The man known to history as Emperor Claudius
was born on the 1st of August 10 BC in Lugdunum, the principle city of the Gallic province
of Lugdunensis. His father, Nero Drusus, brother to the emperor
Tiberius was born on the 14th of January 38 BC. The stepson of Augustus, Nero Drusus was a
capable military commander, leading Alpine campaigns in Rhaetia and Vindelicia alongside
Tiberius, before taking up the governorship of Gaul in 13 BC. Following the death of Marcus Agrippa, he
led campaigns in Germany between 12 – 9 BC and it was here, later in 9 BC where he
died after an accident when his horse fell on him, lingering for a time before passing
with Tiberius at his side. For his successes in Germany, he was posthumously
awarded the title of Germanicus. His mother, Antonia, daughter of Marc Antony
and Octavia, Augustus’ sister, was born on the 31st of January 36 BC. Married to Nero Drusus by 16 BC, they had
several children of whom only Germanicus, Claudius, and Livia Julia survived. Following the death of Nero Drusus, she chose
to remain unmarried for the rest of her life but remained a prominent figure in the imperial
family. Indeed it may have been a letter from her
in 30 AD that gave rise to the fall of Tiberius’ confidant Sejanus, although the contents of
the letter are unknown. As a child and young man, it seems that Claudius
was kept on the margins of the family because of his disability. Even his mother is supposed to have remarked
that he was a “monstrosity of a human being, one that nature began and never finished”. There was no physical deformity, he was well
built, but it seems that he was weak on his right side and walked with a limp, sometimes
exhibiting a shakiness in his hands and head and had a marked speech impediment. As well as these physical manifestations he
exhibited behavioural issues such as uncontrollable laughter, inappropriate comments, outbursts
of anger which caused him to snarl but then apologise, and an unusual sounding voice. On some occasions when giving a speech his
mind would wander if he strayed from the prepared text. However, Claudius was of a sound mind. Despite his obvious difficulties, Claudius
was a studious child and took an active interest in his studies, for even though he seems to
have been a source of shame to some within the family he was still afforded an education
befitting that of a patrician child. He took an active interest in history, literature,
rhetoric, language, music, maths and the law, and although oratory was difficult for him,
when seated and using a prepared text he was well able to deliver a speech. It is unclear exactly when Claudius’ disability
was first apparent although it was quite likely early on in his life. Over the years several attempted diagnoses
have been put forward. For many, cerebral palsy has been the accepted
diagnosis however, modern neurological studies of the available evidence on his condition
have moved away from the traditional diagnosis and now suggest that Claudius may have suffered
with a form of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome or GTS. Much of the evidence for his condition comes
from Suetonius, who it must be remembered, was writing well after the death of Claudius
and is not always a reliable source. However, from a neurological perspective of
the described symptoms, GTS is a better fit than the original diagnosis. Either in 5 or 6 AD Claudius assumed the toga
virilis. However, unlike those that had gone before
him, he wasn’t presented to the joyous crowds of the Forum, and instead his ceremony took
place at night, away from watchful eyes. Even after taking the toga and formally stepping
into manhood Claudius still found himself being supervised by a man he would later write
about, describing him as barbaric, for his treatment of him. Similarly, Claudius enjoyed few public appearances,
he did appear alongside Germanicus at games honouring their deceased father, but in 8
AD, only Germanicus is thought to have appeared at games Augustus held under both of their
names. Claudius studied history under Livy for a
time, and it was with the encouragement of the eminent historian that he wrote his own
account of recent Roman history, beginning with the assassination of Caesar. The years of the second triumvirate were omitted
when his grandmother Livia and his mother Antonia intervened, so as not to give offence
to Augustus, before picking up to continue with Augustus’ reign. Later he would also write other histories
on the Etruscans and Carthaginians. As the years wound by the question of marriage
arose. Claudius was betrothed first to Aemilia Lepida,
daughter of Julia the younger, but the betrothal was dissolved following Julia’s disgrace. His second betrothal was to the daughter of
the consul of 8 AD Marcus Furius Camillus, the marriage would have gone ahead but for
her death on the day of the wedding. Only after these two false starts did Claudius
marry for the first time at some point in 9 – 10 AD to Plautia Urgulanilla, the daughter
of the elder Silvanus, who enjoyed the favour of Tiberius. Again, although the date is not certain, sometime
in the first years of the marriage Claudius’ first son, Claudius Drusus, was born. At some point in 12 AD Augustus and Tiberius
gave serious consideration to whether Claudius should be given a public career, prompted
by an earlier question from Livia regarding Claudius’ role in the Games of Mars, held
in May. At the games themselves he presided over the
banqueting hall of the Salian Priests, having been a member since infancy, but under the
supervision of another member, his brother-in-law Marcus Plautius Silvanus. However, a career was ruled out and only when
his disabilities could be hidden or held in check by those handed responsibility to supervise
him was he to be given small roles. Following Augustus’ death in August of 14
AD and perhaps frustrated at his lack of a career Claudius approached Tiberius to ask
for a public role, although which one is not known. Tiberius denied his request and Claudius was
only given an appointment within the priesthood of the cult of Augustus, which conferred little
prestige and still denied him the career he sought. Furthermore, when Augustus’ will was read,
Claudius, although named, was only a tertiary heir and so inherited very little compared
to the others. But the following year Claudius tried again
and was this time met with a rude refusal on Tiberius’ part. Under Tiberius there was no chance of Claudius
having the public career he desired. Early in 20 AD Claudius’ sister-in-law,
Agrippina the elder returned from Syria with Germanicus’ ashes, landing at Brundisium,
on the Adriatic coast. From there, along with two praetorian cohorts
they travelled across Italy and were met in Tarracina by a small contingent from Rome
which included Claudius. When they arrived in Rome, Claudius played
a part in the ceremonies accompanying Germanicus’ interment in Augustus’ mausoleum. In June of the same year Tiberius announced
the betrothal of Claudius Drusus to the young daughter of the Praetorian prefect Sejanus,
Aelia Junilla. The match was viewed with distaste by many
but the wedding never took place as some time after the betrothal Claudius Drusus died,
he was said to have asphyxiated to death when he choked on a pear after throwing it into
the air and catching it in his mouth. The date of his death has traditionally been
placed in 20 AD but there are some that disagree and suggest it may have occurred around 23
AD. Claudius had a second child with Plautia,
a daughter, Claudia. However, shortly before he divorced Plautia
on the grounds of adultery and complicity in murder, he disowned the girl, claiming
she had been fathered by a freedman. A number of dates have been suggested for
these events ranging from before 20 AD to 27AD. By 28 AD Claudius had married for the second
time to Aelia Paetina, a relative of Sejanus. This marriage produced a daughter, Claudia
Antonia. Although he didn’t divorce his second wife
immediately following Sejanus’ fall, in 31 AD, as many sought to distance themselves
from any association with the man, Claudius did play a small public role in bringing the
thanks of the equestrians to the consuls for dealing with the traitor. It may have been his enforced life as a private
