:22,598 with no designated successor to the throne. 119 00:11:24,016 --> 00:11:28,104 Germanicus, Caligula's father, was very, very popular, 120 00:11:28,187 --> 00:11:31,899 and he's often regarded as the greatest emperor that Rome never had. 121 00:11:32,733 --> 00:11:37,071 When Caligula's father died, life became a lot less comfortable. 122 00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:41,534 It doesn't take a professional psychologist to realize 123 00:11:41,617 --> 00:11:44,995 quite what a damaged boy Caligula must have been. 124 00:11:48,082 --> 00:11:49,667 [narrator] After his sudden death, 125 00:11:51,001 --> 00:11:54,255 the family of Germanicus is convinced that he was poisoned. 126 00:11:56,132 --> 00:11:59,176 [Anthony Everitt] His wife, Agrippina, was enraged, 127 00:11:59,260 --> 00:12:03,514 and she was convinced that the emperor had assassinated 128 00:12:03,597 --> 00:12:06,976 her much-loved husband, and she wouldn't keep quiet. 129 00:12:12,398 --> 00:12:13,649 [indistinct chatter] 130 00:12:14,650 --> 00:12:20,322 Caligula's mother was a master of mobilizing public opinion. 131 00:12:21,824 --> 00:12:23,576 [Corey Brennan] One of the things that she did 132 00:12:23,659 --> 00:12:25,578 was she worked Rome into hysteria 133 00:12:26,245 --> 00:12:30,416 after the alleged murder of her husband, Germanicus. 134 00:12:30,541 --> 00:12:32,877 And, in fact, she was viewed as very dangerous. 135 00:12:33,002 --> 00:12:34,253 [chattering] 136 00:12:36,338 --> 00:12:39,258 [narrator] With Agrippina spreading word that Germanicus has been murdered, 137 00:12:41,051 --> 00:12:44,597 the people of Rome begin to turn on their emperor. 138 00:12:51,896 --> 00:12:54,064 [man] I've already paid off servants in their household. 139 00:12:54,523 --> 00:12:56,484 They'll testify they heard the sons commit treason. 140 00:12:56,567 --> 00:12:58,402 Once the Senate finds them guilty... 141 00:12:58,486 --> 00:12:59,987 We'll have them executed. 142 00:13:00,404 --> 00:13:01,363 Imprisoned 143 00:13:01,864 --> 00:13:03,449 is what I was going to suggest. 144 00:13:04,366 --> 00:13:07,703 It'll lessen suspicion, and as their uncle you'll appear merciful. 145 00:13:09,538 --> 00:13:10,706 Shall I move forward? 146 00:13:12,875 --> 00:13:13,709 Yes. 147 00:13:26,931 --> 00:13:28,098 [narrator] Fearing a revolt, 148 00:13:28,641 --> 00:13:30,893 Tiberius knows he has no choice 149 00:13:31,936 --> 00:13:34,104 but to keep Agrippina quiet. 150 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,985 [Caitlin Gillespie] Tiberius felt threatened by Germanicus' family, 151 00:13:40,528 --> 00:13:43,447 who was regarded as the better heirs 152 00:13:43,531 --> 00:13:46,242 to the throne than the family of Tiberius himself. 153 00:13:46,951 --> 00:13:52,081 And Agrippina gained pity over their family for his premature death. 154 00:14:02,842 --> 00:14:04,343 [indistinct chatter] 155 00:14:06,303 --> 00:14:07,930 -[loud thud] -[soldiers clamor] 156 00:14:08,472 --> 00:14:10,391 [Agrippina] Run! Run! 157 00:14:25,823 --> 00:14:27,116 There's a third son. 158 00:14:27,867 --> 00:14:28,742 Find him. 159 00:14:28,826 --> 00:14:30,035 He's not here. 160 00:14:33,914 --> 00:14:34,748 Where is he? 161 00:14:35,165 --> 00:14:36,417 [heavy breathing] 162 00:14:40,004 --> 00:14:40,963 [Agrippina whimpers] 163 00:14:41,755 --> 00:14:42,923 [man] Take her, too. 164 00:15:09,825 --> 00:15:10,659 [gasps] 165 00:15:12,995 --> 00:15:14,330 [music intensifies] 166 00:15:31,138 --> 00:15:33,140 [narrator] Caligula's mother and older brothers 167 00:15:33,223 --> 00:15:35,517 are rounded up by imperial guards, 168 00:15:36,018 --> 00:15:39,980 and subjected to one of Tiberius' most infamous policies, 169 00:15:40,856 --> 00:15:42,566 the treason trials. 