10 B.C. -
54 A.D. 4th
Emperor of Rome (
41 A.D. -
54 A.D.)
Nephew of
Tiberius,
uncle of
Caligula,
grandson of
Augustus. Subject of
Robert Graves'
I, Claudius, played by
Derek Jacobi in the
BBC miniseries. Played by
Giancarlo Badessi in the film
Caligula.
Tiberius CLAUDIUS Nero Germanicus was born August 1 in Lugundum (present-day Lyon) to Marc Antony's younger daughter Antonia and the emperor Augustus' nephew, the general Germanicus. Germanicus died on campaign in Germany when Claudius was still an infant.
Claudius himself would have preferred a return to the Republican government, but the Praetorian Guard proclaimed him Emperor in succession to Caligula. He was considered half-witted, and the Praetorians probably thought he would be easily "managed", i.e. a puppet figurehead for a military dictatorship. His childhood friend, King Herod Agrippa, persuaded him to accept the Imperial crown, reasoning that he could do more for Rome as a living Emperor than a dead Republican (the Praetorians depended on Imperial rule for their posts, and probably would have found another Emperor had Claudius protested too strongly.)
Claudius suffered from a neural disorder that caused him to spasm and stammer, hence the reputation of half-wit. Despite this, he seemed to manage the Empire well. He performed his spiritual and civic duties with as much dignity as his disability allowed, and initiated various public works.
Claudius was married four times - first, to Plautia Urgalanilla, then Aelia Paetina, then Valeria Messalina, and finally Julia Agrippina the Younger (also his niece). He is believed to have died of poisoning by Agrippina once he adopted her son Nero as his successor.