Caligula

=== Gaius Caligula (37-41) was the son of the popular Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder, and took power after Tiberius' death. ===

Succession
Caligula (named so for his small military boots) was favored by the Praetorian Guard for emperor, and took power after Tiberius' death. Despite the people's inital hesistance, he conducted himself into Rome with great honors.
 * After being confirmed by the Senate,
 * he responded by moving to restore senatorial privelege
 * publish an imperial budget
 * created new courts to handle backlog of cases (due to Tiberius' absense)
 * He went to races and showed himself as accessible
 * started new building projects

Disease and Fall
Caligula fell seriously ill to a brain fever, and afterwards was never the same.

Pissing off the Senate

 * quarrelled violently in 39; ruled more and more autocratically
 * deified his sister Drusilla (his other sister was Agrippina the Younger )
 * dressed as gods in public
 * made his favorite racehorse consul
 * performed in the games, as a gladiator, charioteer, and singer (pandering to the people but enraging the Senate)

Death
His megalomania, increasing paranoia and instability, led to his assasination by the Praetorian Guard, whom he relentlessly humiliated.