citizen that led to his drinking and gambling, both of which he was known to be fond of. Throughout his life he frequently had to be
helped from banquets at the end of the evening due to his drunkenness. Finally in 37 AD things looked to be turning
around for Claudius, when at forty-five years old, he was designated as Caligula’s colleague
for the suffect consulship. Claudius and Caligula took office on the 1st
of July 37 AD, allowing the previous consuls to serve their full terms in the position. In order to allow the previously designated
suffect consuls to assume their positions, both the emperor and Claudius resigned the
consulship after only two months, on the 31st of August. However, Claudius’ mother Antonia wouldn’t
live to see her son take his first position as consul as she died on the 1st of May. Although he likely inherited more substantially
from her than he had from either Augustus or Tiberius, still Claudius was not as wealthy
as many of his peers and at times was forced to borrow money or sell property to raise
funds. One further event that would hold future implications
occurred at the close of 37 AD when the future emperor Nero was born at Antium on the 15th
of December to Caligula’s sister Agrippina and Domitius Ahenobarbus, their only child
after nine years of marriage. Although the date is unknown by 38 AD Claudius
had divorced Aelia, although not because of any scandal as with his first wife. Either in 38 AD or early 39 AD Claudius married
for a third time to Valeria Messalina, his first cousin once removed on his mother’s
side. Messalina’s higher standing in society,
which better suited Claudius’ elevated position under Caligula has been stated as a possible
reason for the divorce from Aelia. It was either in 39 AD or early 40 AD that
Claudius’ fourth child, a daughter by Messalina, Claudia Octavia, was born. In 39 AD Caligula made a move against members
of the senate when the second conspiracy of that year was uncovered. The emperor then set out with some haste to
the Rhine frontier where another key man within the conspiracy, the commander of Upper Germany,
Gaetulicus, was stationed, and he swiftly removed him before dealing with members of
his family and close associates that were amongst the conspirators. Caligula reported his actions to the senate
and forbade all honours henceforth for any member of his family. Perhaps because of Claudius’ lack of power
within the senate or because they felt he posed little threat, he was chosen to lead
a delegation of senators to bring the news of the ovation voted to Caligula for his suppression
of the conspiracy. Upon hearing what the senate had done, Caligula
dismissed most of the delegation before they reached him, Claudius and a few others were
allowed to continue but were received with hostility by the emperor. When Caligula returned to Rome later in 40
AD and continued with his campaign against the senators Claudius was not excluded. Having proclaimed that as with the later years
of Tiberius’ reign, slaves could denounce their masters, Claudius found himself facing
a trial for a capital charge when he was denounced by his slave Polydeuces. Although the exact charge is not specifically
stated the trial was dismissed without Caligula’s intervention. Claudius found himself further humiliated
by Caligula, when as a consul his vote was demoted to come last on all motions. By January 41 AD a new conspiracy against
Caligula had formed, but unlike the three that had come before, this one succeeded. Caligula was assassinated on the 24th of January
41 AD by the Praetorian tribunes Cassius Chaerea and Cornelius Sabinus along with a number
of centurions and for a short time the empire was without an emperor. Caligula’s only child, a daughter, along
with her mother had been killed immediately after Caligula and so there were no clear
plans for succession but this quickly changed. Claudius, who had accompanied Caligula from
the theatre but separated from him once in the palace was found hiding in a room by the
Praetorian guard Gratus. He was quickly proclaimed as imperator by
the guard and escorted to their barracks at the Viminal gate. Although the Praetorians had made up their
mind as to the succession the senate had not. Almost straight away they began debating the
succession, with a few going so far as to call for the restoration of the Republic and
it has been suggested that Claudius was declared an enemy of the state. In the midst of the debate, two envoys were
sent by the senate to Claudius to deliver a warning against attempting a coup, and among
other things to invite him to the session to give his view. Claudius replied that he was detained at the
barracks and could not attend. Some of the senators meanwhile saw themselves
in a position to elect the new emperor, when the senate convened again that night, despite
having only one hundred of its members, and a number of men put themselves forward as
candidates. However, as the night wore on, Claudius’
backing was increasing, the loyalty of the Praetorians had been secured with the promise
of large donations, the people already backed him and now the urban cohorts deserted the
senate and went over to him. It has even been suggested that King Agrippa
gave Claudius his backing. Messages continued through the night between
the two parties, in which Claudius stated that he had not sought power but wouldn’t
refuse an offer he had accepted and that the senate had nothing to fear from him. But even as he promised to be a just ruler,
he also promised vengeance if he wasn’t accepted. Finally, the senate conceded. Claudius returned to the Palatine with the
Praetorians where he met with the senate and was confirmed as emperor and granted all the
titles and powers of his predecessors, although he initially refused to be named Pater Patriae,
only accepting the title in 42 AD. Shortly after, those Praetorians involved
with the conspiracy were condemned and executed, with the exception of Sabinus who although
not charged, committed suicide. The two Praetorian Prefects were replaced
by Rufrius Pollio and Catonius Justus. Caligula’s freedman Callistus suggested
that Caligula had wanted his uncle poisoned but he had prevented it. However, it is unlikely that any such plot
against Claudius existed and Callistus merely invented the story as a means to ingratiate
himself with the new emperor. Claudius set about emphasizing his familial
connection, to enhance his legitimacy as emperor, and announced that annual games would be held
for his parents Nero Drusus and Antonia. He also sought to highlight his connection
to Augustus through his grandmother Livia, and his own mother who was the daughter of
Augustus’ sister Octavia. Indeed, it was Claudius who finally succeeded
in having Livia deified in 42 AD, which had been denied under Tiberius. Familial links through his wife Messalina
also strengthened his position, all the more so when having been emperor for less than
a month, his fifth child, the boy who would be known as Britannicus, was born on the 12th
of February 41 AD. He also acted to placate the senate in announcing
an amnesty for those who had opposed him, exiles were recalled, including Caligula’s
sisters Agrippina and Livilla. Taxes imposed by Caligula were rescinded,
the papers that had been kept on the senators by Protogenes and those from Tiberius’ reign
were destroyed, and Protogenes himself was executed. A number of Caligula’s statues were removed
but Claudius blocked the senate’s attempt to enact damnatio memoriae or ‘condemnation
of memory’ against his nephew which would have excluded all mention of him from public
records. However, it would still be a full thirty days
before Claudius actually entered the senate chamber following his accession, and when
he finally did so, he was accompanied by a bodyguard. A further act he undertook was the reinstatement
of names associated with their ancestry for prominent families, such as the descendants
of Pompey, who were once again allowed to use Magnus, or great, which Caligula had forbidden. Thereafter, when he attended the Senate, Claudius
showed deference to the other members and rose to address the consuls. In another placatory gesture, unlike Caligula
who had taken up the suffect consulship during his first year of rule, Claudius refrained
