Historical Figures

Claudius (10 BCE - 54)

Claudius

Ancient Roman Caesar from AD 41. He was born on August 1, 10 BC He was the son of Druzus the Elder and Antonia the Younger. He is often associated with his speech impediment because he is said to have stuttered. He became emperor after Caligula was murdered. Before Claudius, who was hiding in one of the palaces, was found, the senate considered the restoration of the republic. In exercising power and not trusting the senate, he relied to a large extent on liberators. More willingly than his predecessors, he granted Roman citizenship to the inhabitants of the province. During his reign, the port in Ostia was expanded, and two new aqueducts were brought to Rome, the construction of which began during Caligula:Aqua Claudia and Anio Novus. The construction of these aqueducts was completed in AD 52.

In AD 43 he set out at the head of an army consisting of 4 legions for Britain, where he reached the town of Camulodunum, what is now Colchester. In 44, Mauritania was conquered and in 46 Thrace. In 48 AD, Claudius was notified that his wife Messalina had married Senator Gaius Silius. This news was brought to him by a liberator named Narcissus. Silius and Messalina's many other lovers were beheaded, and Narcissus made sure that she herself was killed, fearing that Claudius might want to forgive her.

In 49, in part at the request of the senate, Claudius married Augustus' great-granddaughter and Caligula's sister Agrippina the Younger. The following year he adopted her son, Lucius Domitius. Later he will be known as Emperor Nero. It is speculated that Agrippina was responsible for Claudius' death on the night of October 12-13, 54. She was supposed to poison him in order to ensure the reign of her son and prevent the restoration of the son of Claudius and Messalina of Britain.


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