La Laguna Lecture to Reexamine Legacy of Roman Emperor Caligula
Historian Óscar Hernández Abreu will conclude the "XIII Classical Gatherings" in San Cristóbal de La Laguna this Friday with a lecture re-examining the life of Roman Emperor Caligula through modern archaeological evidence.
This Friday, the "XIII Classical Gatherings" series in San Cristóbal de La Laguna will conclude with a fresh look at Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus—better known as Caligula. Hosted by the Canary Islands branch of the Spanish Society of Classical Studies (SEEC-Canarias), the lecture aims to move past the myths and scandals that have defined this controversial Roman emperor for two thousand years.
The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country of Tenerife, located at 23 San Agustín Street. The session will be led by historian and popularizer Óscar Hernández Abreu.
Hernández Abreu plans to challenge the traditional, often biased accounts written by ancient chroniclers by comparing them with modern archaeological evidence. His goal is to provide a more accurate portrait of the man who became the leader of the Roman Empire at just 24 years old, stripping away the long-standing reputation of madness and depravity.
A graduate of the University of La Laguna and founder of the digital project Historiae, Hernández Abreu is well-known for bridging the gap between academic research and public outreach. With over 100,000 followers and nine million views across his digital platforms, he is a prominent voice in making history accessible. This final lecture of the series highlights the importance of using verified, modern sources to update our understanding of the ancient world.