Claudius
Emperor of the Roman Empire
Reign	January 24 41–October 13 54
Full name	Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Britannicus AD 44)
Born	August 1 10 BC
Birthplace	Lugdunum
Died	October 13, 54 (age 63)
Buried	Mausoleum of Augustus
Predecessor	Caligula
Successor	Nero, stepson by 4th wife
Wives	Failed betrothals—Aemilia Lepida and Livia Medullina 1) Plautia Urgulanilla, AD 9–24 2) Aelia Paetina, AD 28–31 3) Messalina, AD 38–48 4) Agrippina the Younger, AD 49–54
Dynasty	Julio–Claudian
Father	Nero Claudius Drusus
Mother	Antonia Minor
Children	1) Claudius Drusus (died in adolescence) 2) Claudia Antonia 3) Claudia Octavia 4) Britannicus

Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus or Claudius I (August 1, 10 BC – October 13, AD 54) (Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus before his accession) was the fourth Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from January 24, AD 41 to his death in AD 54. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman This article is about the city in Gaul for other uses of Lugdunum see Lugdunum (disambiguation Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum (modern Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 54 was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. The Mausoleum of Augustus was a large tomb built by the Roman Emperor Augustus in 28 BC on the Campus Martius in Rome. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Aemilia Lepida is the name of Roman women belonging to the Gens Aemilia. Livia Medullina Camilla (fl 1st Century was the second fiancee of the future Emperor Claudius. Plautia Urgulanilla (fl first century) was the first wife of the future Roman Emperor Claudius. Aelia Paetina or Paetina was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century Julia Agrippina; known as Agrippina Minor ( Latin for the ‘younger’, Classical Latin: IVLIA•AGRIPPINA from the year 50 The Julio-Claudian Dynasty refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus (Octavian Tiberius, Caligula (Gaius Claudius, and Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, born Decimus Claudius Drusus (the date of his name change is unknown and variously called Drusus, Drusus I, Nero Antonia Minor ( PIR2 A 885 also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia ( 31 January 36 BC-September/October 37 was a Claudia Antonia ( Classical Latin: ANTONIA•CLAUDII•CAESARIS•FILIA (ca Claudia Octavia ( Classical Latin: CLAVDIA•OCTAVIA (Late 39 or early 40- 9 June 62 was a Roman Empress step-sister and first wife to Roman Emperor For the 1669 Tragedy by French Dramatist Jean Racine, see Britannicus (play. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 54 was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period (starting at about 27 BC The Julio-Claudian Dynasty refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus (Octavian Tiberius, Caligula (Gaius Claudius, and Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled Year 41 was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. Born in Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon, France), to Drusus and Antonia Minor, he was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italia. This article is about the city in Gaul for other uses of Lugdunum see Lugdunum (disambiguation Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum (modern Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, born Decimus Claudius Drusus (the date of his name change is unknown and variously called Drusus, Drusus I, Nero Antonia Minor ( PIR2 A 885 also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia ( 31 January 36 BC-September/October 37 was a Italia, under the Roman Republic and later Empire, was the name of the Italian peninsula.

Claudius was considered a rather unlikely man to become emperor. He was reportedly afflicted with some type of disability, and his family had virtually excluded him from public office until his consulship with his nephew Caligula in AD 37. Consul (abbrev cos; Latin plural consules) was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor Year 37 was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Julian calendar. This infirmity may have saved him from the fate of many other Roman nobles during the purges of Tiberius' and Caligula's reigns. Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman His very survival led to his being declared emperor after Caligula's assassination, at which point he was the last adult male of his family.

Despite his lack of political experience, Claudius proved to be an able administrator and a great builder of public works. His reign saw an expansion of the empire, including the conquest of Britain. This page refers to the conquest begun in AD 43 For other Roman invasions see Caesar's invasions of Britain and Carausian Revolt. He took a personal interest in the law, presided at public trials, and issued up to twenty edicts a day; however, he was seen as vulnerable throughout his rule, particularly by the nobility. Claudius was constantly forced to shore up his position—resulting in the deaths of many senators. The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic. Claudius also suffered tragic setbacks in his personal life, one of which may have led to his murder. These events damaged his reputation among the ancient writers. More recent historians have revised this opinion.

Claudius' affliction and personality

Detail of statue of Claudius as Jupiter.

The historian Suetonius describes the physical manifestations of Claudius' affliction in relatively good detail. The Julio-Claudian Dynasty refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus (Octavian Tiberius, Caligula (Gaius Claudius, and Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was Julia the Elder (October 39 BC - 14 known to her contemporaries as Julia Caesaris filia or Julia Augusti filia ( Classical Latin: IVLIA•CAESARIS•FILIA See also Gaius Julius Caesar, for others of the same name Gaius Julius Caesar (20 BC - AD 4 most commonly known as Julius Caesar, was For other men named Lucius (Julius Caesar see Lucius Julius Caesar Lucius Julius Caesar (17 BC-2 most commonly known as Lucius Caesar Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus (12 BC-14 also known as Agrippa Postumus or Postumus Agrippa, was a son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman Nero Claudius Drusus, later Drusus Julius Caesar (his adoptive name (13 BC- September 14 23) was the only child of Roman Emperor Tiberius Germanicus Julius Caesar ( 24 May 16 BC or 15 BC&ndash October 10, 19) Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor For the identically named daughter of Germanicus, see Drusilla (sister of Caligula. Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus, known as Tiberius Gemellus, ( 10 October AD 19 &ndash AD 37 or 38 was the son of Drusus and Claudia Antonia ( Classical Latin: ANTONIA•CLAUDII•CAESARIS•FILIA (ca Claudia Octavia ( Classical Latin: CLAVDIA•OCTAVIA (Late 39 or early 40- 9 June 62 was a Roman Empress step-sister and first wife to Roman Emperor For the 1669 Tragedy by French Dramatist Jean Racine, see Britannicus (play. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Claudia Augusta (PIR2 C 1061 was the only daughter of the Roman Emperor Nero by his second wife Roman Empress Poppaea Sabina. ^[1] His knees were weak and gave way under him and his head shook. He stammered and his speech was confused. He slobbered and his nose ran when he was excited. The Stoic Seneca states in his Apocolocyntosis that Claudius' voice belonged to no land animal, and that his hands were weak as well;^[2] however, he showed no physical deformity, as Suetonius notes that when calm and seated he was a tall, well-built figure of dignitas. Stoicism, a school of Hellenistic philosophy, was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early third century BC Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca, or Seneca the Younger; Σένεκας in Ancient Greek literature (c The Pumpkinification of ( the Divine) Claudius or Apocolocyntosis (divi Claudii is a political satire on the Roman emperor Claudius Dignitas is a Latin word referring to a unique social concept in the ancient Roman mindset ^[1] When angered or stressed, his symptoms became worse. Historians agree that this improved upon his accession to the throne. ^[3] Claudius himself claimed that he had exaggerated his ailments to save his own life. ^[4]

The modern diagnosis has changed several times in the past century. Prior to World War II, infantile paralysis (or polio) was widely accepted as the cause. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral Infectious disease spread from person to person primarily via This is the diagnosis used in Robert Graves' Claudius novels, first published in the 1930s. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. I Claudius is a Novel by English writer Robert Graves, first published in 1934, that deals sympathetically with the life of Polio does not explain many of the described symptoms, however, and a more recent theory implicates cerebral palsy as the cause, as outlined by Ernestine Leon. Cerebral palsy ( CP) is an Umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non- contagious conditions that cause Physical disability ^[5] Tourette syndrome is also a likely candidate for Claudius' symptoms. Tourette syndrome (also called Tourette's syndrome, Tourette's disorder, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, GTS or more commonly simply Tourette's ^[6]

On the personal front, the ancient historians describe Claudius as generous and lowbrow, a man who cracked lame jokes, laughed uncontrollably, and lunched with the plebeians. Plebs were the general body of landowners of Roman Citizens in Ancient Rome. ^[7] They also paint him as bloodthirsty and cruel, overly fond of both gladiatorial combat and executions, and very quick to anger (though Claudius himself acknowledged this last trait, and apologized publicly for his temper). Gladiators (gladiatores "swordsmen" or "one who uses a sword" from la ''gladius'' "sword" were professional fighters in Ancient Rome who fought ^[8] To them he was also overly trusting, and easily manipulated by his wives and freedmen. ^[9] But at the same time they portray him as paranoid and apathetic, dull and easily confused. ^[10] The extant works of Claudius present a different view, painting a picture of an intelligent, scholarly, well-read, and conscientious administrator with an eye to detail and justice. Thus, Claudius becomes an enigma. Since the discovery of his "Letter to the Alexandrians" in the last century, much work has been done to rehabilitate Claudius and determine where the truth lies.

