24. Caligula declared himself a god during his terroristic reign
Caligula was one of several Roman emperors who inspired terror in the hearts of his subjects, including the Senate. His proclivity for sexual excess has been widely reported, some of it exaggerated and some of it likely true. Anyone suspected of treason under his rule was subject to arrest, torture, and execution, and treason was defined as acts against the emperor rather than against the state. Declaring himself to be a god antagonized many of the subjects of his realm, including both the Jews and emerging Christian sects. Caligula strove to increase the personal power of the emperor, weakening the balancing powers of the Roman government and using the wealth of the empire to erect luxurious palaces for himself. A conspiracy of Roman senators, members of the court, and the Praetorian Guard plotted the assassination of the hated emperor in 41 CE, after a reign just two months short of four years. Caligula had planned to move to Alexandria, from whence he would reign and be worshiped as a god, thus stripping Rome of its political power and prestige.