Claudius I

Claudius I was also known by the full name Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus . He was born on the 1 August 10 BC and died on 13 October 54 AD, ostensibly from eating poisoned mushrooms (which may or may not have been purposefully poisoned). He became the fourth emperor of Rome on 24 January 41 AD and ruled until his death. He was born in Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon in France) into the Julio-Claudian family. His mother was Antonia Minor and father Drusus.

Claudius was married four times. The first two marriages were to Plautia Urgulanilla and Aelia Paetina. When he married for the third time it was to Valeria Messallina, who became infamous as a nymphomaniac and adulterer. Claudius had her executed for bigamy in 48 AD and the following year married his niece, Agrippina the Younger. Agrippina already had a son, whom she persuaded Claudius to adopt – this was to be Claudius's future heir, Nero.

As well as his adoptive son Nero, Claudius had two children (living, whom he acknowledged) at the time of his marriage to Agrippina: Britannicus and Octavia, both children from his marriage to Messallina. Both children met their end very early – probably on the orders of their half-brother Nero.

Claudius is thought to have had some kind of physical disability, such as a club foot, although this did not stop him from persuing a successful political career in Rome and abroad. In 43 AD he conquered Britannia. Other territories conquered during his rule include Judea, Lycia, Noricum, Pamphylia and Thrace.

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Interesting Publications

I, Claudius

BBC (1976)

by BBC

Images

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