170 00:15:43,859 --> 00:15:47,613 If you had to put your finger on just one aspect of Tiberius' reign 171 00:15:47,696 --> 00:15:50,032 which made him more unpopular than any other one, 172 00:15:50,115 --> 00:15:54,411 it was the treason trials, which was anyone who criticized the emperor, 173 00:15:55,204 --> 00:15:59,333 even verbal insults, not diminishing the state or treason to the state, 174 00:15:59,416 --> 00:16:04,463 but just any criticism of the emperor was punishable in a court of law. 175 00:16:04,964 --> 00:16:07,549 This is how Caligula's entire family was eliminated. 176 00:16:09,218 --> 00:16:12,513 Caligula's mother was sent into exile. 177 00:16:13,639 --> 00:16:18,560 His older brother was imprisoned and his other brother was executed. 178 00:16:19,061 --> 00:16:23,440 All because, essentially, they are seen as potential threats to Tiberius. 179 00:16:33,283 --> 00:16:35,160 [narrator] Caligula and his three younger sisters are sent to live with their grandmother, 180 00:16:38,622 --> 00:16:41,583 under the close watch of Tiberius' soldiers, 181 00:16:43,544 --> 00:16:46,880 never sure when the emperor will decide to eliminate them. 182 00:16:50,342 --> 00:16:55,389 It's hard to work out quite what a difficult childhood Caligula must've had. 183 00:16:56,390 --> 00:16:59,268 In one sense, he was a marked man at every stage. 184 00:16:59,518 --> 00:17:01,020 His father was dead, 185 00:17:01,103 --> 00:17:04,273 he was being kept effectively under house arrest in Rome. 186 00:17:04,356 --> 00:17:06,358 So he will have grown up his entire life thinking, 187 00:17:06,442 --> 00:17:08,318 "At midnight, there could be a knock on the door, 188 00:17:08,402 --> 00:17:10,070 and someone with a knife could kill me." 189 00:17:10,195 --> 00:17:11,488 [intense music playing] 190 00:17:16,535 --> 00:17:18,412 [narrator] As he grows into a young man, 191 00:17:19,455 --> 00:17:22,499 Caligula manages to keep his distance from Tiberius. 192 00:17:25,627 --> 00:17:27,463 But an unexpected death 193 00:17:27,838 --> 00:17:30,466 is about to bring him face-to-face with the emperor. 194 00:17:47,024 --> 00:17:48,567 In 23 A.D., 195 00:17:49,818 --> 00:17:52,279 Drusus, Tiberius' son, 196 00:17:53,238 --> 00:17:55,783 dies suddenly, at the age of 35. 197 00:18:01,789 --> 00:18:04,625 Drusus was the next in line 198 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,710 to assume the throne. 199 00:18:07,753 --> 00:18:09,505 And after Drusus' death, 200 00:18:09,797 --> 00:18:12,424 Tiberius was shocked to the core. 201 00:18:37,116 --> 00:18:38,784 There's not much new to report. 202 00:18:39,576 --> 00:18:41,995 But there is a grumbling 203 00:18:42,955 --> 00:18:45,499 about who now is to be considered the next in line. 204 00:18:46,333 --> 00:18:47,751 I know this is difficult, 205 00:18:49,211 --> 00:18:52,089 but it's time to start thinking about naming a new successor. 206 00:18:55,342 --> 00:18:58,679 I'd be willing to step into that role if you decide it's necessary. 207 00:18:59,304 --> 00:19:00,722 [suspenseful music playing] 208 00:19:03,851 --> 00:19:05,144 Let me think about it. 209 00:19:12,693 --> 00:19:13,694 [scoffs] 210 00:19:15,154 --> 00:19:17,114 [narrator] While the cause of death is unclear, 211 00:19:19,116 --> 00:19:22,703 there's only one man who will benefit from Drusus' demise, 212 00:19:23,954 --> 00:19:25,873 the head of the Praetorian Guard... 