from taking the position immediately, allowing those already chosen to hold the office, he
was also designated to serve his second consulship the following year. However, Claudius was ultimately inexperienced
and governing the growing empire was burdensome for him, which is why four freedmen within
his household came to prominence. Within the imperial household, Callistus was
appointed to oversee embassies; Pallas to oversee finances; Narcissus was placed in
charge of correspondence; and Polybius looked after literary affairs. Under Caligula, there had been significant
unrest with the Jews over their privileges as a people living within the empire. Julius Agrippa, grandson of Herod, whom Caligula
had given the kingship over large tracts of his Uncle’s land, was considered a friend
to the Jews. As tensions were still somewhat raw, Claudius
acted early on and relinquished Roman control of Judaea to King Agrippa, which went someway
to ease tensions. A further grant was made to the King’s brother,
also named Herod, giving him the land of Chalcis. It is possible that the early expulsion of
a sect of Jews who were considered troublesome, from Rome as well as possibly some early adherents
of Christianity was done on the advice of King Agrippa. Following this episode Claudius issued an
edict confirming religious freedom of the Jews but with a warning that as they had been
given the freedom to worship in their own way so must they allow others who adhered
to different religions to do the same. Furthermore, trouble in Germany had been provoked
by Caligula’s excursions across the Rhine in 39 AD, which the commanders Galba and Gabinius
were still dealing with. However, the legions were holding their own
and a great victory was celebrated in 41 AD when the commander of the lower Rhine legions,
Gabinius, recovered the last of Varus’ lost eagle standards. 41 AD also marked the beginning of a grand
project by Claudius when he ordered the construction of a tunnel to drain the Fucine Lake, fifty
miles to the east of Rome. The lake was fed by the Apennine mountains
and with no natural way for it to drain it periodically flooded the surrounding farmland
causing outbreaks of malaria and adding to grain shortages. Augustus had refused earlier appeals to remedy
the problem caused to those living in the area of the lake but now Claudius determined
to do something. Grain shortages had plagued Rome for years
and continued in Claudius’ reign. One of the first things he had to deal with
when he succeeded Caligula was the lack of grain held in storage. There were still some weeks before the shipping
season started again, having closed for the winter, and Claudius, called on merchants
to brave the winter seas to bring in much needed extra grain, promising to personally
indemnify any ships lost during the endeavour. However, it seems that there was still an
undertone of fear and distrust in Claudius for example later in 41 AD, Livilla, who recently
returned from exile, was charged with adultery with Seneca and both were exiled. Many have pointed to the machinations of Messalina
in Livilla’s downfall, as the presence of Caligula’s sisters presented a threat to
her, as they had a better claim to the principate than Claudius did. However, Livilla’s husband, Marcus Vinicius,
had been one of those who had put himself forward as a successor following Caligula’s
death and his marriage to the sister of the deceased emperor was likely seen as a threat
to his position by Claudius himself. A short time after her exile, Livilla was
executed, possibly starved to death. At the same time, Claudius was seeking to
bring other branches of Augustus’ extended family that could possibly pose a threat to
legitimacy, closer to him to ensure loyalty through marriage and positions of note. One of those who could have posed a threat
was Appius Silanus, governor of Tarraconensis, and cousin of Caligula’s first wife, who
was recalled from his post early in Claudius’ reign to marry Messalina’s mother, Domitia
Lepida. This act effectively nullified any ambitions
he had as a possible successor. But it seems that it did little to assuage
any doubts on Claudius’ part as in 42 AD, Claudius’ freedman Narcissus came to the
emperor early in the morning while he was still in bed to tell him of a dream he’d
had in which Claudius was murdered by Appius Silanus. Shortly after, Messalina stated that she had
had a similar dream and when Silanus appeared that morning, his presence seemingly confirmed
the dreams and Claudius had him executed without trial. Later, Claudius related the events to the
senate which they had little choice but to accept. Ancient historians suggest that the scheme
was engineered by Messalina when Silanus spurned her advances but it may have been that both
Claudius and Messalina harboured genuine suspicions against him even after marital ties were sealed. Following Silanus’ death a real plot against
Claudius did materialise later in 42 AD. Engineered by the senator Annius Vinicianus,
who formed a conspiracy with the governor of Dalmatia, Camillus Scribonianus, who for
his part was said to be dissatisfied with Claudius’ accession and was already planning
a revolt. But despite the support of senators and some
equestrians for Vinicianus in Rome, the legions under Camillus were loyal and the revolt ended
quickly with Camillus’ death. For their loyalty the legions were awarded
the title Claudia Pia Fidelis. Conspirators were rounded up in Dalmatia and
sent to Rome, while those suspects already in the capital were imprisoned. One of those sent from Dalmatia, the consular
Paetus, arrived in Rome followed by his wife Arria, an old friend of Messalina, he was
granted the small mercy of being allowed to commit suicide for his part in the revolt. His wife, still loyal to him, apparently showed
him how, when she took the sword from him and stabbed herself, supposedly uttering “See
Paetus, it does not hurt”. A series of trials took place and the condemned
were executed and exposed on the Gemonian steps. A wife of one of the guilty, Cloatilla, was
tried for burying her husband following his execution but was pardoned by Claudius. Camillus’ property and wealth were confiscated
following his condemnation but Claudius allowed a portion of the money from the confiscation
to return to his son, who was granted immunity from prosecution and allowed to continue in
public life. 42 AD also saw the beginning of the improvement
and development of the harbour at Ostia, with the construction of the artificial harbour. The port of Puteoli, unlike Ostia at the time,
was able to accommodate the larger capacity sea going vessels and so served as the main
point of entry for grain where it was offloaded to smaller ships before continuing up the
coast to Ostia. From there it would be transferred again onto
river boats for the journey up the Tiber. By developing Ostia so that it could handle
larger vessels it was hoped that much of the inefficiency in transporting the needed grain
would be eliminated thus alleviating the shortages. Claudius also had to deal with military matters
early on when a further uprising began in Mauretania. The area had been brought back into Roman
hands with the execution of its client King Ptolemy under Caligula, and the initial uprising
following his death had been dealt with by the consul Marcus Crassus Frugi, for which
both Frugi and Claudius received triumphal insignia. With the resurgence of violence, Claudius
sent the Praetorian commanders Suetonius Paullinus and Hosidius Geta to deal with the revolting
tribes who were finally brought to terms either in the close of the 42 AD campaigning season
or early in 43 AD. Mauretania was split into two provinces governed
by equestrian procurators directly appointed by Claudius. Existing Roman colonies in the area created
by Augustus were strengthened and Claudius added to their number with the creation of
his own military colonies as well as granting municipium status to a number of native communities,
bestowing citizenship and other rights on the inhabitants. Further to the issues in Mauretania, violence
also broke out in 42 AD in Lycia, southwest Turkey. Still an autonomous state recognised by the
Romans, Lycia was ruled by a federated League. Roman citizens, possibly natives that had
been granted citizenship, were murdered, which prompted an investigation by Claudius. The ruling League sent an embassy before Claudius
