# Caligula — The Social Contract character guide

> Caligula in The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** the Emperor Caligula, Caligula

**First appearance:** 0007-iii-the-right-of-the-strongest

## Who they are

Roman emperor cited as example of tyranny and absurd power.

## Relationships

### [Aristotle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/characters/aristotle)

_psychological_

Aristotle's political philosophy is contrasted with Caligula's tyrannical rule as a negative example of a ruler without virtue.

## In the story

### [II: The First Societies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/ii-the-first-societies)

Cited for reasoning that kings are gods or men are beasts, aligning with Hobbes and Grotius.

### [The Legislator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/vii-the-legislator)

Cited as an example of arguing from facts about the need for gods to give laws.

### [Book IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/book-iv)

Cited as an example of a tyrant who claimed to be a god, illustrating the dangers of despotism.

### [Civil Religion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/chapters/viii-civil-religion)

Cited as an example of early reasoning that kings were gods, leading to theocracy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/characters/caligula
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_social_contract_se/characters