# Caligula declaring war on the Sea. Did it happen?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caligula-declaring-war-on-the-sea-did-it-happen/1006489>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 30, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caligula-declaring-war-on-the-sea-did-it-happen/1006489 "2024-08-30T21:56:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2024, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caligula-declaring-war-on-the-sea-did-it-happen/1006489/21 "2024-09-01T23:53:24Z")

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> [@griffin1977](#):
>
> But it’s the ancient world. If we only believe events happened that are described by unbiased primary sources, then nothing happened before like 1600,

IIRC Pliny the Younger gave a first–hand account of Pompeii and his uncle (the Elder) during the eruption. Some of Josephus’ writings were failry contemporary, although the passage on Jesus is alleged to have been embellished. If instead of original text you mean original manuscripts, not copied… good luck with that.

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**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caligula-declaring-war-on-the-sea-did-it-happen/1006489/22 "2024-09-02T00:06:16Z")

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> [@md-2000](#):
>
> IIRC Pliny the Younger gave a first–hand account of Pompeii and his uncle (the Elder) during the eruption. Some of Josephus’ writings were failry contemporary, although the passage on Jesus is alleged to have been embellished

That was somewhat hyperbolic there are some ancient events we have multiple independent first hand accounts of. Though of course unbiased sources do not exist, whether we are talking a polemic by a 1st century Roman aristocrat or a impeccably researched 21st century history

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**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caligula-declaring-war-on-the-sea-did-it-happen/1006489/23 "2024-09-02T00:37:59Z")

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> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> I believe that approach was tried

That gives me a chance to bring up my current favorite podcast [the constant](https://www.constantpodcast.com/). I just heard their episode on…

> **[Jean Hardouin](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Hardouin)**
>
> Jean Hardouin (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}French pronunciation: \[ʒɑ̃ aʁdwɛ̃\]; English: John Hardwin; Latin: Johannes Harduinus; 23 December 1646 – 3 September 1729), was a French priest and classical scholar who was well known during his lifetime for his editions of ancient authors, and for writing a history of the ecumenical co...

Who believed all historical writings (and all the events to they described) prior to 14th century to be made up

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**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/caligula-declaring-war-on-the-sea-did-it-happen/1006489/24 "2024-09-02T02:22:18Z")

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> [@susan](#):
>
> Robert Graves

One random fact I discovered googling the OP is it was his invention that Caligula was specifically declaring war on Neptune, with his beach side military excursion, rather than declaring war on the sea.

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