in the senate but failed to clear themselves of the crimes enacted against citizens and
so it was decided to annex the territory, bringing it into the empire as a province. The senator Veranius was sent in as the first
governor of the province in 43 AD, successfully re-establishing peace and embarking on a campaign
of road building through the difficult terrain, connecting the isolated settlements of the
land. Claudius held his third consulship at the
beginning of 43 AD but as with the previous year when he held the position for the second
time, and for the first time as emperor, he and his colleague, the former Syrian governor
Vitellius, resigned after two months, allowing others to serve for the remainder of the term. However, Vitellius continued to serve in a
position of power, directing things in Rome during Claudius’ absence, and was possibly
even promoted to the position of Prefect of the City. It was also in 43 AD that Julia, the daughter
of Tiberius’ son Drusus the younger, and Claudius’ niece was denounced, possibly
on the grounds of immorality, by Suillius Rufus an ally of Messalina. The exact details of the case are unknown
but Julia, perhaps pre-empting her execution, committed suicide. It has been suggested that Julia’s downfall
was engineered by Messalina, to ensure Julia’s own son Rubellius Plautus didn’t become
a rival to Claudius’ son Britannicus. At the same time the Praetorian Prefect Justus
was executed and replaced, possibly for holding sympathies towards Julia, given his earlier
association with her father in the legions. It has also been suggested that during this
year, an equestrian was executed by being thrown from the Tarpeian rock, on the south
side of the Capitoline for plotting against Claudius. Perhaps the achievement that Claudius is best
known for also occurred in 43 AD, the invasion of Britain. Rome had had connections with southern Britain
since Caesar’s expedition to the island in 54 BC and while an invasion seems to have
been a consideration under both Augustus and Caligula, it was Claudius who would actually
take the step. It is likely that planning for the invasion
began in 42 AD and may have, in part, been prompted by the expulsion of Verica by Caratacus
of the Catavellauni, the son of the deceased pro-Roman King Cunobelin. The exact motives of the campaign are unclear,
as it cannot be known for sure whether Claudius intended only to relieve the southern kingdoms
now under the purview of Caratacus and his brother Togodumnus or if a full invasion of
the country was intended from the beginning. However, it has been suggested that as client
kingdoms were already viewed as part of the empire by those within it, that annexation
of the southern kingdoms of Britain was likely to be undertaken on the death of the current
rulers. This shift may have provoked those in the
line of succession, causing a break down in relations with Rome. Victory in either case, however, would serve
to enhance Claudius’ image. Whatever the true intent, arrangements were
made and legions redeployed to ensure seasoned men for the fighting to come. Three legions were drawn from the Rhine frontier,
two from the upper Rhine, one from the lower, and a fourth legion brought in from Pannonia. To replace those from the Rhine, Claudius
sent the two new legions raised under Caligula and another from Spain. To lead the four legions into Britain, Claudius
chose the governor of Pannonia, Aulus Plautius, a capable and loyal general. Among the officers who accompanied Plautius,
was the future emperor Vespasian who had been in command of one of the legions on the upper
Rhine. The invasion didn’t have the best of starts
as the legions refused to embark on the ships to take them across the channel. It was only at the urging of Claudius’ freedman
Narcissus that they finally came around to the idea and boarded at Boulogne, setting
out in three groups. Details surrounding the landings are unclear,
it is the accepted version of events that a landing took place in Richborough, Kent,
although it is a matter of debate whether the three groups of ships all landed at the
same location or if there were three separate landing sites. Once back on dry land the legions fought their
way west and north, and at the river crossing on the Medway Vespasian distinguished himself
with his actions. When the legions reached the Thames the Britons
made another stand, Togodumnus was killed and the Britons defeated, allowing the Romans
to capture a bridge, making the river crossing that much easier given the marshy terrain
that surrounded it. However, instead of making further advances
the legions paused for a time to await Claudius’ arrival. Only after he arrived did they advance further
to Camulodunum, modern day Colchester, in the company of the emperor, his elephants
and a great number of senators, where they quickly captured the town. Claudius received the surrender of at least
eleven British rulers whilst at Camulodunum, including Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes
in the north, although Caratacus was still at large. It is possible at this time that the loyal
client king Cogidubnus was installed in Noviomagus, modern day Chichester, in place of Verica,
whom he may have been related to. However, archaeological evidence in the southern
areas that fell under his rule, attests to an early military presence and it has been
suggested that initially the area fell under military rule whilst dominance was established,
only later being handed over as a client kingdom around 47 AD. Claudius did not linger long in Britain and
soon began the return journey, although at a leisurely pace, with news sent ahead of
him of the victory over the Britons. On his return journey Claudius followed a
route for a new road through the Alps, originally mapped out by his father during his campaigns
in the region. After some additional work to the layout to
bring the form in line with other Roman roads, construction began, and was completed in 46
AD. It was just one of the many roads completed
throughout the empire during Claudius’ rule. After his return to Rome, Claudius celebrated
his triumph in 44 AD, having been hailed as imperator at least five times by this point
and possibly up to nine. Emulating Caesar, he ascended the steps of
the Capitol on his knees with assistance, hiding his usual limp, and triumphal arches
both in Rome and on the coast of Gaul were voted to mark his victory. The senate, at this time also voted him the
name Britannicus, which Claudius passed over, instead designating it to his son. Following Claudius’ return, 44 AD also saw
reforms to the administration of the empire. The control of the state treasury passed from
the praetors to quaestors who were engaged for a term of three years, which was a considerably
longer term than that of a normal quaestorship but those that fulfilled the full term and
performed well in their duties could look forward to a swift advancement in their careers. The use of procurators, answerable to the
emperor himself, also steadily increased at this time. In Ostia, the position of Quaestor Ostiensis
was removed and replaced by a Procurator Portus Ostiensis, a position which was filled by
a freedman. Equestrian governorships also increased under
Claudius. When Judaea returned to the empire as a province
in 44 AD following the death of King Agrippa, it was placed under the control of a governor
of equestrian rank, the procurator Cuspius Fadus who reported directly to the emperor. Fadus caused bad feeling within the Jewish
community of the area almost immediately following his arrival, executing and exiling leading
members of the city of Peraea for warring with their neighbours, he also confiscated
the vestments of the High priest. It was only when Claudius received an embassy
from the Jews, and on the advice of Vitellius that he had them returned. As well as the governorships, restructuring
within the auxiliary cohorts took place, so that commands would be exclusively held by
equestrians, thus providing them with a formalised career path, for those that wished to pursue
the military route into a public career. To placate the senators who would lose out
on these commands, two posts were held exclusively for them in the legions.