Family and early life

Claudius was born Tiberius Claudius Drusus on August 1, 10 BC, in Lugdunum, Gaul, on the day of the dedication of an altar to Augustus. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman This article is about the city in Gaul for other uses of Lugdunum see Lugdunum (disambiguation Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum (modern Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was His parents were Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia, and he had two older siblings named Germanicus and Livilla. Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, born Decimus Claudius Drusus (the date of his name change is unknown and variously called Drusus, Drusus I, Nero Antonia Minor ( PIR2 A 885 also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia ( 31 January 36 BC-September/October 37 was a Germanicus Julius Caesar ( 24 May 16 BC or 15 BC&ndash October 10, 19) (Claudia Livia Julia ( Classical Latin: LIVIA•IVLIA most commonly known by her family nickname of Livilla (the "little Livia" Antonia may have had two other children who died young, as well.

His maternal grandparents were Mark Antony and Octavia Minor, Caesar Augustus' sister. Marcus Antonius (in Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N ( c January 14 83 BC&ndash August 1, 30 BC known in English as Mark Octavia Minor (69 - 11 BC also known as Octavia the Younger or simply Octavia, was the sister of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus (known also His paternal grandparents were Livia, Augustus' third wife, and Tiberius Claudius Nero. Livia Drusilla, after 14 AD called Julia Augusta ( Classical Latin: LIVIA•DRVSILLA IVLIA•AVGVSTA (58 BC-29 AD was the wife of Tiberius Claudius Nero (ca 85 - 33 BC was a member of the Claudian Family of Ancient Rome. During his reign, Claudius revived the rumor that his father Drusus was actually the illegitimate son of Augustus.

In 9 BC, Drusus unexpectedly died, possibly from an injury. Claudius was then left to be raised by his mother, who never remarried. When Claudius' afflictions became evident, the relationship with his family turned sour. Antonia referred to him as a monster, and used him as a standard for stupidity. She seems to have passed her son off on his grandmother Livia for a number of years. ^[11] Livia was little kinder, and often sent him short, angry letters of reproof. He was put under the care of a "former mule-driver"^[12] to keep him disciplined, under the logic that his condition was due to laziness and a lack of will-power. However, by the time he reached his teenage years his symptoms apparently waned and his family took some notice of his scholarly interests. In AD 7, Livy was hired to tutor him in history, with the assistance of Sulpicius Flavus. Titus Livius (traditionally 59 BC &ndash AD 17 known as Livy in English, was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome He spent a lot of his time with the latter and the philosopher Athenodorus. Athenodoros Cananites ( Greek: ̉Αθηνόδωρος Κανανίτης sometimes transliterated Athenodoros) (ca Augustus, according to a letter, was surprised at the clarity of Claudius' oratory. ^[13] Expectations about his future began to increase.

In the end, it was his work as a budding historian that destroyed his early career. See also History An historian is an individual who studies and writes about History, and is regarded as an Authority on it According to Vincent Scramuzza and others, Claudius began work on a history of the Civil Wars that was either too truthful or too critical of Octavian. List of Civil wars involving Rome. There were several Roman civil wars, especially during the time of the late Republic. ^[14] In either case, it was far too early for such an account, and may have only served to remind Augustus that Claudius was Antony's descendant. His mother and grandmother quickly put a stop to it, and this may have proved to them that Claudius was not fit for public office. He could not be trusted to toe the existing party line. When he returned to the narrative later in life, Claudius skipped over the wars of the second triumvirate altogether. But the damage was done, and his family pushed him to the background. When the Arch of Pavia was erected to honor the imperial clan in AD 8, Claudius' name (now Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus after his elevation to paterfamilias of Claudii Nerones on the adoption of his brother) was inscribed on the edge—past the deceased princes, Gaius and Lucius, and Germanicus' children. A triumphal arch is a structure in the shape of a monumental Archway, in theory built to celebrate a victory in war actually used to celebrate a ruler Pavia (pronounced Pavìa,) the ancient Ticinum, is a town and Comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south " Pater Familias " or " Pater Families " is the third Season finale of Ghost Whisperer, it originally aired on May See also Gaius Julius Caesar, for others of the same name Gaius Julius Caesar (20 BC - AD 4 most commonly known as Julius Caesar, was For other men named Lucius (Julius Caesar see Lucius Julius Caesar Lucius Julius Caesar (17 BC-2 most commonly known as Lucius Caesar There is some speculation that the inscription was added by Claudius himself decades later, and that he originally did not appear at all. ^[15]

Gratus proclaims Claudius emperor. Detail from A Roman Emperor 41AD, by Lawrence Alma-Tadema. Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, OM, RA ( January 8, 1836, Dronrijp, the Netherlands. Oil on canvas, c. 1871.

When Augustus died in AD 14, Claudius—then twenty-three—appealed to his uncle Tiberius to allow him to begin the cursus honorum. Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (or Tiberius I) born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16 42 BC – March 16 AD 37) was the second Roman The cursus honorum ( Latin: "course of honors" or "honors race" was the sequential order of Public offices held by aspiring Tiberius, the new emperor, responded by granting Claudius consular ornaments. Claudius requested office once more and was snubbed. Since the new emperor was not any more generous than the old, Claudius gave up hope of public office and retired to a scholarly, private life.

Despite the disdain of the imperial family, it seems that from very early on the general public respected Claudius. At Augustus' death, the equites, or knights, chose Claudius to head their delegation. When his house burned down, the Senate demanded it be rebuilt at public expense. They also requested that Claudius be allowed to debate in the senate. Tiberius turned down both motions, but the sentiment remained. During the period immediately after the death of Tiberius' son, Drusus, Claudius was pushed by some quarters as a potential heir. Nero Claudius Drusus, later Drusus Julius Caesar (his adoptive name (13 BC- September 14 23) was the only child of Roman Emperor Tiberius This again suggests the political nature of his exclusion from public life. However, as this was also the period during which the power and terror of the Praetorian Sejanus was at its peak, Claudius chose to downplay this possibility. Lucius Aelius Seianus (20 BC &ndash October 18 31 AD commonly known as Sejanus, was an ambitious soldier friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius

After the death of Tiberius the new emperor Caligula recognized Claudius to be of some use. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31 AD 12 &ndash January 24 AD 41 more commonly known by his nickname Caligula (kəˈlɪɡjʊlə was a Roman Emperor He appointed Claudius his co-consul in AD 37 in order to emphasize the memory of Caligula's deceased father Germanicus. Despite this, Caligula relentlessly tormented his uncle: playing practical jokes, charging him enormous sums of money, humiliating him before the Senate, and the like. According to Cassius Dio, as well a possible surviving portrait, Claudius became very sickly and thin by the end of Caligula's reign—most likely due to stress. Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus ( Greek:) (c 155 or 163/164 to after 229 known in English as Cassius Dio, Dio Cassius, or Dio was ^[16]

