CLAUDIUS
(klaw' dee uhs) GREEK: KLAUDIOS
_______________
For thirteen years, from A.D. 41 to 54, Claudius was emperor of Rome. He is mentioned by name twice in the book of Acts and referred to a third time simply as Caesar. The phrase "in the days of Claudius" (Acts 11:28) was one commonly used by Roman subjects to indicate an indefinite date during that particular emperor's reign. The second reference tells something about the emperor himself: "Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome" (Acts 18:2).
Two Roman historians report an event similar to the one mentioned in Acts. Dio Cassius (c. 155-235) wrote that Claudius forbade Jews to hold meetings - a restriction that would have forced them to leave Rome to practice their religious rites. Writing somewhat closer to the event, Suetonius (c. 69-140) tells a different story. According to him, "Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, Claudius expelled them from Rome." Suetonius appears to have confused the Christian movement with the person of Christ, making it sound as if Jesus were still alive, in Rome, and stirring up trouble. Among those exiled were Aquila and Prisca, who later were Paul's hosts in Corinth.
During an earlier quarrel in Thessalonica a crowd of Jews attacked Christians, accusing them of "acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there in another king, Jesus" (Acts 17:7). Claudius is the Caesar referred to in this passage.
{E2 Dictionary of Biblical People}