45 AD was to present yet another opportunity to increase the bounds of the empire when
the client king Rhoemetalces III was murdered by his wife, leading to civil disorder. The area surrounding Thrace had already come
under scrutiny from Claudius when it was decided the previous year to split the unified provinces
of Achaea, Macedonia and Moesia back into individual governorships. Moesia was placed under the command of the
consular legate Didius Gallus, appointed directly by Claudius, while the others fell under proconsuls
chosen by picking lots. Didius, as governor of the neighbouring province,
was sent in to quell the unrest, taking two legions. Annexation of Thrace followed in 46 AD and
shortly thereafter the colony of Apri was founded and a procurator installed to govern. At the same time Noricum, bordered by the
Danube to the north, was brought into the empire, and a new capital established which
was given Latin rights. At the beginning of 47 AD, Claudius took his
fourth consulship for another two month period. He afforded his colleague Vitellius a great
honour by giving him his third term as consul. For almost the last seven decades few had
held even a second term in the consulship, and only Marcus Agrippa under Augustus had
attained a third with the exception of the emperors themselves. A further honour was bestowed upon Aulus Plautius
when he returned from Britain later that year when Claudius granted him an ovation, which
since Augustus’ time had been an honour reserved only for those of the imperial family. While Plautius rode his horse through the
streets of Rome, Claudius is said to have accompanied him. But another general, Corbulo, who had recently
been assigned to the Lower Rhine, caused Claudius much consternation when he overreacted to
a raid by one branch of the Chauci tribe. His reaction in involving the second branch
of the tribe to quell the raiders was likely to provoke a war between the two and so the
legions were officially recalled to the west bank of the Rhine and Corbulo was criticized
for his actions. To add to the celebrations of that year the
Centennial games were held, to commemorate the eight-hundredth year since Rome’s founding. Although a century hadn’t elapsed since
Augustus held his games in 17 BC, Claudius pressed on with lavish games and performances,
despite the whispers against the proclamations that such festivities and performers hadn’t
been seen in Rome in a lifetime. It was said to be at one of these games that
the young Nero appeared, garnering warmer praise from the audience than Britannicus
had received, much to the displeasure of Messalina. Claudius had held an interest in the law for
many years before becoming emperor, but after succeeding Caligula, he set himself to the
study and practice of law in earnest, reading cases and hearing those trials not overseen
by the senate, although he was much criticized for his conduct and inconsistency in his acquittals
and judgements. However, he did make some positive impacts
on legislation and dealt with the accumulated back log of cases, also reinstating the consilium
or body of advisors that would assist him. However, in 47 AD his dealing with a case
without the presence of the senate would have repercussions for him. Supposedly, Messalina, driven by jealousy
over her lover Mnester’s interest in Poppaea Sabina, and wanting to acquire the gardens
of Lucullus, concocted a story that the consular Valerius Asiaticus of Gaulish origin, owner
of the gardens, had committed adultery with Poppaea. The Praetorian Prefect Crispinus was dispatched
to arrest him, finding him at a resort in Baiae, and returned him to the Palace where
he was brought before Claudius and members of the consilium and tried. Supposedly Claudius, after hearing Asiaticus’
rebuttals to the charges laid against him was on the verge of announcing an acquittal
but Messalina intervened, instructing Vitellius to convince the emperor not to let him off,
to which end he succeeded and Asiaticus, as well as Poppaea who had not faced a trial,
both committed suicide. The senate was only informed after the event,
and so opinions against both Messalina and Claudius hardened, for this act of disposing
of one of their own number without a senate trial. Doubt has been cast on the versions of this
case presented by ancient historians who were writing years after the event and with a bias
against members of the imperial family. We do know however that both Asiaticus and
Poppaea killed themselves, but it has now been suggested that while the charges of adultery
may have been the reason given to the senate, it is likely that Asiaticus’ vast wealth
and means within Gaul may have painted him as someone who could bring trouble if supporting
a rival which ultimately played a part in his downfall. However, this episode did have another effect,
as it was raised in the senate that without fair legal proceedings, prosecutors would
grow rich from their cases, as successful prosecutions were afforded substantial rewards. The consul designate, Silius proposed a revival
of the Cincian law, which prohibited the reward granted after the successful pleading of a
case. The senate debated the matter vigorously but
it was Claudius who had the final say, declaring that no more than ten thousand sesterces would
be paid as a reward. In the same year Claudius revived the office
of censor which had been dormant since 22 BC, appointing Vitellius to the post alongside
him as the office was always held in twos. In essence it was a census similar to that
undertaken today and was used to take account of the citizens within the empire and their
means. Part of the reason suggested for the revival
of the office was a shortage of men eligible to hold junior posts within the senate, and
as wealth was the main means of qualification, a census would help to identify those citizens
who met the required level. At the same time Claudius had the opportunity
to clean up the senate, as those who no longer met the wealth requirements could be removed
and to this end he asked the members to assess themselves, allowing them to resign themselves
whilst also holding the power to remove those that didn’t. He went on further by advancing new families
into the patrician class, whose ranks had become somewhat diminished, ensuring that
those priesthoods reserved only for patricians could be upheld. A number of edicts were also issued and these
included an edict against money lenders, preventing them from lending to younger men against their
future inheritance. But the office wasn’t all about means and
legislation, as Claudius also used the position to champion the cause of the declining haruspices,
the Etruscan soothsayers, putting a motion before the senate to reorganize them into
an official college, so that their “learning” would not fade away. This act may have in part reflected Claudius’
interest in history and his ties with Etruria through his first wife who was of Etruscan
descent. According to Tacitus, at the completion of
the census the number of citizens across the empire had risen by over a million since Augustus
and Tiberius’ census in 14 AD, to a total of 5,984,072. At the end of the census, ritual purification
of Rome was undertaken by the censors, who processed the boundary of the city, sacrificing
a pig, sheep, and a bull to Mars, two reliefs survive from an unknown monument which may
depict the Claudian ritual. Another aspect of Claudius’ time as censor
came to somewhat of a compromise. Earlier in 47 AD he had opened a discussion