Reign

Accession as emperor

On January 24, AD 41, Caligula was assassinated by a broad-based conspiracy (including Praetorian commander Cassius Chaerea and several Senators). Cassius Chaerea (fl 1st century was a Centurion in the army of Germanicus and served in the Praetorian Guard under the emperor Caligula The Roman Senate was a political institution in Ancient Rome. There is no evidence that Claudius had a direct hand in the assassination, although it has been argued that he knew about the plot—particularly since he left the scene of the crime shortly before the event. AssassiNation is the sixth album by Krisiun, released in 2006 on Century Media. ^[17] However, after the deaths of Caligula's wife and daughter, it became apparent that Cassius intended to go beyond the terms of the conspiracy and wipe out the imperial family. Milonia Caesonia ( PIR2 M 590 (6-41 was a Roman Empress She rose from modest origins to become the fourth and last wife of the Roman Emperor Caligula In the chaos following the murder, Claudius witnessed the German guard cut down several uninvolved noblemen, including friends of his. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Concerned for his survival, he fled to the palace to hide himself. According to tradition, a Praetorian named Gratus found him hiding behind a curtain and suddenly declared him imperator. The Latin word Imperator was a title originally roughly equivalent to commander during the period of the Roman Republic. ^[18] A section of the guard may have planned in advance to seek out Claudius, perhaps with his approval. They reassured him that they were not one of the battalions looking for revenge. He was spirited away to the Praetorian camp and put under their protection.

The Senate quickly met and began debating a change of government, but this eventually devolved into an argument over which of them would be the new Princeps. The Latin word Princeps (plural principes) means exactly 'a prime' When they heard of the Praetorians' claim, they demanded that Claudius be delivered to them for approval, but he refused, rightly sensing the danger that would come with complying. Some historians, particularly Josephus,^[19] claim that Claudius was directed in his actions by the Judean King Herod Agrippa. Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus Kingdom of Judea redirects here For the 10th-6th century BCE kingdom see Kingdom of Judah Iudaea ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard For other with this name see Agrippa (disambiguation. Agrippa I also called the Great (10 BC - 44 AD) King of the Jews, However, an earlier version of events by the same ancient author downplays Agrippa's role^[20] — so it is not known how large a hand he had in things. Eventually the Senate was forced to give in and, in return, Claudius pardoned nearly all the assassins.

Claudius issued this denarius type to emphasize his clemency after Caligula's assassination. The Roman Currency system included the denarius (plural denarii) after 211 BC a small Silver coin, The depiction of the goddess Pax-Nemesis, representing subdued vengeance, would be used on the coins of many later emperors. Nemesis (in Greek,) also called Rhamnousia/Rhamnusia ("the Goddess of Rhamnous " at her sanctuary at

Claudius took several steps to legitimize his rule against potential usurpers, most of them emphasizing his place within the Julio-Claudian family. He adopted the name "Caesar" as a cognomen — the name still carried great weight with the populace. The cognomen (plural cognomina) was originally the third name of an Ancient Roman in the Roman naming convention. In order to do so, he dropped the cognomen "Nero" which he had adopted as paterfamilias of the Claudii Nerones when his brother Germanicus was adopted out. While he had never been adopted by Augustus or his successors, he was the grandson of Octavia, and so felt he had the right. He also adopted the name "Augustus" as the two previous emperors had done at their accessions. He kept the honorific "Germanicus" in order to display the connection with his heroic brother. He deified his paternal grandmother Livia in order to highlight her position as wife of the divine Augustus. Claudius frequently used the term "filius Drusi" (son of Drusus) in his titles, in order to remind the people of his legendary father and lay claim to his reputation.

Because he was proclaimed emperor on the initiative of the Praetorian Guard instead of the Senate — the first emperor thus proclaimed — Claudius' repute suffered at the hands of commentators (such as Seneca). The Praetorian Guard ( Latin: PRÆTORIANI was a special force of Guards used by Roman Emperors Before being appropriated Lucius Annaeus Seneca (often known simply as Seneca, or Seneca the Younger; Σένεκας in Ancient Greek literature (c Moreover, he was the first Emperor who resorted to bribery as a means to secure army loyalty. This is not entirely how it seems. Tiberius and Augustus had both left gifts to the army and guard in their wills, and on the death of Caligula the same would have been expected, even if no will existed. Claudius remained grateful to the guard, however, issuing coins with tributes to the praetorians in the early part of his reign.

Expansion of the empire

Model of the Temple of the divine Claudius, erected in Colchester after the conquest of Britain. The Temple of Claudius (Templum Claudii or Temple of the Deified Claudius (Templum Divi Claudii built in Camulodunum ( Roman Colchester) around AD Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England.

Under Claudius, the empire underwent its first major expansion since the reign of Augustus. The provinces of Thrace, Noricum, Pamphylia, Lycia, and Judea were annexed under various circumstances during his term. Thrace (Тракия Trakiya or "Trakija" or Trakia, Θράκη Thráki, Trakya is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe Noricum, in ancient Geography, was a Celtic kingdom (perhaps better described as a federation of by tradition twelve tribes stretching over the area of Origins of the Pamphylians There can be little doubt that the Pamphylians and Pisidians were the same people though the former had received colonies from Greece and other "Sidyma" redirects here For the Moth Genus named thus see Sidyma (moth. Judea or Judæa ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "praised The annexation of Mauretania, begun under Caligula, was completed after the defeat of rebel forces, and the official division of the former client kingdom into two imperial provinces. In Antiquity Mauretania was originally an independent Berber kingdom on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa (named after the ^[21] The most important new conquest was that of Britannia. This page refers to the conquest begun in AD 43 For other Roman invasions see Caesar's invasions of Britain and Carausian Revolt. ^[22]

In AD 43, Claudius sent Aulus Plautius with four legions to Britain (Britannia) after an appeal from an ousted tribal ally. Aulus Plautius was a Roman politician and general of the mid-1st century For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," Britain was an attractive target for Rome because of its material wealth — particularly mines and slaves. It was also a safe haven for Gallic rebels and the like, and so could not be left alone much longer. Claudius himself traveled to the island after the completion of initial offensives, bringing with him reinforcements and elephants. The latter must have made an impression on the Britons when they were used in the capture of Camulodunum. British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England. He left after 16 days, but remained in the provinces for some time. The Senate granted him a triumph for his efforts, as only members of the imperial family were allowed such honors. A Roman triumph ( la [[wikttriumphus triumphus]], Old Latin la triumpus, attested as the exclamation la TRIVMPE in the Carmen Arvale; via Claudius later lifted this restriction for some of his conquering generals. He was granted the honorific "Britannicus" but only accepted it on behalf of his son, never using the title himself. When the British general, Caractacus, was finally captured in AD 50, Claudius granted him clemency. Caratacus ( Brythonic *Caratācos, Greek Καράτακος; variants Latin Caractacus, Greek Καρτάκης Caractacus lived out his days on land provided by the Roman state, an unusual end for an enemy commander, but one that must have calmed the British opposition.

Claudius conducted a census in AD 48 that found 5,984,072 Roman citizens^[23], an increase of around a million since the census conducted at Augustus' death. He had helped increase this number through the foundation of Roman colonies that were granted blanket citizenship. Citizenship in the time of Ancient Rome was a privileged status afforded to certain individuals with respect to laws property and governance These colonies were often made out of existing communities, especially those with elites who could rally the populace to the Roman cause. Several colonies were placed in new provinces or on the border of the empire in order to secure Roman holdings as quickly as possible.