213 00:19:29,626 --> 00:19:30,711 Sejanus. 214 00:19:32,212 --> 00:19:33,839 [Aaron Irvin] Sejanus presented himself 215 00:19:33,922 --> 00:19:38,468 as nothing more than a loyal ally and servant of Tiberius. 216 00:19:39,845 --> 00:19:43,015 And he did so through cultivating a friendship, 217 00:19:43,098 --> 00:19:45,559 a personal relationship with Tiberius, 218 00:19:46,351 --> 00:19:50,731 but he was far more ambitious than perhaps Tiberius had in mind. 219 00:19:52,524 --> 00:19:55,027 It took Tiberius completely by surprise. 220 00:19:55,110 --> 00:19:58,530 He had never, it seems, expected that Sejanus would be capable 221 00:19:58,614 --> 00:19:59,865 of such a betrayal. 222 00:20:01,533 --> 00:20:03,035 [narrator] With his son dead, 223 00:20:03,118 --> 00:20:04,786 and no one left to trust, 224 00:20:05,579 --> 00:20:08,957 Tiberius begins to grow paranoid of everyone around him 225 00:20:09,625 --> 00:20:11,919 and decides he needs to get out of Rome. 226 00:20:19,301 --> 00:20:21,845 [intense music playing] 227 00:20:31,772 --> 00:20:35,984 Anybody would've been paranoid in the emperor's palace at this stage. 228 00:20:36,693 --> 00:20:39,988 So Tiberius puts himself into a self-imposed exile 229 00:20:40,072 --> 00:20:41,448 on the Island of Capri. 230 00:20:41,531 --> 00:20:45,494 And he never sets foot in Rome again, for the rest of his life. 231 00:20:48,247 --> 00:20:51,708 [narrator] Tiberius works quickly to select a new successor. 232 00:20:58,173 --> 00:20:59,132 Caligula. 233 00:20:59,925 --> 00:21:00,801 Find him. 234 00:21:01,343 --> 00:21:02,177 Bring him to me. 235 00:21:04,846 --> 00:21:05,722 Macro. 236 00:21:07,349 --> 00:21:08,267 Tell no one. 237 00:21:16,066 --> 00:21:19,528 Tiberius needed an heir because the Empire needed an emperor. 238 00:21:21,738 --> 00:21:24,700 The Empire needed somebody at the top, 239 00:21:25,534 --> 00:21:27,452 and after Drusus' death, 240 00:21:27,536 --> 00:21:31,832 and the removal of the children of Germanicus apart from Caligula, 241 00:21:32,624 --> 00:21:35,460 Caligula was the only person to fit the bill. 242 00:21:45,053 --> 00:21:46,388 [narrator] Now out of Rome, 243 00:21:46,930 --> 00:21:50,767 Tiberius hides out in his luxurious villa on Capri. 244 00:21:55,939 --> 00:21:58,066 Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, 245 00:21:58,525 --> 00:22:01,695 Capri is over 100 miles removed from Rome, 246 00:22:02,654 --> 00:22:07,242 leaving Tiberius completely isolated from the Empire he runs. 247 00:22:10,495 --> 00:22:14,458 [Barry Strauss] Tiberius lived in a villa modestly called the Villa Jovis, 248 00:22:14,624 --> 00:22:16,460 "the Villa of Jupiter," 249 00:22:16,543 --> 00:22:19,338 as if Tiberius was some sort of god. 250 00:22:19,504 --> 00:22:23,675 This villa is perched at the edge of a cliff at one end of the island, 251 00:22:23,759 --> 00:22:26,053 it's a very beautiful and dramatic spot. 252 00:22:26,136 --> 00:22:30,182 And Tiberius engaged in a life of great decadence. 253 00:22:38,899 --> 00:22:40,359 [narrator] Once settled in Capri, 254 00:22:41,485 --> 00:22:44,571 Tiberius has full control over who may enter the island, 255 00:22:46,198 --> 00:22:47,908 and spends the next few years 256 00:22:47,991 --> 00:22:50,660 taking advantage of his newfound privacy, 257 00:22:51,995 --> 00:22:54,706 by indulging in an excessive lifestyle. 258 00:22:58,293 --> 00:23:01,630 The decadence was quite spectacular on Capri. 