Cassius Caria and the Praetorian Guard

Coligula was 28 years old and had ruled Rome for just shy of four years. The short and brutal reign of Coligula is an object lesson for why you don't put absolute power in the hands of one man, especially without vetting him first. At very night, the guard declared Claudius to be the new emperor, which, when word got out, seemed like some kind of sick joke. As we'll see next week though, Claudius seems to have had everyone fooled pretty well.