Judicial and legislative affairs

Roman sestertius struck under Claudius. The sestertius, or sesterce, was an ancient Roman Coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small Silver, and rare coin issued The reverse depicts Spes Augusta (Hope). In Roman mythology, Spēs (speːs was the goddess of hope She was traditionally defined as "the last goddess" ( Spes ultima dea) meaning that hope Coins of this type were first issued to commemorate the birth of Claudius' son Britannicus in AD 41. For the 1669 Tragedy by French Dramatist Jean Racine, see Britannicus (play.

Claudius personally judged many of the legal cases tried during his reign. Ancient historians have many complaints about this, stating that his judgments were variable and sometimes did not follow the law. ^[24] He was also easily swayed. Nevertheless, Claudius paid detailed attention to the operation of the judicial system. He extended the summer court session, as well as the winter term, by shortening the traditional breaks. Claudius also made a law requiring plaintiffs to remain in the city while their cases were pending, as defendants had previously been required to do. These measures had the effect of clearing out the docket. The minimum age for jurors was also raised to 25 in order to ensure a more experienced jury pool. ^[25]

Claudius also settled disputes in the provinces. He freed the island of Rhodes from Roman rule for their good faith and exempted Troy from taxes. Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island Troy ( Greek: grc Τροία Troia, also, Ilion; Latin: Trōia, Īlium, Hittite: Wilusa or Early in his reign, the Greeks and Jews of Alexandria sent him two embassies at once after riots broke out between the two communities. Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια This resulted in the famous "Letter to the Alexandrians," which reaffirmed Jewish rights in the city but also forbade them to move in more families en masse. According to Josephus, he then reaffirmed the rights and freedoms of all the Jews in the empire. Josephus (AD 37 – c 100 also known as Yosef Ben Matityahu (Joseph son of Matthias and after he became a Roman citizen, as Titus Flavius Josephus PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ ^[26] An investigator of Claudius' discovered that many old Roman citizens based in the modern city of Trento were not in fact citizens. Trento (traditional English Trent; Italian: Trento; German: Trient; Latin: Tridentum; Note that many ^[27] The emperor issued a declaration that they would be considered to hold citizenship from then on, since to strip them of their status would cause major problems. However, in individual cases, Claudius punished false assumption of citizenship harshly, making it a capital offense. Similarly, any freedmen found to be impersonating equestrians were sold back into slavery. ^[28]

Numerous edicts were issued throughout Claudius' reign. These were on a number of topics, everything from medical advice to moral judgments. Two famous medical examples are one promoting Yew juice as a cure for snakebite,^[29] and another promoting public flatulence for good health. Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest ^[30] One of the more famous edicts concerned the status of sick slaves. Masters had been abandoning ailing slaves at the temple of Aesculapius to die, and then reclaiming them if they lived. The Tiber Island (Isola Tiberina Latin: Insula Tiberina) is a boat-shaped Island which has long been associated with Healing. Claudius ruled that slaves who recovered after such treatment would be free. Furthermore, masters who chose to kill slaves rather than take the risk were liable to be charged with murder. ^[31]

Public works

The Porta Maggiore in Rome

Claudius embarked on many public works throughout his reign, both in the capital and in the provinces. He built two aqueducts, the Aqua Claudia, begun by Caligula, and the Anio Novus. The ancient Romans constructed numerous aqueducts ( Latin aquaeductūs, sing Aqua Claudia ( Latin, literally "the Claudian water" was an Aqueduct which like the Anio Novus was begun by Anio Novus (named after a river Anio at the forty-second mile of the Via Sublacensis from which the water was taken originally is an Aqueduct These entered the city in AD 52 and met at the famous Porta Maggiore. The Porta Maggiore ("Larger Gate" or Porta Prenestina is one of the eastern gates in the ancient but well-preserved 3rd century Aurelian Walls of He also restored a third, the Aqua Virgo. The Aqua Virgo was one of the 11 aqueducts that supplied the city of ancient Rome.

He paid special attention to transportation. Throughout Italy and the provinces he built roads and canals. Among these was a large canal leading from the Rhine to the sea, as well as a road from Italy to Germany — both begun by his father, Drusus. Closer to Rome, he built a navigable canal on the Tiber, leading to Portus, his new port just north of Ostia. The Tiber ( Latin Tiberis, Italian Tevere) is the third-longest River in Italy, rising in the Apennine mountains For homonyms see Porto (disambiguation Porto (Italian or Portus (Latin was a town in Lazio or Latium Ostia Antica was the Harbour of Ancient Rome and perhaps its first colonia. This port was constructed in a semicircle with two moles and a lighthouse at its mouth. A mole is a massive structure usually of stone, used as a Pier, breakwater, or junction between places separated by water The construction also had the effect of reducing flooding in Rome.

The port at Ostia was part of Claudius' solution to the constant grain shortages that occurred in winter, after the Roman shipping season. The other part of his solution was to insure the ships of grain merchants who were willing to risk traveling to Egypt in the off-season. He also granted their sailors special privileges, including citizenship and exemption from the Lex Papia-Poppaea, a law that regulated marriage. The Lex Papia Poppaea was a Roman law introduced in AD 9 to encourage and strengthen Marriage. In addition, he repealed the taxes that Caligula had instituted on food, and further reduced taxes on communities suffering drought or famine.

The last part of Claudius' plan was to increase the amount of arable land in Italy. This was to be achieved by draining the Fucine lake, which would have the added benefit of making the nearby river navigable year-round ^[32]. The Fucine Lake ( Italian: Lago Fucino or Lago di Celano) was a large Lake in central Italy. A tunnel was dug through the lake bed, but the plan was a failure. The tunnel was not large enough to carry the water, and crooked, which caused it to back up when opened. The resultant flood washed out a large gladiatorial exhibition held to commemorate the opening, causing Claudius to run for his life along with the other spectators. The draining of the lake was not a bad idea, and many other emperors and potentates considered it, including the emperors Hadrian and Trajan, and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in the Middle Ages. Publius Aelius Hadrianus (January 24 76 &ndash July 10 138 as emperor Imperator Caesar Divi Traiani filius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, and Divus Hadrianus after Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan ( September 18 53 &ndash August 9 117) was a Roman Emperor who The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states Frederick II ( December 26, 1194 &ndash December 13, 1250) of the Hohenstaufen dynasty was a Pretender to the title It was finally achieved by the Prince Torlonia in the 19th century, producing over 160,000 new acres of arable land. The princes Torlonia are a Roman family with origins in a huge fortune gained during the 18th and 19th centuries by its administration of the finances of the Vatican ^[33] He expanded the Claudian tunnel to three times its original size.

Claudius and the Senate

Because of the circumstances of his accession, Claudius took great pains to please the Senate. During regular sessions, the emperor sat amongst the Senate body, speaking in turn. When introducing a law, he sat on a bench between the consuls in his position as Holder of the Power of Tribune (The emperor could not officially serve as a Tribune of the Plebes as he was a Patrician, but it was a power taken by previous rulers). Tribune (from the Latin: tribunus; Byzantine Greek form τριβούνος) was a title shared by 2–3 elected magistracies in the The term " patrician " originally referred to a group of elite families in Ancient Rome, including both their natural and He refused to accept all his predecessors' titles (including Imperator) at the beginning of his reign, preferring to earn them in due course. The Latin word Imperator was a title originally roughly equivalent to commander during the period of the Roman Republic. He allowed the Senate to issue its own bronze coinage for the first time since Augustus. He also put the imperial provinces of Macedonia and Achaea back under Senate control. The Roman province of Macedonia was officially established in 146 BC, after the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus defeated Andriscus of Macedon Achaea was a province of the Roman Empire, consisting of the modern-day Peloponnese in southern Greece and bordered on the north by

Claudius set about remodeling the Senate into a more efficient, representative body. He chided the senators about their reluctance to debate bills introduced by himself, as noted in the fragments of a surviving speech:

It is not known whether this plea had any effect on discourse.