259 00:23:02,297 --> 00:23:05,300 There was the finest food, there was the finest wines, 260 00:23:05,384 --> 00:23:08,637 there were the most beautiful prostitutes. 261 00:23:09,137 --> 00:23:12,599 It was a very open and free lifestyle, 262 00:23:13,308 --> 00:23:16,895 but it became quite debauched, on every possible level. 263 00:23:20,524 --> 00:23:24,403 The stories that we hear coming out of Capri are very much a reflection 264 00:23:24,486 --> 00:23:27,864 of how much the Roman people disliked Tiberius. 265 00:23:27,948 --> 00:23:33,537 In these stories, he is presented as weird and bizarre. 266 00:23:33,995 --> 00:23:38,875 He watches people have sex around him in various and sundry ways. 267 00:23:49,719 --> 00:23:51,638 For a 12-year period, 268 00:23:51,721 --> 00:23:57,060 Caligula's life was filled with watching his closest family members become exiled 269 00:23:57,144 --> 00:23:59,438 and killed for speaking out against Tiberius. 270 00:23:59,521 --> 00:24:04,067 So in 31 A.D. when Caligula was called to the Island of Capri, 271 00:24:04,484 --> 00:24:06,945 we can only imagine the fear, 272 00:24:07,028 --> 00:24:10,365 the apprehension that he must have felt at that time. 273 00:24:15,495 --> 00:24:17,497 [guard] This is the son of Germanicus. 274 00:24:19,624 --> 00:24:20,584 Is that true? 275 00:24:22,169 --> 00:24:23,003 Yes. 276 00:24:30,427 --> 00:24:33,180 You blame me for your father's death, don't you? 277 00:24:36,516 --> 00:24:37,684 Your mother always did. 278 00:24:39,936 --> 00:24:44,441 So you've spent your entire life believing that I was the one responsible. 279 00:24:47,736 --> 00:24:49,446 I didn't kill your father. 280 00:24:51,281 --> 00:24:52,199 He did. 281 00:24:54,451 --> 00:24:56,912 [Tiberius] This is the man responsible for your father's murder. 282 00:24:58,330 --> 00:25:00,415 The man who poisoned my son. 283 00:25:01,625 --> 00:25:02,667 [grunts] 284 00:25:04,002 --> 00:25:06,171 [choking noises] 285 00:25:06,254 --> 00:25:08,882 Sejanus thought himself worthy of the throne. 286 00:25:09,799 --> 00:25:11,384 So, one by one, 287 00:25:12,219 --> 00:25:14,721 he got rid of everyone who stood in his path. 288 00:25:16,223 --> 00:25:18,225 I am not the man you think I am. 289 00:25:28,443 --> 00:25:29,528 See him to his room. 290 00:25:30,862 --> 00:25:32,322 [intense music playing] 291 00:25:37,911 --> 00:25:41,164 Certainly, that early relationship between Caligula and Tiberius 292 00:25:41,790 --> 00:25:45,377 would have been fraught with suspicion, with paranoia... 293 00:25:46,044 --> 00:25:47,796 Caligula, a young man, 294 00:25:48,046 --> 00:25:52,801 who now has to live with the guy who has ruined his life up to that point. 295 00:26:02,477 --> 00:26:04,062 [narrator] Confined to his room, 296 00:26:04,729 --> 00:26:07,774 Caligula finds himself forced to stay on Capri. 297 00:26:09,317 --> 00:26:13,613 Now, all he can do is wait to see what Tiberius has planned for him. 298 00:26:16,032 --> 00:26:18,577 [Adrian Murdoch] Caligula was a hostage on Capri, 299 00:26:19,327 --> 00:26:22,914 and if the emperor had had any problems, he could've been got rid of. 300 00:26:23,248 --> 00:26:26,710 It's part of the old dictum of "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." 301 00:26:26,793 --> 00:26:28,670 Tiberius could keep a close eye with him, 302 00:26:28,753 --> 00:26:30,589 and would have no compunction about killing him 303 00:26:30,672 --> 00:26:32,299 at the slightest drop of a hat. 304 00:26:40,140 --> 00:26:42,517 [narrator] With Tiberius isolated on Capri, 305 00:26:43,685 --> 00:26:46,104 the Roman people are left without their leader, 306 00:26:48,565 --> 00:26:52,277 causing irreversible damage to his reputation as an emperor. 