Were the Julio Claudians really as bad as they seem?

             The Julio Claudian dynasty refers to the first five emperors who ruled in the Roman Empire. These rulers consisted of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. They held their reign in the time of the second half of the first century, ending when Nero took his own life. Both ancient historical writers did not write about any of the five emperors in a positive way, instead making them out as unsuccessful and even a bit crazy. Augustus kept on remarrying his only daughter, Julia, so he could possess an heir to the thrown after he died. Tiberius was next who was officially adopted by Emperor Augustus. Tiberius was known for his extreme cruelty, breaking a young boy’s legs when he complained. Then there was Caligula who became the first actual “Julio Claudian” emperor, belonging to both ancestries. Not only that however, he was also a direct descendent of Augustus Caesar. But even with his powerful dynasty, Caligula was still a little insane. To ensure his right to the throne, he killed his own cousin Tiberius Gemellus. Caligula also found amusement in death, money, and sexual intercourse. Following Caligula was Claudius who was Caligula’s uncle. Claudius was found hidden behind a curtain when told he was the new ruler of the Roman Emperor. His great nephew, Nero, was next in line to the throne when Claudius died from poison. Nero also being another direct descendant from Augustus Caesar, executed his own mother then framed it as a suicide. It was also said that he sang and dressed up in costume when the Roman Empire erupted into flames, destroying three out of the fourteen Roman districts and severely damaging seven more. These first five emperors of the Roman Empire were all too eager to commit murder if to only guarantee their own rule to the throne. They only cared about the power instead of the greater good of the Roman Empire. These rulers were not extraordinary instead they were ordinary at the most.