Changing of the Emperor

     Usually I like to get out and take photos of the subject matters that I like to write about. However, it's been way to cold the last two days and sometimes topics do just jump out at cha, because of the subject matter and level of interest. So today is Neil Diamond's birthday, but I will not be making many comments about that, other than to point out that he is popular in Red Sox nation.  Which is fine, because the Yankees have Sinatra. Enough said there, one is nice and fine but the other is an all-time venerable classic. So happy birthday Neil!!  Now, the real hook into today's history is Caligula.  No, not the orgiastic movie starring Malcolm McDowell, there was actually a real guy, who ruled over the Roman Empire from 37-41 CE.
     Caligula was the third Roman Emperor, after the fall of the Republic.  He would follow the regime of Octavian, who was able to wrestle control away from Marc Antony in a decisive civil war, thus further consolidating power and setting up a line of emperors.  His rule was short and there is a certain amount of debate as to the validity of the historical record. However it goes like this, the first two years of his reign seemed peaceful and smooth. The second two, not so much.  He embarked on several grandiose building projects, mainly improving his own dwellings, while bankrupting Rome.  He was known for his intense cruelty, including having an entire section of the crowd thrown to hungry animals, while overseeing events at the Coliseum.  He was known for his perverse sexual exploits, incest, orgies and pimping out of family members as well as his apparent lunacy.  Often claiming to be divine and dressing in the wardrobe of the gods, like Hercules, he would parade around in public.
     Well on this day, 41 CE, the overspending and kinky emperor was put to death by the Praetorian Guard, who had conspired with the Senate to dispose of the despot.  He was immediately replaced by his uncle Claudius.