307 00:26:56,072 --> 00:26:59,951 Tiberius decided to disappear to the island of Capri 308 00:27:00,035 --> 00:27:01,411 and rule from a distance. 309 00:27:01,494 --> 00:27:06,249 However, his retreat to Capri was not well-received. 310 00:27:06,833 --> 00:27:10,170 And then all the rumors of the strange goings on at the island didn't really do his reputation much credit either. 311 00:27:14,674 --> 00:27:16,301 [crowd clamoring] 312 00:27:16,718 --> 00:27:17,552 [whip cracks] 313 00:27:18,053 --> 00:27:22,140 Tiberius ruled in a way that he thought was what the Empire needed. 314 00:27:22,766 --> 00:27:26,144 But he didn't go out of the way to look after people. 315 00:27:26,227 --> 00:27:27,812 [Adrian Murdoch] It was this common touch 316 00:27:27,896 --> 00:27:30,231 that Tiberius missed at every stage of his career. 317 00:27:30,982 --> 00:27:32,901 And when he retired to Capri, 318 00:27:32,984 --> 00:27:35,195 it was a "screw you" to the Senate. 319 00:27:43,495 --> 00:27:44,913 [narrator] Removed from Rome, 320 00:27:45,747 --> 00:27:48,625 Tiberius needs someone to keep the Empire running. 321 00:27:53,838 --> 00:27:58,593 So he makes one of his most loyal soldiers the new head of the Praetorian Guard. 322 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:03,473 His name is Macro. 323 00:28:05,517 --> 00:28:09,145 Macro was responsible for the security of the fabric of Rome. 324 00:28:09,229 --> 00:28:10,689 He knew every corner. 325 00:28:10,772 --> 00:28:12,357 He knew all the shortcuts, 326 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:15,485 he knew all the factions and where everyone was going to be. 327 00:28:15,568 --> 00:28:18,363 When he was promoted to the Praetorian Guard, 328 00:28:18,446 --> 00:28:22,117 this simply added another layer of power to him, 329 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:26,204 and he was, by the time he'd been promoted, a very, very powerful man. 330 00:28:36,172 --> 00:28:37,757 [narrator] Unsure of his fate, 331 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:43,179 Caligula has no choice but to wait out his time on the island as a prisoner, 332 00:28:46,850 --> 00:28:49,811 but he's not the only person staying in the emperor's villa. 333 00:28:51,187 --> 00:28:56,526 Tiberius' 12-year-old grandson, Gemellus, also lives in the palace. 334 00:28:57,527 --> 00:28:59,404 Do you know why Caligula is here? 335 00:29:01,406 --> 00:29:03,867 I brought Caligula here because you're not ready. 336 00:29:04,534 --> 00:29:06,953 -But I'm your grandson! -It doesn't matter. 337 00:29:07,954 --> 00:29:11,207 All anyone would see is a spoiled brat sitting on the throne, 338 00:29:11,291 --> 00:29:13,501 -incapable of ruling an empire. -I'm capable. 339 00:29:14,544 --> 00:29:18,381 You think if Caligula comes to power, he will let you live? 340 00:29:22,302 --> 00:29:24,846 You no longer have the luxury of childhood. 341 00:29:27,390 --> 00:29:28,349 [sighs] 342 00:29:30,226 --> 00:29:32,854 [narrator] While Gemellus could continue the family reign, 343 00:29:34,481 --> 00:29:37,484 Tiberius knows that by handing the throne to a child, 344 00:29:39,027 --> 00:29:42,197 he'd be putting the entire Roman Empire in danger. 345 00:29:48,036 --> 00:29:51,372 [Tiberius] The Senate is expecting me to name a new heir. 346 00:29:52,123 --> 00:29:54,459 Your cousin, Gemellus, is the obvious choice. 