 It was part of what the author called the "Cycle of the Absurd", with the novel "The Stranger" (1942) and the essay "The Myth of Sisyphus" (1942).A number of critics have reported the piece to be existentialist; however, Camus always denied belonging to this philosophy.Its plot revolves around the historical figure of Caligula, a Roman Emperor famed for his cruelty and seemingly insane behavior.