Roman sestertius issued during Claudius' reign. The sestertius, or sesterce, was an ancient Roman Coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small Silver, and rare coin issued The reverse reads "EX SC PP OB CIVES SERVATOS", meaning "Senatus Consulto" (approved by the Senate), "Pater Patriae" (to the father of his country), "Ob Cives Servatos" (For having saved the citizens).

In AD 47 he assumed the office of Censor with Lucius Vitellius, which had been allowed to lapse for some time. A Censor was a magistrate of high rank in the ancient Roman Republic. This page is on Lucius Vitellius, the father of the emperor Vitellius. He struck the names of many senators and equites who no longer met qualifications, but showed respect by allowing them to resign in advance. At the same time, he sought to admit eligible men from the provinces. The Lyons Tablet preserves his speech on the admittance of Gallic senators, in which he addresses the Senate with reverence but also with criticism for their disdain of these men. The Lyon Tablet is an ancient bronze tablet that bears the transcript of a speech given by the Roman emperor Claudius. He also increased the number of Patricians by adding new families to the dwindling number of noble lines. The term " patrician " originally referred to a group of elite families in Ancient Rome, including both their natural and Here he followed the precedent of Lucius Junius Brutus and Julius Caesar. Lucius Junius Brutus (or Lucius Iunius Brutus) was the founder of the Roman Republic and traditionally one of the first Consuls in 509 BC

Despite this, many in the Senate remained hostile to Claudius, and many plots were made on his life. This hostility carried over into the historical accounts. As a result, Claudius was forced to reduce the Senate's power for efficiency. The administration of Ostia was turned over to an imperial Procurator after construction of the port. A promagistrate is a person who acts in and with the authority and capacity of a magistrate, but without holding a magisterial office Administration of many of the empire's financial concerns was turned over to imperial appointees and freedmen. This led to further resentment and suggestions that these same freedmen were ruling the emperor.

Several coup attempts were made during Claudius' reign, resulting in the deaths of many senators. Appius Silanus was executed early in Claudius' reign under questionable circumstances. Gaius Appius Junius Silanus ( Classical Latin: Gaivs Appivs Ivnivs Silanvs; ? — 42 was a Consul in 28 (with Publius Silius Nerva) Shortly after, a large rebellion was undertaken by the Senator Vinicianus and Scribonianus, the governor of Dalmatia and gained quite a few senatorial supporters. Lucius Arruntius Camillus Scribonianus (consul in 32 AC was apparently the adoptive son of M Dalmatia ( Croatian: Dalmacija, see names in other languages) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, situated mostly in modern It ultimately failed because of the reluctance of Scribonianus' troops, and the suicide of the main conspirators. Many other senators tried different conspiracies and were condemned. Claudius' son-in-law Pompeius Magnus was executed for his part in a conspiracy with his father Crassus Frugi. Another plot involved the consulars Lusiius Saturninus, Cornelius Lupus, and Pompeius Pedo. In AD 46, Asinius Gallus, the grandson of Asinius Pollio, and Statilius Corvinus were exiled for a plot hatched with several of Claudius' own freedmen. Gaius Asinius Gallus Saloninus was an ambitious Roman Senator with family connections to the Julio-Claudian house Gaius Asinius Pollio (sometimes wrongly called Pollius or Philo) (75 BC &ndash AD 4 was a Roman Orator, Poet Valerius Asiaticus was executed without public trial for unknown reasons. Decimus Valerius Asiaticus (?-47 was a Roman Consul twice (in 35 and 46 the first Narbonian Gaul to be admitted to the Senate. The ancient sources say the charge was adultery, and that Claudius was tricked into issuing the punishment. However, Claudius singles out Asiaticus for special damnation in his speech on the Gauls, which dates over a year later, suggesting that the charge must have been much more serious. Asiaticus had been a claimant to the throne in the chaos following Caligula's death and a co-consul with the Statilius Corvinus mentioned above. Most of these conspiracies took place before Claudius' term as Censor, and may have induced him to review the Senatorial rolls. A Censor was a magistrate of high rank in the ancient Roman Republic. The conspiracy of Gaius Silius in the year after his Censorship, AD 48, is detailed in the section discussing Claudius's third wife, Messalina. Gaius Silius was the name of two Consuls of the Roman Empire, during the 1st century Suetonius states that a total of 35 senators and 300 knights were executed for offenses during Claudius' reign. ^[35] Needless to say, the necessary responses to these conspiracies could not have helped Senate-emperor relations.

The Secretariat and centralization of powers

A sardonyx cameo of Claudius. Onyx is a Cryptocrystalline form of Quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades such as purple or blue For the "brief appearance" see Cameo appearance. For the "chemical emergency software" see Computer-Aided Management of Emergency

Claudius was hardly the first emperor to use freedmen to help with the day-to-day running of the empire. A freedman is a former slave who has been manumitted or emancipated. He was, however, forced to increase their role as the powers of the Princeps became more centralized and the burden larger. The Latin word Princeps (plural principes) means exactly 'a prime' This was partly due to the ongoing hostility of the senate, as mentioned above, but also due to his respect for the senators. Claudius did not want free-born magistrates to have to serve under him, as if they were not peers.

The secretariat was divided into bureaus, with each being placed under the leadership of one freedman. Narcissus was the secretary of correspondence. Tiberius Claudius Narcissus ( fl 1st century was one of the freedmen who formed the core of the imperial court under the Roman emperor Claudius Pallas became the secretary of the treasury. Marcus Antonius Pallas ( c 1 &ndash 63) was a prominent Greek freedman and secretary during the reigns of the Roman Emperors Claudius Callistus became secretary of justice. Gaius Julius Callistus (flourished first century was a Greek imperial Freedman during the reigns of Roman Emperors Caligula and Claudius. There was a fourth bureau for miscellaneous issues, which was put under Polybius until his execution for treason. Gaius Iulius Polybius (fl 1st century) was a freedman of Emperor Claudius who was elevated to the secretariat during his reign The freedmen could also officially speak for the emperor, as when Narcissus addressed the troops in Claudius' stead before the conquest of Britain. Since these were important positions, the senators were aghast at their being placed in the hands of former slaves. If freedmen had total control of money, letters, and law, it seemed it would not be hard for them to manipulate the emperor. This is exactly the accusation put forth by the ancient sources. However, these same sources admit that the freedmen were loyal to Claudius. ^[36] He was similarly appreciative of them and gave them due credit for policies where he had used their advice. However, if they showed treasonous inclinations, the emperor did punish them with just force, as in the case of Polybius and Pallas' brother, Felix. Marcus Antonius Felix ( Felix in Greek: ο Φηλιξ, born between 5 / 10 -? was the Ancient Rome Procurator of There is no evidence that the character of Claudius' policies and edicts changed with the rise and fall of the various freedmen, suggesting that he was firmly in control throughout.