347 00:29:55,752 --> 00:29:56,753 But he's young. 348 00:29:57,629 --> 00:29:59,297 And even when he comes of age, 349 00:30:00,423 --> 00:30:02,342 he was raised as my grandson. 350 00:30:02,425 --> 00:30:04,469 Spoiled. Soft. 351 00:30:06,221 --> 00:30:08,681 The Senate might prefer the son of Germanicus. 352 00:30:10,517 --> 00:30:12,352 You're naming me next in line? 353 00:30:15,021 --> 00:30:16,314 I'm considering it. 354 00:30:19,150 --> 00:30:20,985 Will you release my mother? 355 00:30:27,242 --> 00:30:28,493 You earn my trust, 356 00:30:29,661 --> 00:30:30,620 and I will. 357 00:30:30,745 --> 00:30:32,831 [suspenseful music playing] 358 00:30:33,957 --> 00:30:37,585 [Amanda Ruggeri] Caligula was incredibly intelligent. 359 00:30:37,669 --> 00:30:39,087 He was very savvy. 360 00:30:39,170 --> 00:30:41,464 So when he's brought to Capri, 361 00:30:41,548 --> 00:30:44,133 the entire time you have to imagine he's trying to figure out, 362 00:30:44,217 --> 00:30:46,219 "How do I survive this?" 363 00:30:55,144 --> 00:30:58,731 [male aide] There's been reports of ongoing unrest along the border of Gaul. 364 00:30:59,148 --> 00:31:03,069 Germanic tribes from east of the Rhine have been crossing into the territory. 365 00:31:04,112 --> 00:31:05,321 [Tiberius] Gemellus, 366 00:31:06,030 --> 00:31:07,407 what would you suggest? 367 00:31:08,992 --> 00:31:11,703 Can't we just send an army and attack them? 368 00:31:14,455 --> 00:31:16,457 Caligula, do you agree? 369 00:31:21,421 --> 00:31:24,299 [Caligula] The last thing we want is a full scale war with Germania. 370 00:31:25,091 --> 00:31:27,552 We could send a legion to patrol the border, 371 00:31:27,635 --> 00:31:31,347 stationing them on the west bank with strict orders not to cross. 372 00:31:33,349 --> 00:31:37,395 Their presence should be enough to deter the tribes from raiding. 373 00:31:40,857 --> 00:31:42,984 See to it a legion is sent to the Rhine. 374 00:31:44,861 --> 00:31:47,947 With strict orders not to cross. 375 00:31:52,827 --> 00:31:55,204 There was a process on the Island of Capri, 376 00:31:55,288 --> 00:31:56,789 I mean, it was a dynamic, 377 00:31:56,873 --> 00:32:01,586 in which Caligula and Gemellus were auditioning for the role of emperor. 378 00:32:04,631 --> 00:32:08,593 It's hard not to feel sorry for Gemellus, Tiberius' grandson. 379 00:32:08,676 --> 00:32:12,513 He should have been the natural successor to Tiberius, 380 00:32:12,597 --> 00:32:17,769 but it's notable also that Gemellus wasn't trained in the same way that Caligula was. 381 00:32:23,775 --> 00:32:26,319 [man] Capri's an interesting place, isn't it? 382 00:32:28,529 --> 00:32:30,281 I don't envy your position. 383 00:32:31,032 --> 00:32:32,033 It's all right. 384 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:35,745 You really do remind me of him. 385 00:32:36,871 --> 00:32:37,789 Your father. 386 00:32:41,626 --> 00:32:42,877 You knew my father? 387 00:32:44,087 --> 00:32:45,880 I served with him when he was Consul. 388 00:32:46,673 --> 00:32:50,093 He would have made a great emperor, had he gotten the chance. 389 00:32:51,719 --> 00:32:53,554 The throne belonged to your father. 390 00:32:54,681 --> 00:32:55,807 It belongs to you. 391 00:32:56,307 --> 00:32:58,101 It was what Augustus wanted. 392 00:32:59,435 --> 00:33:02,981 Instead, we've been left with a demented old man, 393 00:33:04,023 --> 00:33:05,942 driving the Empire to its ruin. 394 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:11,239 If the Senate has any say in the matter, it'll be you who inherits the throne. 