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Researchers at Yale suggest the Roman emperor Caligula (12-41 AD) had a fondness for plants and knew their medicinal properties.
Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, commonly known as Caligula, was the third ruler of the Roman Empire, reigning from 37 to 41 AD. Records of his brief, tumultuous rule portray him as extravagant and given to outrageous acts, sadism, and sexual excesses.
A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts suggests the emperor may have had a solid understanding of ancient pharmacology.
Trevor Luke, lead author of the study and a member of Yale’s Ancient Pharmacology Program, said Caligula has long been portrayed as insane. But the research team found the emperor likely had a good grasp of plants’ medicinal properties.
The researchers specifically analyzed an incident from the emperor’s life recounted by the ancient Roman historian Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus in his work “The Twelve Caesars.”
This 2nd-century collection of biographies of Roman rulers includes a passage suggesting “Caligula was more knowledgeable about medicine than previously thought.”
The text describes an unnamed Roman senator suffering from an unknown ailment. He took leave and traveled to the Greek resort of Antikyra hoping to be treated with hellebore. When the senator asked Caligula to extend his leave, the emperor executed him—according to Suetonius, saying “for someone who has not benefited from hellebore all this time, bloodletting is necessary.”
The Yale researchers shed new light on this excerpt, emphasizing Caligula’s knowledge of medicinal plants and the importance of the Antikyra spa in the ancient world. Wealthy and influential Romans traveled there for treatment, the Independent reports.
“This is an example of ancient medical tourism. Roman officials would go there for healing, just as today’s influencers visit Rochester, Minnesota, to take advantage of the latest offerings at the Mayo Clinic,” Dr. Luke said.
Antikyra, located in the Corinthian Gulf in the region of Phocis (central Greece), was known for its unique treatment methods using hellebore, particularly for epilepsy and mental disorders. Texts mention two varieties of this plant—white hellebore for treating head ailments and black hellebore for cleansing the intestines.
The port city was famous for special infusions made from hellebore that relieved patients of melancholy, madness, epilepsy, and gout. Because the term “hellebore” covered several different plants, studying ancient healing methods is difficult.
Researchers speculate Caligula frequently visited the resort. Historical records suggest he likely suffered from epilepsy and insomnia.
“Perhaps Suetonius was mistaken, and Caligula did not order the execution of this man but simply prescribed an alternative treatment that he had read about or knew from personal experience,” Dr. Luke said in the emperor’s defense.