Regardless of the extent of their political power, the freedmen did manage to amass wealth through their positions. Pliny the Elder notes that several of them were richer than Crassus, the richest man of the Republican era. Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author Marcus Licinius Crassus ( Latin: M·LICINIVS·P·F·P·N·CRASSVS (ca ^[37]

Religious reforms and games

Claudius, as the author of a treatise on Augustus' religious reforms, felt himself in a good position to institute some of his own. He had strong opinions about the proper form for state religion. He refused the request of Alexandrian Greeks to dedicate a temple to his divinity, saying that only gods may choose new gods. He restored lost days to festivals and got rid of many extraneous celebrations added by Caligula. He reinstituted old observances and archaic language. Claudius was concerned with the spread of eastern mysteries within the city and searched for more Roman replacements. He emphasized the Eleusinian mysteries which had been practiced by so many during the Republic. The Eleusinian Mysteries (Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone He expelled foreign astrologers, and at the same time rehabilitated the old Roman soothsayers (known as haruspices) as a replacement. In Roman practice inherited from the Etruscans, a haruspex (plural haruspices) was a man trained to practice a form of Divination called haruspicy He was especially hard on Druidism, because of its incompatibility with the Roman state religion and its proselytizing activities. A druid was a member of the priestly and learned class in the ancient Celtic societies Proselytism is the practice of attempting to convert people to another opinion and particularly another religion It is also reported that at one time he expelled the Jews from Rome, probably because the appearance of Christianity had caused unrest within the Jewish community. ^[38] Claudius opposed proselytizing in any religion, even in those regions where he allowed natives to worship freely. The results of all these efforts were recognized even by Seneca, who has an ancient Latin god defend Claudius in his satire. ^[39]

Claudius performed the Secular games, marking the 800th anniversary of the founding of Rome. The Secular Games ( Latin Ludi Saeculares, originally Ludi Terentini) were a religious celebration involving Sacrifices and theatrical Augustus had performed the same games less than a century prior. Augustus' excuse was that the interval for the games was 110 years, not 100, but his date actually did not qualify under either reasoning. Claudius also presented naval battles to mark the attempted draining of the Fucine lake, as well as many other public games and shows.

Death, deification, and reputation

The general consensus of ancient historians was that Claudius was murdered by poison — possibly contained in mushrooms or on a feather — and died in the early hours of October 13, AD 54. Accounts vary greatly. Some claim Claudius was in Rome^[40] while others claim he was in Sinuessa. ^[41] Some implicate either Halotus, his taster, Xenophon, his doctor, or the infamous poisoner Locusta as the administrator of the fatal substance. Halotus (c20-30 AD &ndash c70-80 AD was a Servant to the Roman Emperor Claudius ( August 1 10 BC &ndash October 13 54 the fourth member Gaius Stertinius Xenophon (approx 10 BC - 54 AD often referred to in ancient literature as simply Xenophon, was a Physician who served the Roman Emperor Locusta ^[42] Some say he died after prolonged suffering following a single dose at dinner, and some have him recovering only to be poisoned again. ^[40] Nearly all implicate his final wife, Agrippina, as the instigator. Agrippina and Claudius had become more combative in the months leading up to his death. This carried on to the point where Claudius openly lamented his bad wives, and began to comment on Britannicus' approaching manhood with an eye towards restoring his status within the royal family. ^[43] Agrippina had motive in ensuring the succession of Nero before Britannicus could gain power.

In modern times, some authors have cast doubt on whether Claudius was murdered or merely succumbed to illness or old age. ^[44] Some modern scholars claim the universality of the accusations in ancient texts lends credence to the crime. ^[45] History in those days could not be objectively collected or written, so sometimes amounted to committing whispered gossip to parchment, often years after the events, when the writer was no longer in danger of arrest. Claudius' ashes were interred in the Mausoleum of Augustus on October 24, after a funeral in the manner of Augustus. The Mausoleum of Augustus was a large tomb built by the Roman Emperor Augustus in 28 BC on the Campus Martius in Rome. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat

Model of ancient Rome showing the Temple of Claudius, built by Vespasian. The Aqua Claudia aqueduct runs next to it, and the Colosseum sits adjacent.

Claudius was deified by Nero and the Senate almost immediately. ^[46] Those who regard this homage as cynical should note that, cynical or not, such a move would hardly have benefited those involved, had Claudius been "hated", as some commentators, both modern and historic, characterize him. Many of Claudius' less solid supporters quickly became Nero's men. Claudius' will had been changed shortly before his death to either recommend Nero and Britannicus jointly or perhaps just Britannicus, who would be considered a man in a few months.

Agrippina had sent away Narcissus shortly before Claudius' death, and now murdered the freedman. The last act of this secretary of letters was to burn all of Claudius' correspondence—most likely so it could not be used against him and others in an already hostile new regime. Thus Claudius' private words about his own policies and motives were lost to history. Just as Claudius has criticized his predecessors in official edicts (see below), Nero often criticized the deceased emperor and many of Claudius' laws and edicts were disregarded under the reasoning that he was too stupid and senile to have meant them. ^[47] This opinion of Claudius, that he was indeed an old idiot, remained the official one for the duration of Nero's reign. Eventually Nero stopped referring to his deified adoptive father at all, and realigned with his birth family. Claudius' temple was left unfinished after only some of the foundation had been laid down. Eventually the site was overtaken by Nero's Golden House. ^[48]

The Flavians, who had risen to prominence under Claudius, took a different tack. The Flavian dynasty was a Roman imperial Dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire between 69 and 96 AD encompassing the reigns of Vespasian (69&ndash79 They were in a position where they needed to shore up their legitimacy, but also justify the fall of the Julio-Claudians. They reached back to Claudius in contrast with Nero, to show that they were good associated with good. Commemorative coins were issued of Claudius and his son Britannicus—who had been a friend of the emperor Titus. Titus Flavius Vespasianus, commonly known as Titus ( December 30 39 &ndash September 13 81) was a Roman Emperor who When Nero's Golden House was buried, the Temple of Claudius was finally completed on Caelian Hill. ^[48] However, as the Flavians became established, they needed to emphasize their own credentials more, and their references to Claudius ceased. Instead, he was put down with the other emperors of the fallen dynasty.

The main ancient historians Tacitus, Suetonius, and Cassius Dio all wrote after the last of the Flavians had gone. Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (ca 56 &ndash ca 117 was a senator and a Historian of the Roman Empire. Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus ( Greek:) (c 155 or 163/164 to after 229 known in English as Cassius Dio, Dio Cassius, or Dio was All three were senators or equites. They took the side of the Senate in most conflicts with the princeps, as well as the senator's views of the emperor. This resulted in biases, both conscious and unconscious. Suetonius lost access to the official archives shortly after beginning his work. He was forced to rely on second-hand accounts when it came to Claudius (with the exception of Augustus' letters which had been gathered earlier) and does not quote the emperor. Suetonius painted Claudius as a ridiculous figure, belittling many of his acts and attributing the objectively good works to his retinue. ^[49] Tacitus wrote a narrative for his fellow senators and fit each of the emperors into a simple mold of his choosing. ^[50] He wrote Claudius as a passive pawn and an idiot—going so far as to hide his use of Claudius as a source and omit Claudius' character from his works. ^[51] Even his version of Claudius' Lyons tablet speech is edited to be devoid of the emperor's personality. Dio was less biased, but seems to have used Suetonius and Tacitus as sources. Thus the conception of Claudius as the weak fool, controlled by those he supposedly ruled, was preserved for the ages.

As time passed, Claudius was mostly forgotten outside of the historians' accounts. His books were lost first, as their antiquarian subjects became unfashionable. In the second century, Pertinax, who shared his birthday, became emperor, overshadowing any commemoration of Claudius. Publius Helvius Pertinax, commonly known as Pertinax ( August 1, 126 &ndash March 28, 193) was a Roman emperor who briefly In the third century, the emperor Claudius II Gothicus usurped his name. When Claudius Gothicus died, he was also deified, replacing Claudius in the Roman pantheon.

Marriages and personal life

Messalina holding the infant Britannicus.