395 00:33:11,489 --> 00:33:12,448 The sooner, the better. 396 00:33:16,035 --> 00:33:19,956 Our sources are full of deliciously horrible stories 397 00:33:20,039 --> 00:33:22,208 about Tiberius on Capri. 398 00:33:22,291 --> 00:33:27,880 Tiberius supposedly had his enemies tossed from the top of the cliff into the sea. 399 00:33:28,548 --> 00:33:32,969 So Caligula could only have known how uneasy his position was, 400 00:33:33,052 --> 00:33:36,180 how dangerous it was to betray Tiberius' trust. 401 00:33:56,784 --> 00:33:58,202 Come. Sit. 402 00:34:15,094 --> 00:34:16,596 [Tiberius] Would you like to join them? 403 00:34:17,805 --> 00:34:19,766 If you want to be emperor one day, 404 00:34:20,892 --> 00:34:23,561 you must learn what it means to live like an emperor. 405 00:34:29,358 --> 00:34:30,276 Go on. 406 00:34:32,737 --> 00:34:33,654 I insist. 407 00:34:42,872 --> 00:34:45,833 [Anthony Everitt] Caligula was summoned by Tiberius to train him up and to give him a little bit of his wisdom. 408 00:34:50,296 --> 00:34:55,301 Tiberius encouraged Caligula in all kinds of vices around sex. 409 00:34:58,763 --> 00:35:01,140 [Anthony Murdoch] The Romans were much more sexually liberated 410 00:35:01,224 --> 00:35:05,103 than certainly we were, or anyone rediscovering them in the Renaissance. 411 00:35:05,645 --> 00:35:10,942 Also, the Romans tended not to care about sexual mores. 412 00:35:23,371 --> 00:35:25,706 Listen to me very carefully. Are you listening? 413 00:35:25,790 --> 00:35:26,707 Yes. 414 00:35:26,791 --> 00:35:28,668 Do not speak unless spoken to. 415 00:35:28,751 --> 00:35:30,002 Tell the truth. 416 00:35:30,628 --> 00:35:32,088 And do not show any emotion. 417 00:35:33,381 --> 00:35:35,424 -Understand? -Yeah. 418 00:35:41,472 --> 00:35:43,349 I'd never speak out against you! 419 00:35:43,599 --> 00:35:45,601 Ever! I swear! 420 00:35:46,978 --> 00:35:48,396 She's lying! 421 00:35:49,230 --> 00:35:50,106 I'm not. 422 00:35:51,983 --> 00:35:53,359 What did he say to you? 423 00:35:58,114 --> 00:35:59,115 [yells] What did he say? 424 00:35:59,198 --> 00:36:01,951 He said-- He said that you're a demented old man. 425 00:36:04,287 --> 00:36:06,247 And that if it were up to the Senate, 426 00:36:07,290 --> 00:36:09,417 I should be the one to inherit the throne. 427 00:36:13,629 --> 00:36:15,047 The sooner, the better. 428 00:36:26,976 --> 00:36:27,894 Kill him. 429 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:30,730 [gasps, mutters] 430 00:36:32,398 --> 00:36:33,900 -[slicing noise] -[man groans in pain] 431 00:36:34,525 --> 00:36:38,070 [man screams] 432 00:36:38,779 --> 00:36:39,989 [squishing sound] 433 00:36:42,116 --> 00:36:46,954 The one thing we're told about how Caligula was able to ingratiate himself 434 00:36:47,038 --> 00:36:50,333 to Tiberius was not showing any emotion whatsoever. 435 00:36:50,416 --> 00:36:54,295 Tiberius was known for his dissimulation, for his hiding his emotions. 436 00:36:54,378 --> 00:36:56,839 And Caligula tried to out-Tiberius Tiberius. 437 00:36:56,923 --> 00:37:01,886 Living under the emperor Tiberius, there was every single reason to fear. 438 00:37:10,937 --> 00:37:12,146 [coughing] 439 00:37:13,356 --> 00:37:16,317 [narrator] Six years after bringing Caligula to Capri, 440 00:37:17,109 --> 00:37:18,653 Tiberius has fallen ill. 441 00:37:22,323 --> 00:37:24,575 But he still hasn't named a successor, 442 00:37:25,534 --> 00:37:27,495 and now time is running out. 443 00:37:34,835 --> 00:37:36,587 Tell me, honestly. 