After his death, the Senate declared Caligula a national enemy. They passed a damnatio memoriae —an attempted erasure from history. His statues were melted down. His coins were recalled. His name was forbidden to be spoken.
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Caligula’s reign began in AD 37 with immense popularity. He was young (25), charismatic, and the son of the beloved Germanicus. In his first seven months, he was hailed as a "democratic" emperor who: and recalled political exiles. The Emperor Caligula- The Untold Story
The untold story begins not in a palace, but in a military camp stained with blood. After his death, the Senate declared Caligula a
Second, the "seashells" ( conchae ) are a mistranslation. In Latin military slang, conchae could also refer to the temporary huts or boats of the enemy. Some scholars argue the soldiers were not collecting seashells but dismantling makeshift enemy structures. The image of a madman picking up clams is a later fabrication by his assassins. His coins were recalled