Caligula (Gaius Caligula), reign 37 to 41 A.D.
The name itself has become synonymous with unbridled tyranny, outrageous excess, and plain old fashioned insanity. Caligula has been universally demonized and sensationalized throughout history as a monster of unparalleled depravity. To put it lightly, the dude had some problems.
As a child, Gaius was bestowed the nickname Caligula ("little boot" or "half-boot" in Latin), by Roman soldiers who grew accustomed to seeing him tag along on campaigns with his father, the legendary commander Germanicus.
Upon the death of Tiberius, Caligula shoved aside Tiberius' grandson Gemellus, who was supposed to be co-emperor, and began his short but infamous reign. It started out well enough, with acts of charity, gifts to the people, and a bold announcement of plans to conquer Britannia. The Roman people rejoiced, and were glad to be rid of the unpopular Tiberius. A few months in, however, Caligula was gripped by a serious illness, possibly the result of a nervous breakdown. After that episode, things started going downhill. Caligula became mad with power and demanded to be treated as a living god. The tales of his dementia are well-known; He forced the soldiers gathered for the invasion of Britain to gather seashells on the beach to bring back to Rome as plunder (possibly untrue). He tried to make his favorite race horse a consul. He banged his sisters. He had a bridge of ships constructed so he could ride the horse across the Bay of Baiae. He made senators' wives partake in palace orgies and then sold them off as prostitutes to raise money. Creative methods of fund raising aside, the treasury was heavily depleted during his reign. So naturally there were random arrests and seizures of property based on supposed treason charges. At least victims could count on a a fair trial...or not. Usually the judicial process was a circus. And by that I mean the accused were fed to wild beasts while people watched. At one point when he ran out of "criminals", he ordered the spectators at one of his circuses to be thrown to the lions to satisfy his blood lust.
After three and a half years of this tomfoolery, Caligula had no more friends left in Rome. He was assassinated in a plot led by the commander of the Praetorian Guard, who had been a favorite target for humiliation. He died at the age of 28, younger than his quarterback counterpart:
Michael Vick
There really is only one choice in this comparison. We all know the story of Michael Vick. A legend at Virginia Tech. Possibly the most captivating prospect in NFL history. A career marked initially by spectacular highlights and inconsistency. And a dramatic fall from grace following revelations of his dogfighting activities that sent shockwaves of horror across the nation, reaching many who had never watched an NFL game. Deservedly nor not, it's hard to find an athlete today who conjures up feelings of public outrage quite like Mike Vick. Was he as bad as Caligula? As far as I know, Vick never had homeboys thrown into the ring if he was running out of dogs. Of course, it is impossible to try to compare the respective transgressions of two people who lived in such different eras - it's hard to imagine the average ancient Roman getting worked up over dogfighting when there were actual humans getting disemboweled by lions and tigers for sport on a regular basis.
To be sure, the comparison hinges mainly on the public perception of two demonized figures. The average person will know little about the legacy of Caligula outside of his celebrated insanity, just as Vick's place in the public mind will most likely always be centered on his indiscretions in the world of canine combat. At least Vick is getting a second chance, so he's got that going for him.
