12 The Roman emperor Caligula was born Gaius Caesar.in Antium (modern day Anzio) on August 31, 12AD. His Roman general father, Germanicus Caesar was the adopted son of Tiberius. The infant Gaius traveled with his parents among the legions of Rome and the soldiers were amused when he wore a miniature soldier costume He was soon given his nickname "Caligula" (or Caligulae), meaning "Little Soldier('s boots)" in Latin, after the small boots he wore as part of his costume.
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| Emperor Caligula, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. By Louis le Grand |
161 Roman emperor Lucius Aurelius Commodus Antoninus was born on August 31, 161 in Lanuvium, near Rome. He was the son of the reigning emperor, Marcus Aurelius, and Aurelius' first cousin, Faustina the Younger, the youngest daughter of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius. Commodus ruled as co-emperor with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until his father's death in 180. His accession as emperor in 180 was the first time a son had succeeded his father since Titus succeeded Vespasian in 79.
1422 Henry V of England was prematurely aged due to living the hard life of a soldier. After he caught dysentery at the Siege of Meaux in May 1422 Henry's health steadily deteriorated in the following months. He died at the Chateau of Bois de Vincennes in France on the morning of August 31, 1422 leaving as heir his nine month old son Henry.