concerning the possible admission of qualifying men from Gallia Comata to the senate. Claudius put forward his case, although not
very eloquently, highlighting his lack of skill in rhetoric and oratory and his nervousness
when speaking to crowds. He spoke of the Narbonensian Gauls already
admitted to the senate but despite his praise for many, he made vindictive references concerning
Asiaticus. His speech was laid down by Tacitus but was
rewritten, however a portion of Claudius’ original speech survives in the form of a
fragmentary bronze tablet in Lyon. The tablet highlights Claudius’ inadequacies
but the ideas behind the motion were sound and of his own making, and despite numerous
objections the senate accepted the proposal. However, initially only leaders of the loyal
Aedui tribe were permitted to wear the broad stripe signifying their entitlement for the
senate, despite the large numbers putting themselves forward for the honour in 48 AD. However other events in 48 AD were about to
take a drastic and deadly turn. The accounts that have come down to us from
ancient historians differ somewhat in their details but generally they report that Messalina,
supposedly known for her promiscuity, fell in love with and married Gaius Silius in front
of witnesses. Claudius was in Ostia at the time, and his
freedmen passed news of the marriage through the emperor’s mistresses, with Narcissus
present in Ostia to further press the gravity of the situation upon him. Supposedly at the news Claudius asked if he
was still in control of the empire. In the company of Vitellius, Narcissus, and
Claudius’ friend Caecina Largus, they hurried back to Rome, and were intercepted first by
Messalina herself and then by a senior Vestal who demanded a hearing for the empress but
was placated by Narcissus. Moving on they stopped to inspect Silius’
house where they found items from the imperial household said to have been gifted to him
by Messalina, before making their way to the Praetorian barracks. Silius was brought in and quickly condemned
and executed without a chance to offer his own defence. A number of equestrians and senators were
also executed as accomplices, as well as Mnester who was numbered amongst Messalina’s lovers. Messalina, meanwhile, was dispatched by a
member of the Praetorians in the gardens of Lucullus on the orders of Narcissus, after
lacking the courage to commit suicide. Claudius was said to have shown no emotion
at the news of her death. Shortly after, by decree of the senate Messalina
was then subject to the practice of damnatio memoriae meaning condemnation of memory whereby
any trace of her in depictions etc were destroyed. Narcissus for his part was awarded the quaestors’
insignia. The exact nature of the events will likely
never be confirmed, and the debate still rages around her downfall, with a great number of
theories put forward, mostly amounting to conspiracy theories against one or more parties
engineered by various others, including Agrippina. However, whatever the case, when it came,
Messalina’s fall was swift and ultimately her status as empress and mother to Claudius’
heir did nothing to protect her. With Messalina gone, the vulnerability of
his position once again came to the fore for Claudius. Messalina had for a time proved an ally in
strengthening his claim through familial ties with prominent branches of the family, although
neither had felt completely secure. His three remaining leading freedmen put forward
their own candidates for marriage but it was eventually Pallas’ suggestion of Agrippina
that won out. Agrippina was a Julian and would thus strengthen
Claudius’ own claim. However, immediately there was a problem,
as Agrippina was Claudius’ niece and such a union was considered incestuous by Roman
standards. This was remedied early in 49 AD when Vitellius
appeared in the senate, he interrupted the session, and proceeded to extoll the virtues
of a union between Claudius and Agrippina stating how, by assenting, the senate would
be enhancing their own power. His speech had the desired effect and the
senate voted that such marriages between men and their brother’s daughters could take
place; unions between the daughters of sisters was still prohibited however. The Senate and the people alike called for
the marriage, processing along the street where they were met by Claudius in the Forum,
he agreed and some sources claim the ceremony took place that very day. Claudius, then asked that the decree henceforth
should be applied to all such unions which the senate granted, writing it into Roman
law. At the same time, there were calls for his
daughter Claudia Octavia to be betrothed to Agrippina’s son Nero. Octavia had previously been betrothed to the
young and upcoming noble Lucius Silanus, however, the betrothal was broken by Claudius in 48
AD when Vitellius accused him of incest with his sister and Silanus was expelled from the
senate, he would later commit suicide after his public shaming on the same day as the
marriage. The plot against him was engineered by Agrippina,
as a marriage between Octavia and Nero would further strengthen both Claudius and Agrippina’s
positions. Shortly following their marriage, Seneca was
recalled from his exile on Corsica and would be engaged as a tutor for Nero the following
year, as well as being elected to the praetorship. On the whole, Agrippina’s ascension hailed
a new, more cooperative era between the emperor and the senate, her influence and reputation
stood in stark contrast to that of Messalina, and hostility towards the imperial household
waned. Three candidates initially had been suggested
to Claudius, Agrippina, his second wife who he had divorced a decade earlier Aelia Paetina,
and the third wife of Caligula, Lollia Paulina. Agrippina was part of both the Julian and
Claudian clans before her marriage to Claudius and could claim descent from both Augustus
and Livia. Given this distinction there were few that
could actively be seen as her rival in terms of familial ties. Nevertheless, she quickly moved against Lollia,
bringing charges against the woman for consulting astrologers and oracles over the emperor’s
marriage. Claudius brought the matter before the senate
but refused her a hearing, instead giving a lengthy speech emphasizing her connections,
and that she was harmful to the state, he decreed that her wealth should be confiscated
to prevent her embroiling herself in criminal activity. The senate acted and Lollia was forced to
forfeit all but a tiny proportion of her vast wealth and was exiled from Italy. Later, a Praetorian guard was sent after her
and she was executed. Purportedly her head was sent to Agrippina
at the empresses’ own request to confirm her death. Over the following years Agrippina would move
against others she perceived as rivals to her and her son, but not in the underhanded
and much maligned ways Messalina had preferred. Cases were brought before the senate to ensure,
at least on the surface, that the accused were given the chance of a hearing, and her
named victims number far fewer than those who met their end during Messalina’s marriage. The final prominent death of Domitia Lepida,
mother of Messalina, grandmother of Britannicus and Nero’s aunt came in 54 AD, shortly before
Claudius’ death. As well as these figures, from 50 AD Agrippina
set about removing those surrounding Britannicus, starting with his tutors. Eventually she convinced Claudius of factionalism
within the household and he ordered the removal of malign influences and gradually Britannicus
lost most of those around him, including his tutor Sosibius who was executed, having been