Claudius' love life was unusual for an upper-class Roman of his day. As Edward Gibbon mentions, of the first fifteen emperors, "Claudius was the only one whose taste in love was entirely correct"—the implication being that he was the only one not to take men or boys as lovers. Edward Gibbon ( April 27, 1737 January 16, 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. Homosexuality refers to sexual behavior with or attraction to people of the same sex or to a Homosexual orientation. Pederasty or paederasty refers to an erotic relationship sexually expressed or not between an adolescent boy and an adult male outside his immediate family Gibbon based this on Suetonius' factual statement that "He had a great passion for women, but had no interest in men. "^[52] Suetonius and the other ancient authors actually used this against Claudius. They accused him of being dominated by these same women and wives, of being uxorious, and of being a womanizer. Promiscuity refers to sexual behavior of a man or woman who casually has sex with many partners

Claudius married four times. His first marriage, to Plautia Urgulanilla, occurred after two failed betrothals (The first was to his distant cousin Aemilia Lepida, but was broken for political reasons. Plautia Urgulanilla (fl first century) was the first wife of the future Roman Emperor Claudius. Aemilia Lepida is the name of Roman women belonging to the Gens Aemilia. The second was to Livia Medullina, which ended with the bride's sudden death on their wedding day). Livia Medullina Camilla (fl 1st Century was the second fiancee of the future Emperor Claudius. Urgulanilla was a relation of Livia's confidant Urgulania. Urgulania (fl 24 AD was a prominent noblewoman during the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, and a friend of the empress Livia. During their marriage she gave birth to a son, Claudius Drusus. Unfortunately, Drusus died of asphyxiation in his early teens, shortly after becoming engaged to the daughter of Sejanus. Lucius Aelius Seianus (20 BC &ndash October 18 31 AD commonly known as Sejanus, was an ambitious soldier friend and confidant of the Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius later divorced Urgulanilla for adultery and on suspicion of murdering her sister-in-law Apronia. When Urgulanilla gave birth after the divorce, Claudius repudiated the baby girl, Claudia, as the father was one of his own freedmen. Soon after (possibly in AD 28), Claudius married Aelia Paetina, a relation of Sejanus. Aelia Paetina or Paetina was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century They had a daughter, Claudia Antonia. Claudia Antonia ( Classical Latin: ANTONIA•CLAUDII•CAESARIS•FILIA (ca He later divorced her after the marriage became a political liability (although Leon (1948) suggests it may have been due to emotional and mental abuse by Aelia).

In AD 38 or early 39, Claudius married Valeria Messalina, who was his first cousin once removed and closely allied with Caligula's circle. Shortly thereafter, she gave birth to a daughter Claudia Octavia. Claudia Octavia ( Classical Latin: CLAVDIA•OCTAVIA (Late 39 or early 40- 9 June 62 was a Roman Empress step-sister and first wife to Roman Emperor A son, first named Tiberius Claudius Germanicus, and later known as Britannicus, was born just after Claudius' accession. For the 1669 Tragedy by French Dramatist Jean Racine, see Britannicus (play. This marriage ended in tragedy. The ancient historians allege that Messalina was a nymphomaniac who was regularly unfaithful to Claudius — Tacitus states she went so far as to compete with a prostitute to see who could have the most sexual partners in a night^[53] — and manipulated his policies in order to amass wealth. Hypersexuality is the desire to engage in Human sexual behavior at a level high enough to be considered clinically significant Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (ca 56 &ndash ca 117 was a senator and a Historian of the Roman Empire. Prostitution is the act of performing Sexual activity in exchange for Money. In AD 48, Messalina married her lover Gaius Silius in a public ceremony while Claudius was at Ostia. Gaius Silius was the name of two Consuls of the Roman Empire, during the 1st century Ostia Antica was the Harbour of Ancient Rome and perhaps its first colonia. Sources disagree as to whether or not she divorced the emperor first, and whether the intention was to usurp the throne. Scramuzza, in his biography, suggests that Silius may have convinced Messalina that Claudius was doomed, and the union was her only hope of retaining rank and protecting her children. ^[54] The historian Tacitus suggests that Claudius's ongoing term as Censor may have prevented him from noticing the affair before it reached such a critical point. Publius (or Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus (ca 56 &ndash ca 117 was a senator and a Historian of the Roman Empire. ^[55] Whatever the case, the result was the execution of Silius, Messalina, and most of her circle. Claudius made the Praetorians promise to kill him if he ever married again. The Praetorian Guard ( Latin: PRÆTORIANI was a special force of Guards used by Roman Emperors Before being appropriated

Agrippina and Nero.

Despite this declaration, Claudius did marry once more. The ancient sources tell that his freedmen pushed three candidates, Caligula's former wife Lollia Paulina, Claudius's divorced second wife Aelia, and Claudius's niece Agrippina the younger. Lollia Paulina (PIR2 L 308 (died 49 was a noble Roman woman who lived in the 1st century Julia Agrippina; known as Agrippina Minor ( Latin for the ‘younger’, Classical Latin: IVLIA•AGRIPPINA from the year 50 According to Suetonius, Agrippina won out through her feminine wiles. ^[56] The truth is likely more political. The coup attempt by Silius probably made Claudius realize the weakness of his position as a member of the Claudian but not the Julian family. This weakness was compounded by the fact that he did not have an obvious adult heir, Britannicus being just a boy. Agrippina was one of the few remaining descendants of Augustus, and her son Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (later known as Nero) was one of the last males of the imperial family. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Future coup attempts could rally around the pair, and Agrippina was already showing such ambition. It has been suggested in recent times that the Senate may have pushed for the marriage to end the feud between the Julian and Claudian branches. ^[57] This feud dated back to Agrippina's mother's actions against Tiberius after the death of her husband Germanicus, actions which Tiberius had gladly punished. Julia Vipsania Agrippina ( Classical Latin: AGRIPPINA•GERMANICI (14 BC – 18 October 33) most commonly known as Agrippina Major In any case, Claudius accepted Agrippina, and later adopted the newly mature Nero as his son.

Nero was made joint heir with the underage Britannicus, married to Octavia and heavily promoted. This was not as unusual as it seems to people acquainted with modern hereditary monarchies. Barbara Levick notes that Augustus had named his grandson Postumus Agrippa and his stepson Tiberius joint heirs. Barbara M Levick (born 1931 is one of the United Kingdom 's foremost ancient historians Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Postumus (12 BC-14 also known as Agrippa Postumus or Postumus Agrippa, was a son of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Julia the ^[58] Tiberius named his great-nephew Caligula joint heir with his grandson Tiberius Gemellus. Tiberius Julius Caesar Nero Gemellus, known as Tiberius Gemellus, ( 10 October AD 19 &ndash AD 37 or 38 was the son of Drusus and Adoption of adults or near adults was an old tradition in Rome when a suitable natural adult heir was unavailable. This was the case during Britannicus' minority. S. V. Oost suggests that Claudius had previously looked to adopt one of his sons-in-law to protect his own reign. ^[59] Faustus Sulla, married to his daughter Antonia, was only descended from Octavia and Antony on one side — not close enough to the imperial family to prevent doubts (that didn't stop others from making him the object of a coup attempt against Nero a few years later). Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix (22–62 was one of the lesser known figures of the Julio-Claudian dynasty of Ancient Rome. Claudia Antonia ( Classical Latin: ANTONIA•CLAUDII•CAESARIS•FILIA (ca Besides which, he was the half brother of Messalina, and at this time those wounds were still fresh. Nero was more popular with the general public as the grandson of Germanicus and the direct descendant of Augustus. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( December 15, 37 – June 9, 68) born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called

