January 24

in History

Rome, Roman EmpireClassical

Caligula Assassinated

The Praetorian Guard murders its own emperor

In the underground corridors beneath Rome's Palatine Hill, members of the Praetorian Guard cornered Emperor Caligula and struck him down with their swords. The assassination, led by the officer Cassius Chaerea, ended a reign of terror marked by cruelty, excess, and madness. As Caligula's blood pooled on the palace floor, the guards proclaimed his uncle Claudius the new emperor, plucked from hiding behind a curtain to ascend the throne of the world.

41 AD

Ladysmith, South AfricaEarly 20th Century

1900

Siege of Ladysmith Holds

Boers block Britain at Spion Kop

The Boer forces successfully repelled a British attempt to break the siege of Ladysmith during the Battle of Spion Kop. The besieged British garrison, running low on supplies and morale, watched helplessly as their relief column was turned back. The failed assault demonstrated the Boers' formidable defensive capabilities and the limitations of British imperial tactics in the rugged terrain of southern Africa.

1900 AD

American strategic bomber aircraftLate 20th Century

1961

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress carrying two Mark 39 nuclear weapons broke up in mid-air near Goldsboro, North Carolina.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American subsonic jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1955 and was flown by NASA from 1959 to 2007. The bomber can carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons and has a typical combat range of around 8,800 miles (14,200 km) without aerial refueling.

1961 AD