Chapter 29 Summary

The events of this chapter occur in 38 AD. Caligula quickly ascends to the throne of the Emperor without any opposition. At first, he shows remarkable largess, repaying loans, paying debts, issuing rewards, building infrastructure, and raising military pay. He assumes the treasury with about twenty-seven million gold pieces, and in the first three months of his rule, he spends about seven million pieces of gold. Caligula then decrees that Claudius must, as a member of the Imperial family, reside at the palace—Claudius bids his beloved prostitute Calpurnia goodbye. At the palace, Caligula routinely engages in incestuous sexual relations with his three sisters—Drusilla is his favored mistress. Caligula entertains various sexual perverts and openly engages in the most licentious behavior imaginable.

Caligula then sickens and hovers on death's door. After several days of high fever, he suddenly regains his strength...