charged with plots against Nero. She would also exert influence among the Praetorians
to have any officers who were deemed to be sympathetic to Britannicus replaced with those
loyal to her. 49 AD also saw further territory added to
the empire when Ituraea, to the north of Galilee was annexed following the death of Sohaemus,
who’d been gifted the kingdom by Caligula in 38 AD. It was to fall under the purview of the Syrian
governor. By this time Claudius had seen much success
in adding provinces to the empire and his crowning achievement was the invasion of Britain
and so he took it upon himself to extend the sacred boundary of Rome, the Pomerium, as
a visible marker of his success. At the same time, he revived the old practice
of the Augury of Security, after a lapse of seventy-five years, which was an inquiry to
determine whether the gods would be receptive to receiving a prayer for the security of
the state, this only occurred during times of peace. On the 25th of February 50 AD Claudius formally
adopted Agrippina’s son, who became Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus Caesar. To Agrippina herself, went the title of Augusta,
marking the first time a wife of a living emperor received the honour. In the same year, Claudius went on to found
more colonies, the first in Ubiorum, modern day Cologne, and Agrippina’s birthplace,
granting the rights of colonists to the loyal Ubii tribe brought across the Rhine by Marcus
Agrippa in 38 BC. Around the same time in Britain, Colonia Victricensis
was founded in Camulodunum for veterans of the twentieth legion. It was also in this year, that Chalcis passed
from King Agrippa’s brother Herod to his son Agrippa II on his uncle’s death, having
been deemed too young by Claudius to succeed his father six years earlier. Claudius took up his fifth and final consulship
in 51 AD but unlike the previous four he held the post at least until October, if not for
the whole year. It is probable that he took the decision to
remain in position as 51 represented not only ten years as emperor but it also marked his
sixtieth birthday in August. Vespasian would also hold his first suffect
consulship for the final two months of the year. In March, Claudius oversaw the thirteen year
old Nero’s taking of the toga virilis which had been brought forward by around nine months,
as fourteen was the usual age for the ceremony. In the weeks preceding his ceremony Nero was
made consul designate, to hold the office in his twentieth year, and received the title
of princeps iuventutis at the same time. Despite good progress in the development of
the port of Ostia by now, grain shortages persisted and Claudius was lucky to escape
when rioting broke out in response to the most recent shortage. It was also in this year that the post of
Praetorian Prefect was once again reduced to a single man, through Agrippina’s persuasions,
it was initially a dual position under Caligula, when Afranius Burrus, a procurator who had
served under Livia, Tiberius, and Claudius was appointed as Prefect. Claudius’ long standing friend and colleague
Vitellius likely died this year, but not before he was accused of maiestas by a junior senator
who may have acted to thwart Agrippina’s strengthening position through one of her
supporters. The case failed and the senator was exiled. Beginning early in his reign and continuing
throughout, Claudius made many reforms including some to the military. In 44 AD he granted the rights of married
men to soldiers within the legions but he also considered the auxiliary cohorts who
were becoming increasingly important to the military structure of the empire. Claudius regularised the thirty year term
of service for auxiliaries and granted them citizenship following discharge after a minimum
of twenty-five years, as well as giving their children legitimacy through the right of conubium. Although the reforms cannot be reliably dated,
it is to 51 AD that the earliest bronze diploma issued to a discharged auxiliary confirming
his rights belongs. Two more prominent and opposing events occurred
in 51AD. Firstly, Armenia was lost from the sphere
of Roman influence when the Pro-Roman ruler Mithridates was killed by his nephew Radamistus,
seizing it for himself for a short time before the Parthian King Vologases invaded the territory. Armenia would only be recovered after Claudius’
death. In stark contrast to this loss, in Britain,
the rebel leader Caratacus and his family were finally caught by Queen Cartimandua and
handed over to the army before being sent back to Rome. To mark the victory the prisoners were paraded
to the delight of the crowds, however unlike prisoners paraded in years gone by, Claudius
spared Caratacus’ life. To further publicise his victory, Claudius
had a naval crown affixed to the principle entrance of his Palatine house, symbolizing
his subduing of the ocean. In 52 AD a new piece of legislation was passed
by the senate pronouncing that free women who married slaves without the permission
of their master would be demoted to a slave themselves, however if they obtained permission
for the marriage, they would hold the rank of freedwoman. This new decree had come about through the
work of the freedman Pallas, who Claudius had consulted on the matter. The consul elect Barea Soranus proposed that
Pallas be awarded with the Praetorian insignia and receive the substantial sum of 15 million
sesterces but Pallas declined the money, at which another decree was passed praising him
for his frugal nature. As well as the new legislation, 52 AD saw
the culmination of two immense building projects: two new aqueducts and the Fucine lake tunnel. Under Caligula, two aqueducts had been in
the early stages of development when he was assassinated, Claudius continued with their
construction. The Aqua Claudia followed a similar route
to the existing Aqua Marcia built during the Republic, with the source of the Claudia forty
miles outside of Rome. Substantial portions of this aqueduct still
survive today. The Anio Novus began farther from Rome and
followed a course along the Anio river before coming above ground at the same point as the
Claudia, the Anio was then “piggybacked” onto the arcade of the Claudia, providing
two separate lines of water into Rome. With their construction finally complete they
were dedicated and put into use. A grander spectacle was planned for the draining
of the Fucine lake. With its great size Claudius decided to stage
a mock sea battle on the lake before it was drained. A flotilla of quadriremes and triremes took
part crewed by nineteen-thousand convicts, who were encouraged to participate by the
Praetorians stationed around the periphery of the lake armed with catapults and ballistae. Graffiti depicting a quadrireme found in the
nearby town of Alba Fucens attests to the presence of the ships. Crowds gathered in specially erected stands
on the banks to watch the spectacle, with Claudius and Agrippina in attendance. The naval battle was a success and the show
was to end with the opening of the sluices and draining of the lake but when that moment
came, it was a great disappointment. The tunnel had not been dug to a sufficient
depth and only a trickle of water drained away. But Claudius didn’t give up and instructed
Narcissus, who had been given charge of the project to deepen the channel. Another spectacle was planned for the second
opening with pontoons built on the lake on which to host gladiatorial bouts. Claudius and Agrippina were positioned above
the drainage outlet and this time when it opened the water poured through, destroying
