Family and Childhood

Abstract Caligula was born in Antium in ad 12. At some point he joined his father Germanicus, military commander of the legions in the Rhine military zones. His mother was Agrippina the Elder, granddaughter of Augustus. When Augustus died in ad 14 mutinies broke out among the Rhine legions and Caligula and his mother were briefly seized. After suppressing the mutinies Germanicus carried out campaigns in Germany then was recalled and celebrated a Triumph in Rome, in which Caligula participated. Germanicus was then despatched to Syria. Caligula was the only one of his five children to accompany his parents to Syria. In ad 18 Germanicus died in Antioch and Caligula returned to Rome with his mother and recently born sister.