Could there ever have been any doubt that I was a Roman Emperor?
Given that as an adult I have been fatefully unsure of my career path in life, it was reassuring to recently rediscover the photo below. It reminded me that even from a young age (8), I knew where my calling lay.
[That's me on the right - the good looking one.]
Seeing me and my old best mate - Robbie Bauld - really did make me smile. We were so interested in our Junior-School project on the Romans, that we were allowed to dress up as Roman soldiers on the last day of term. We were so proud!
Of course, the histories tell us that I am not the first Emperor to have dressed up as a Roman soldier in childhood:
"... Gaius, born in the camp and brought up with the regular troops as his comrades. In their army fashion they had nicknamed him 'little boots' (Caligula), because as a popular gesture he was often dressed in miniature army boots. "
[Tacitus, Annals. I.41. See also: I.69]
"He got his surname Caligula, derived from Caliga, a kind of boot, by reason of a merry word passed around the camp because he was brought up there in the dress of a common soldier." [Suetonius, Caligula, 9]
Indeed, rather worryingly for me, Gaius Caligula did not go on to be one of Rome's best loved emperors [slight understatement] and has indeed been recorded as one of history's most evil psychopaths.
It wasn't just the dodgy film he made (the infamous one starring the young Dame Helen Mirren). See: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080491/
Anyway, I'd like to say - just for the record - that the comparison between Caligula and me ends there at the dressing up part. Even when work gets me stressed sometimes, I have never yet had men torn limb from limb just for my pleasure.
"Would God that the Roman People had but one neck!"
[Suetonius, Caligula, 30]
Oh yes, I've fantasised, but modern employment law just does not allow for that kind of thing.
Greetings, Emperor!
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to visit my no chickadees blog. I see you also have a splendid blog, full of wanderings and thoughts and links. With your permission I shall now google reader you.
Your humble servant,
She who is PurestGreen
Hey gadgie, what do you reckon to those rumours that Pontius Pilate was born at Fortingall?
ReplyDeleteThanks Naldo,
ReplyDeleteIt's a v. interesting wee story that I did not know about. I may have a wee look at it more in the future. Potentialy it could be true in terms of viability. But historically, its perhaps unlikley based on the dates of Roman conquest/expansion through Britian. Still, I'm no expert - its one of those one's that's a nice legend even if unture.
Cheers Neebs. (Keep the rants going on your blog)