part of the structure they were seated on, throwing them into the lake, from which they
were fortunate to survive. Agrippina openly blamed Narcissus for the
disaster and the two began hurling accusations at one another. Under Agrippina Narcissus’ influence was
beginning to wane. Either late in 52 AD or early 53 AD Claudius
fell ill. Nero, already gaining in popularity, entered
the senate and made a vow for Claudius’ recovery. Claudius did recover but the year was to hold
mixed fortunes for the imperial family. A fire broke out within the tenements of the
Aemiliana district, raging for a number of days. Claudius and Agrippina attended the scene
during the disaster, where they remained for two days and set themselves to the task of
recruiting and paying fire fighters to help tackle the blaze. In response to further disasters and judgements
on cities throughout the empire, Nero placed himself in the senate in advocacy of their
claims, winning recompense, tax exemptions and championing the restoration of the freedom
of Rhodes which Claudius had previously removed. Nero also held the post of Prefect of the
city whilst Claudius was absent for the Latin festival. But there was one final hurdle to overcome. As Claudius had adopted Nero, the marriage
between him and Claudia Octavia was considered incestuous by Roman law. To deal with this issue, Claudius had Octavia
adopted into another family and after the formalities were completed, the young couple
were married, with Nero’s promised games for Claudius following the ceremony. 54 AD began with an ill omen when a comet
appeared. The belief was held that the appearance of
a comet heralded the death of kings, and it was predicted that Claudius wouldn’t live
to see out the year. Among the many claimed portents foretelling
the emperor’s death, was the high mortality rate among the magistrates of that year, another
more plausible suggestion for these deaths, as they weren’t connected to trials, is
that there was some sort of sickness present in the city at the time. Similarly Claudius, said to have had a premonition
of his own death, failed to designate suffects for the final two months of the year, but
again the more likely case is that he was simply unsure who to choose for the position. On the 12th of October, Claudius presided
over the Augustalia banquet on the Capitoline Hill, and it is posited that his taster, the
eunuch Halotus, administered poison in a dish of mushrooms. Other accounts have the poison administered,
still using mushrooms, at a dinner in the palace later that same day by Halotus or Agrippina,
with some suggesting that Claudius vomited up the first dose after which a second was
administered by his doctor Xenophon using a feather, while others stated that one dose
was sufficient. The accounts suggest that his death was not
announced immediately and in an effort to conceal the time of death, Claudius’ body
was covered with warm blankets to stymie the effects of rigor mortis and Agrippina sent
for actors to entertain the ailing emperor, supposedly at Claudius’ request. Prayers for his recovery were offered by the
senate, Britannicus was confined to his room and his sisters’ movements monitored while
preparations were made for Nero’s succession. Then just after noon on the 13th of October
54 AD the announcement was made that the emperor had died. There is still much speculation over Claudius’
death. All the existing accounts differ in their
details but broadly agree that he was poisoned either by those acting on behalf of Agrippina,
or by the empress herself to ensure her son Nero succeeded him. His death may well have been murder, but given
his age, state of health in his final years and heavy drinking throughout his life, it
is just as likely that he died of natural causes. Although if so, it was fortuitous timing for
Nero given that Britannicus would soon take the toga virilis giving him at least an equal
if not stronger claim. However, as with many such cases in the ancient
world, it is unlikely we will ever know the truth for certain. Claudius, from his earliest years, was never
supposed to have been emperor, having been denied a public career by both Augustus and
Tiberius, he was viewed as a source of shame within the imperial family. Only under Caligula did he gain a taste of
public life but faced derision and humiliation at the hands of his nephew. At the decisive moment following Caligula’s
assassination, with no clear succession route, he essentially forced himself upon the senate,
for which, resentment among the members lingered throughout his reign. But having been of equestrian status for much
of his life, he enjoyed support from among their ranks and from those of his household,
as well as from the people of Rome and the military. In turn, the favour he bestowed on equestrians
and freedmen through official posts and reforms, while improving their prospects, embittered
others. Although much of his work was disparaged he
was a diligent and hardworking emperor, though he did have his flaws. He worked tirelessly on matters of law, greatly
increased the provinces and citizenship rights within the empire, championed the advancement
of the second strata of society and that of provincials, while allowing for more senators
to rise to positions of honour as the number of consulships throughout the year steadily
increased. Through his construction and restoration projects
he improved Rome and Ostia substantially for many years to come and made efforts, although
not entirely successful, to alleviate and prevent natural disasters, such as the severe
flooding of the Tiber, and food shortages caused by the inconsistencies in the grain
supply. Although a great fan of the games, he managed
to strike a balance between the austerity seen under Tiberius and the excesses of Caligula,
that pleased all levels of society. However, his crowning achievement, and perhaps
that which he is best known for was the successful invasion of Britain, which would remain a
part of the empire for the next four centuries. However, there was another side to his rule,
and while it would be unfair to completely credit the ancient sources which claim that
Claudius was dominated by his wives, his third and fourth wives did wield influence for their
own ends. During Messalina’s time, many men and women
of notoriety would either meet their end or face impoverished exiles without being granted
a senate trial, which only increased the resentment among the senators who saw themselves as actively
excluded from the justice process. To add to this, Claudius’ insensitivity
to the senate in his promotion of equestrians, and to their chagrin, freedmen, added to their
resentment and may have in part led to the conspiracy which occurred early in his reign. While this resentment did somewhat subside
after his marriage to Agrippina, ultimately her aims were similar to those of Messalina
in protecting both herself and her son by eliminating rivals and promoting loyalty. Although her methods in cooperating with the
senate in public trials won her their favour, rather than their anger. It is likely that rather than dominating Claudius
as so many have claimed, both women exploited his fear in his somewhat shaky claim to the
principate for their own advancement. What do you think of Emperor Claudius? Was he the feeble, bumbling oaf who was dominated
by his wives as history claims or does he deserve to be recognised as a capable ruler,
responsible for expanding the bounds and prestige of the Empire? Please let us know in the comment section,
and in the meantime, thank you very much for watching.