444 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:39,257 He doesn't have much time. 445 00:37:39,382 --> 00:37:41,842 [Tiberius coughing] 446 00:37:47,932 --> 00:37:49,767 [narrator] With the emperor on his deathbed, 447 00:37:50,434 --> 00:37:53,396 Macro knows he has to get Caligula on his side. 448 00:38:02,655 --> 00:38:03,906 [Macro] I'm sorry to interrupt. 449 00:38:04,407 --> 00:38:06,409 Yes? What is it? 450 00:38:12,456 --> 00:38:13,457 Your mother. 451 00:38:17,420 --> 00:38:18,838 She's passed away. 452 00:38:24,260 --> 00:38:25,094 When? 453 00:38:26,554 --> 00:38:27,513 A few years ago. 454 00:38:28,055 --> 00:38:29,473 I've just found out. 455 00:38:30,933 --> 00:38:32,268 [Caligula exhales sharply] 456 00:38:35,062 --> 00:38:38,441 [Amanda Ruggeri] When Caligula finds out what happened to the rest of his family, 457 00:38:38,524 --> 00:38:41,027 his mother, his two brothers, he doesn't react. 458 00:38:41,777 --> 00:38:43,529 He has no emotional reaction. 459 00:38:43,696 --> 00:38:47,199 He had simply learned that to react poorly 460 00:38:47,283 --> 00:38:52,121 was almost certainly to bring some kind of punishment down on him, 461 00:38:52,204 --> 00:38:55,291 whether that was exile, imprisonment, or execution. 462 00:39:07,345 --> 00:39:09,513 [narrator] When Caligula arrived in Capri, 463 00:39:10,181 --> 00:39:14,685 Tiberius' grandson, Gemellus, was a spoiled 12-year-old 464 00:39:15,519 --> 00:39:17,772 who believed he was entitled to the throne. 465 00:39:25,529 --> 00:39:28,741 But now, at 18, Gemellus' bloodline 466 00:39:28,824 --> 00:39:32,495 is the only thing keeping Caligula from becoming the next emperor. 467 00:39:34,538 --> 00:39:38,376 The reality is that Caligula is beloved by the Roman people. 468 00:39:38,459 --> 00:39:40,044 Caligula has the ancestry, 469 00:39:40,127 --> 00:39:44,799 he has the history, and all he really has to do is show up. 470 00:39:45,424 --> 00:39:48,969 And Caligula is immediately going to be better liked, more influential, 471 00:39:49,053 --> 00:39:51,347 and more powerful than Gemellus will be. 472 00:39:52,681 --> 00:39:55,434 By considering Gemellus as his heir, 473 00:39:55,518 --> 00:39:59,522 Tiberius is essentially trying to buy time for his grandson. 474 00:39:59,688 --> 00:40:03,150 Because the reality is is that if he doesn't become princeps, 475 00:40:03,401 --> 00:40:06,153 that Gemellus could be killed because he is a liability. 476 00:40:18,833 --> 00:40:20,459 [narrator] In 37 A.D., 477 00:40:21,001 --> 00:40:22,920 Tiberius makes his decision. 478 00:40:36,851 --> 00:40:40,438 Tomorrow, in the Senate, there will be a reading of my final will. 479 00:40:41,939 --> 00:40:45,067 So there can be no confusion about my intentions. 480 00:40:46,527 --> 00:40:47,820 I have decided... 481 00:40:48,988 --> 00:40:51,240 the two of you shall rule together, as brothers. 482 00:40:56,912 --> 00:40:59,665 I'm naming you co-heirs to the throne. 483 00:41:00,958 --> 00:41:02,960 [suspenseful music playing] 484 00:41:11,218 --> 00:41:14,972 Tiberius must have known that you can't split an empire in half. 485 00:41:15,473 --> 00:41:18,517 I think he just decided to kind of leave it up to fate 486 00:41:18,601 --> 00:41:21,103 and hope that something would work out. 487 00:41:22,521 --> 00:41:24,648 [narrator] Caligula now has a choice: 488 00:41:25,399 --> 00:41:28,569 respect Tiberius' wishes and share the throne, 489 00:41:30,070 --> 00:41:35,201 or take out the one person standing in his way of becoming emperor. 490 00:41:35,409 --> 00:41:37,411 [music intensifies] [theme music playing]