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jeered and spat in his face.
    Some of Caligula’s personal bodyguards rushed to his aid, but they were too late. Several Praetorians then swept through the palace seeking to kill any of his remaining relatives. Caligula’s fourth wife, Caesonia, was stabbed to death, and his baby daughter’s skull was smashed against a wall.
    Caligula’s bodyguards were so enraged that they started to kill people indisciminately. Most of the conspirators had managed to get away, but those who remained were simply killed along with many innocent people. The bodyguards blocked the exits to the theatre while others entered the area bearing the heads of their victims, which they proceeded to place on an altar. The remaining crowd were subdued and uncertain as to what exactly had happened. No one was sure whether Caligula was dead or just wounded, but the situation was diffused when Arruntius Evarestus, an auctioneer by trade, came into the theatre wearing mourning apparel. In a powerful voice, he announced that Caligula had been assassinated.
    As evening fell, Agrippa arranged to have Caligula’s body taken to the Gardens of Lamii, which was an imperial property on the Hill of Esquiline, just outside the city limits. His body was given a quick cremation and buried in a temporary grave.
    Caligula is best remembered, not as a famous emperor, but as a man who had a weird, depraved love of extremes. His name is synonymous with hedonism, insanity and cruelty, which was merely strengthened by his absolute power as emperor of Rome.

Vlad The Impaler

     
    Vlad Tepes, better known as Vlad the Impaler, is probably best remembered as being the character on whom Bram Stoker based his character, Dracula. However, the fictional character of Dracula is nowhere near as evil as the real-life Vlad the Impaler, who killed for the sheer pleasure of watching his victims writhe in pain. He was a tyrant of the worst possible kind and his story can still send shivers down the spine. He is remembered in history for his cruelty and particularly for his favoured form of torture and execution – impalement – from which he received the nickname Vlad the Impaler.
     
    A  BRIEF HISTORY
    Vlad the Impaler, otherwise known as Vlad III, Dracula, Drakulya, or Tepes, was born in late 1431 in the town of Sighisoara, Transylvania. He was the second son of Vlad II, or Dracul, who was the military governor of the principality of Wallachia. Vlad Dracul was also a knight in the Order of the Dragon, which was a secret fraternity created in 1387 by the emperor. The Order was a group of Slavic rulers and warlords who were sworn to uphold the Christian faith by defending their empire against the Turks of the Ottoman Empire.
    Vlad Dracul was not happy to simply serve as the governor of Wallachia and started to gather supporters in 1431 with the aim of taking over control from Alexandru I, the residing Danesti prince. Five years later, Vlad Dracul succeeded with his plan and killed Alexandru and became Prince Vlad II. He took up residence in the palace of Tirgoviste, which is where the young Vlad Tepes had his first taste of the luxurious lifestyle that he grew to love.
    After two years of his reign, Vlad II betrayed the Order of the Dragon by forming an alliance with the Turks. His next move probably had a devastating effect on his sons, as he offered Vlad Tepes and his younger brother, Radu, as security that he would not attack the Turks. However, in 1447, Vlad II was assassinated by one of his own relatives, John Hunyadi, who had devoted his life to the Order and did not approve of Vlad II’s defiance. Despite the fact that Hunyadi tried to persuade Vlad II to join his Christian forces, he continued to remain neutral and sent his eldest son, Mircea, instead. The Christian army was completely destroyed in the Battle of Varna, although Hunyadi managed to escape. Hunyadi felt hostile towards Vlad II and Mircea and arranged for them both to be assassinated.
    Although Vlad Tepes was