Scholarly works and their impact

Claudius wrote copiously throughout his life. Arnaldo Momigliano^[60] states that during the reign of Tiberius — which covers the peak of Claudius' literary career — it became impolitic to speak of republican Rome. Arnaldo Dante Momigliano KBE ( September 5, 1908 Caraglio, Piemont – September 1, 1987 London) was an Italian The trend among the young historians was to either write about the new empire or obscure antiquarian subjects. Claudius was the rare scholar who covered both. Besides the history of Augustus' reign that caused him so much grief, his major works included an Etruscan history and eight volumes on Carthaginian history, as well as an Etruscan Dictionary and a book on dice playing. Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers Despite the general avoidance of the imperatorial era, he penned a defense of Cicero against the charges of Asinius Gallus. Marcus Tullius Cicero ( Classical Latin ˈkikeroː usually ˈsɪsərəʊ in English January 3, 106 BC &ndash December 7, 43 BC was a Roman Modern historians have used this to determine both the nature of his politics and of the aborted chapters of his civil war history. He proposed a reform of the Latin alphabet by the addition of three new letters, two of which served the function of the modern letters W and Y. The Claudian letters were developed by and named after the Roman Emperor Claudius (reigned 41 – 54) He officially instituted the change during his censorship, but they did not survive his reign. Claudius also tried to revive the old custom of putting dots between different words (Classical Latin was written with no spacing). Finally, he wrote an eight-volume autobiography that Suetonius describes as lacking in taste. ^[61] Since Claudius (like most of the members of his dynasty) heavily criticized his predecessors and relatives in surviving speeches,^[62] it is not hard to imagine the nature of Suetonius' charge.

The Claudian letters

Unfortunately, none of the actual works survive. The Claudian letters were developed by and named after the Roman Emperor Claudius (reigned 41 – 54) They do live on as sources for the surviving histories of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Suetonius quotes Claudius' autobiography once, and must have used it as a source numerous times. Tacitus uses Claudius' own arguments for the orthographical innovations mentioned above, and may have used him for some of the more antiquarian passages in his annals. Claudius is the source for numerous passages of Pliny's Natural History. Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author Naturalis Historia ( Latin for "Natural History" is an Encyclopedia written Circa AD 77 by Pliny the Elder. ^[63]

The influence of historical study on Claudius is obvious. In his speech on Gallic senators, he uses a version of the founding of Rome identical to that of Livy, his tutor in adolescence. The detail of his speech borders on the pedantic, a common mark of all his extant works, and he goes into long digressions on related matters. This indicates a deep knowledge of a variety of historical subjects that he could not help but share. Many of the public works instituted in his reign were based on plans first suggested by Julius Caesar. Levick believes this emulation of Caesar may have spread to all aspects of his policies. ^[64] His censorship seems to have been based on those of his ancestors, particularly Appius Claudius Caecus, and he used the office to put into place many policies based on those of Republican times. Appius Claudius Caecus ("the blind" ca 340 BCE - 273 BCE) was a Roman politician from a wealthy Patrician family This is when many of his religious reforms took effect and his building efforts greatly increased during his tenure. In fact, his assumption of the office of Censor may have been motivated by a desire to see his academic labors bear fruit. For example, he believed (as most Romans) that his ancestor Appius Claudius Caecus had used the censorship to introduce the letter "R"^[65] and so used his own term to introduce his new letters.

In literature and film

Bookcover of I, Claudius

Probably the most famous fictional representation of the Emperor Claudius were the books I, Claudius and Claudius the God (released in 1934 and 1935) by Robert Graves, both written in the first-person to give the reader the impression that they are Claudius' autobiography. I Claudius is a Novel by English writer Robert Graves, first published in 1934, that deals sympathetically with the life of Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. Grammatical person, in Linguistics, is deictic reference to a participant in an event such as the speaker the Addressee, or others An autobiography, from the Greek αὐτός autos "self" βίος bios "life" and γράφειν graphein "to write" Graves wrote it in employed fictive artifice to suggest that they were recently discovered, genuine translations of Claudius' writings. Claudius' extant letters, speeches, and sayings were incorporated into the text (mostly in the second book, Claudius the God) in order to add authenticity.

In 1937 director Josef von Sternberg made an unsuccessful attempt to film I, Claudius, with Charles Laughton as Claudius. Josef von Sternberg aka Jonas Sternberg ( 29 May 1894, Vienna, Austria &ndash 22 December 1969, Los I Claudius was the proposed 1937 film of the book I Claudius. Charles Laughton ( 1 July, 1899 &ndash 15 December, 1962) was an English Academy Award -winning stage and Unfortunately, the lead actress Merle Oberon suffered a near-fatal accident and the movie was never finished. Merle Oberon ( 19 February 1911 &ndash 23 November 1979) born Estelle Merle O'Brien Thompson, was an Academy Award The surviving reels were finally shown in the documentary The Epic That Never Was in 1965, revealing some of Laughton's most accomplished acting. The motion picture rights have been obtained by Scott Rudin, with a theatrical release planned for 2010. Scott Rudin (born July 14, 1958) is an Academy Award -winning American Film producer and a Tony Award -winning

Graves's two books were also the basis for a thirteen-part British television adaptation produced by the BBC. I Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves 's ''I Claudius'' and ''Claudius the God''. The series starred Derek Jacobi as Claudius, and was broadcast in 1976 on BBC2. Sir Derek George Jacobi CBE (ˈdʒækəbi born 22 October, 1938) is an English Actor and Film director, knighted The year 1976 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 1976 It was a substantial critical success, and won several BAFTA awards. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for film television television craft video games and forms of animation The series was later broadcast in the United States on Masterpiece Theatre in 1977. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Masterpiece (formerly known as Masterpiece Theatre) is a drama Anthology television series produced by WGBH Boston. The year 1977 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 1977.

Claudius has appeared on film on several other occasions, including in the 1979 motion picture Caligula, the role being performed by Giancarlo Badessi in which the character was depicted as an idiot, in complete contrast to Robert Graves' portrait of Claudius as a cunning and deeply intelligent man. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Caligula is a 1979 Film directed by Tinto Brass, with additional scenes filmed by Giancarlo Lui and Penthouse Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. On television, the actor Freddie Jones became famous for his role as Claudius in the 1968 British television series The Caesars while the 1985 made-for-television miniseries A. Freddie Jones (born 12 September 1927) is an English Character actor. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic A miniseries (also mini-series) in a serial Storytelling medium is a production which tells a story in a pre-planned limited number of episodes D. features actor Richard Kiley as Claudius. Richard Paul Kiley ( March 31, 1922 &ndash March 5, 1999) was an American stage, Television, and Film There is also a reference to Claudius' suppression of one of the coups against him in the movie Gladiator, though the incident is entirely fictional. Gladiator is a 2000 Epic film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen

In literature, Claudius and his contemporaries appear in the historical novel The Roman by Mika Waltari. Mika Toimi Waltari ( ( September 19, 1908 – August 26, 1979) was a Finnish Historical novelist, best known for his Canadian-born science fiction writer A. E. van Vogt reimagined Robert Graves' Claudius story in his two novels Empire of the Atom and The Wizard of Linn. Alfred Elton van Vogt (April 26 1912 – January 26 2000 was a Canadian -born Science fiction author who was one of the most prolific

Ancestry

See also

• Julio-Claudian Family Tree

Footnotes

References

External links

Ancient Sources

• Suetonius
  • Life of Claudius
• Tacitus
  • Tacitus on the second half of Claudius' reign, book 11
  • Tacitus on Claudius' last years, book 12
• Dio
  • Cassius Dio's account of Claudius' reign, part I
  • Cassius Dio's account, part II
• Josephus
  • The works of Josephus
• Seneca
  • The Apocolocyntosis of the Divine Claudius
• Claudius
  • Claudius' Letter to the Alexandrians
  • Lyons tablet
    • Extract from first half of the Lyons Tablet
    • Second half of the Lyons Tablet
    • Tacitus' version of the Lyons Tablet speech
  • Edict confirming the rights of the people of Trent

Modern Biographies

• Biography from De Imperatoribus Romanis
• Claudius Page
• Claudius I at BBC History