Which Roman emperor planned to make his favorite horse a consul?
Incitatus (meaning "swift" or "at full gallop") was the favorite horse of Roman emperor Caligula (reigned 37–41 AD). According to legend, Caligula planned to make him a consul.
According to Suetonius, in the Lives of the Twelve Caesars (121 AD), Caligula planned to make Incitatus a consul, and that the horse would "invite" dignitaries to dine with him in a house outfitted with servants there to entertain such events. He also wrote that he had a stable of marble, with an ivory manger, purple blankets, and a collar of precious stones.
Cassius Dio (155-235 AD) indicated that the horse was attended by servants and was fed oats mixed with gold flake, and that Caligula made the horse a priest.
More Info:
en.wikipedia.org
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16 Comments
Grant McIntosh
I think that a horse would probably make better decisions than most of today's politicians.
Nicholas Miernicki
Consul? I've read both "The Twelve Caesars" and Tacitus' "Annals of Imperial Rome" and if I remember correctly, he planned to make the horse a senator. Anyway, the designation "consul" was from the time of Roman Republic and I don't remember there being any consuls after Augustus became Emperor.
Agnes Forder
The one emperor that was truly mad
Iswardew Matai
Another example how rulers go insane.
Mentally not in balance to handle the acquired power.
Lots of them nowadays on planet.
deborahpmercer
He'd have made policy on the hoof during his rein!
Richard G Schwartz
Too bad Mr Ed wasn't around to give his views.
John W Shreve
Grant McIntosh, His certainly would have.
Player
Agnes Forder, it is believed using a modern understanding of mental health that he was bipolar.
Player
Yesterday I had a true or false on Caligula making his horse a senator. The answer was true.
Steve Tingle
Elsewhere I've read that he actually made him a consul!
jshehan
Karen S. Wolf, same here.
Kathryn Cavanagh
Knew the answer, and thinking on it a bit outside the square, Caligula and Trump would make a great pair..!! Both really crazy. And dangerously so.
jshehan
Vimala Padmaraj, No need to shout.
jshehan
The third time I've answered this question. The bot keeps rolling.
jshehan
deborahpmercer, good word work I like it!
Vimala Padmaraj
Agnes Forder, AGNES, IF YOU ASK ME MOST OF THEM WERE MAD. LIKE NERO FIDDLING WHILE ROME WAS BURNING. AND I DON'T FIND THE PRESENT DAY POLITICIANS IN INDIA ANY BETTER.