Incitatus facts for kids
Incitatus (pronounced "in-kih-TAH-tus") was the favorite horse of the Roman Emperor Caligula. His name means "swift" or "at full gallop." Caligula was emperor from 37 to 41 AD.
According to old stories, Caligula wanted to make Incitatus a consul. A consul was a very important government official in ancient Rome. These stories also say that Incitatus had 18 servants and lived in a fancy marble stable. He supposedly wore a harness decorated with special jewels and purple cloth, which was the color of royalty. He even ate from a manger made of ivory.
Contents
The Legend of Incitatus
Caligula's Plans for His Horse
The Roman writer Suetonius wrote about Incitatus around 121 AD. In his book Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Suetonius claimed that Emperor Caligula planned to make Incitatus a consul. He also wrote that the horse would "invite" important people to dinner at a house with servants.
Suetonius also described Incitatus's luxurious life. He said the horse had a stable made of marble and an ivory manger (a feeding trough). Incitatus supposedly slept on purple blankets and wore a collar covered in precious stones.
Another Roman writer, Cassius Dio, who lived later (165–235 AD), also wrote about Incitatus. He mentioned that the horse had many servants and was fed oats mixed with gold flakes. Cassius Dio also said that Caligula made Incitatus a priest.
Was the Story True?
Looking at Historical Accuracy
Many historians today question how true these stories about Incitatus are. Writers like Anthony A. Barrett suggest that later Roman writers, such as Suetonius and Dio Cassius, might have changed the stories. They may have done this to make earlier emperors like Caligula look bad. This could have helped the emperors who were in power at the time these stories were written.
Also, exciting and unusual stories often got more readers. So, adding dramatic details about Caligula and his horse made their writings more popular.
A Prank or Satire?
Many experts now believe that Caligula's actions with Incitatus were not a sign of him being crazy. Instead, they might have been a big prank. Caligula might have wanted to make fun of the Roman Senate (the main governing body).
Some scholars think it was a form of satire. This means it was a way to use humor to criticize. Caligula might have been suggesting that a horse could do the job of a senator just as well as some of the actual senators.
Historian Anthony A. Barrett noted that many stories about Incitatus probably came from Caligula's own jokes. Caligula would even pour drinks to honor Incitatus's health and well-being. He also joked that he planned to make the horse his priest.
It is important to know that ancient sources are clear: Incitatus was never actually made a consul.
In Books and Pop Culture
Incitatus as a Symbol
For hundreds of years, Incitatus has been used as a symbol. People refer to him when they talk about bad or silly political decisions. This idea goes back at least to 1742.
- In a play called The Cherry Orchard (1904) by Anton Chekhov, a character mentions that his family is related to "that very nag Caligula inducted into the Senate."
- The life of Incitatus is the topic of a poem called "Caligula" by Zbigniew Herbert. This poem is in his book Pan Cogito (1974).
- In the book I, Claudius by Robert Graves, Incitatus is shown as being made a senator. The book also says he was on the list to become a consul.
- The 2000 BBC Radio 4 comedy Me and Little Boots told Caligula's story from Incitatus's point of view.
- The progressive metal band Caligula's Horse is named after Incitatus.
- In the book The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan, Incitatus appears as a character who causes trouble.
See also
In Spanish: Incitatus para niños
- List of historical horses
- Non-human electoral candidates
