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Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
His candidness as a historian is believed to have undermined his prospects of public office, as Claudius spent Tiberius' reign in private scholarly pursuits. Claudius managed to evade both the treason trials of Tiberius (in spite of being married to a relative of Sejanus) and latter the tumultuous reign of Caligula,[[ObfuscatingStupidity by exaggerating his ailments and playing the fool to survive.]] Caligula took a gleeful delight in tormenting his uncle: playing cruel practical jokes, forcing him to pay ridiculous sums of money and humiliating him in public. In the wake of Caligula's assassination, he was found hiding behind the curtains in the Imperial Palace by the Praetorian Guard and acclaimed Emperor.
His candidness as a historian is believed to have undermined his prospects of public office, as Claudius spent Tiberius' reign in private scholarly pursuits. Claudius managed to evade both the treason trials of Tiberius (in spite of being married to a relative of Sejanus) and latter the tumultuous reign of Caligula,[[ObfuscatingStupidity by exaggerating his ailments and playing the fool to survive.]] Caligula took a gleeful delight in tormenting his uncle: playing cruel practical jokes, forcing him to pay ridiculous sums of money and humiliating him in public. In the wake of Caligula's assassination, he was found hiding behind the curtains in the Imperial Palace by the Praetorian Guard and acclaimed Emperor.
to:
Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary... [[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
His candidness as a historian is believed to have undermined his prospects of public office, as Claudius spent Tiberius' reign in private scholarly pursuits. Claudius managed to evade both the treason trials of Tiberius (in spite of being married to a relative of Sejanus) and latter the tumultuous reign ofCaligula,[[ObfuscatingStupidity Caligula, [[ObfuscatingStupidity by exaggerating his ailments and playing the fool to survive.]] Caligula took a gleeful delight in tormenting his uncle: playing cruel practical jokes, forcing him to pay ridiculous sums of money and humiliating him in public. In the wake of Caligula's assassination, he was found hiding behind the curtains in the Imperial Palace by the Praetorian Guard and acclaimed Emperor.
His candidness as a historian is believed to have undermined his prospects of public office, as Claudius spent Tiberius' reign in private scholarly pursuits. Claudius managed to evade both the treason trials of Tiberius (in spite of being married to a relative of Sejanus) and latter the tumultuous reign of
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Claudius was the first emperor since Augustus to expand the boundaries of the Roman Empire. He officially annexed a number of provinces, but the conquest of Britannia was his most notable achievement. In the year 43 A.D he sent Aulus Plautius with four legions to the isle, ostensible to help a tribal ally before expanding their efforts. Claudius would arrive with additional forces, including war elephants, to complete the establishment of Brittania as a Roman province. He would only spend sixteen days on British soil before returning to Gaul. He refused the horrific "Britannicus", instead giving it to his son. When Aulus Plautius returned to Rome, Claudius notably walked beside him in his procession through the city.
to:
Claudius was the first emperor since Augustus to expand the boundaries of the Roman Empire. He officially annexed a number of provinces, but the conquest of Britannia was his most notable achievement. In the year 43 A.D he sent Aulus Plautius with four legions to the isle, ostensible to help a tribal ally before expanding their efforts. Claudius would arrive with additional forces, including war elephants, to complete the establishment of Brittania as a Roman province. He would only spend sixteen days on British soil before returning to Gaul. He refused the horrific honorific "Britannicus", instead giving it to his son. When Aulus Plautius returned to Rome, Claudius notably walked beside him in his procession through the city.
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* Is the titular character of ''Literature/IClaudius'' and [[Series/IClaudius its television adaptation]]. Notable for giving him a HistoricalHeroUpgrade in making him want to restore the Republic.
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* Is the titular character of Robert Graves' ''Literature/IClaudius'' and [[Series/IClaudius its television adaptation]]. adaptation]], played by Creator/DerekJacobi in the latter. Notable for popularizing Claudius as a figure, giving him an intelligent and sympathetic characterization. It also gives him a HistoricalHeroUpgrade in making him want to restore the Republic.Republic.
* The controversial Film/{{Caligula}} portrays Caludius, played by Giancarlo Badessi, as a complete imbecile in stark contrast to Graves' character.
* Played by Barry Jones in ''Film/DemetriusAndTheGladiators''. Presented as a decent sort who's more interested in his scrolls than court life. His unfaithful wife Messalina also appears.
* ''Literature/TheFlamesOfRome'' covers the last part of his reign as Emperor, touching on the conquest of Britain, the conspiracy of Messalina, the expulsion of the Jews from Rome, his marriage to Agrippina, and his death. Claudius is portrayed as handicapped but shrewd with a weakness for wine and women.
* Played by Steve Pemberton in Series/{{Britannia}}, which portrays him as an gullible fool, drugged by Aulus Plautius.
* The controversial Film/{{Caligula}} portrays Caludius, played by Giancarlo Badessi, as a complete imbecile in stark contrast to Graves' character.
* Played by Barry Jones in ''Film/DemetriusAndTheGladiators''. Presented as a decent sort who's more interested in his scrolls than court life. His unfaithful wife Messalina also appears.
* ''Literature/TheFlamesOfRome'' covers the last part of his reign as Emperor, touching on the conquest of Britain, the conspiracy of Messalina, the expulsion of the Jews from Rome, his marriage to Agrippina, and his death. Claudius is portrayed as handicapped but shrewd with a weakness for wine and women.
* Played by Steve Pemberton in Series/{{Britannia}}, which portrays him as an gullible fool, drugged by Aulus Plautius.
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!!Tropes as portrayed in fiction:
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: There's no evidence that he ever wanted to restore the Roman Republic.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: There's no evidence that he ever wanted to restore the Roman Republic.
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*
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Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was the fourth [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire emperor of Rome]] and of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He was UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and UsefulNotes/{{Tiberius'}} nephew as well as the grand-nephew of UsefulNotes/{{Augustus}} through his sister Octavia. Although Claudius suffered from illness, he is generally considered to have been an excellent emperor providing stable rule and expanding the empire with the conquest of Britain. While ancient writers dismissed him as an idiot, modern reappraisals have tended towards the positive.
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Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was the fourth [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire emperor of Rome]] and of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. He was UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and UsefulNotes/{{Tiberius'}} UsefulNotes/{{Tiberius}}' nephew as well as the grand-nephew of UsefulNotes/{{Augustus}} through his sister Octavia. Although Claudius suffered from illness, he is generally considered to have been an excellent emperor providing stable rule and expanding the empire with the conquest of Britain. While ancient writers dismissed him as an idiot, modern reappraisals have tended towards the positive.
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!!Tropes as portrayed in fiction:
to:
!!Tropes as portrayed in fiction:fiction:
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: There's no evidence that he ever wanted to restore the Roman Republic.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: There's no evidence that he ever wanted to restore the Roman Republic.
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Expanding page to match the other emperors
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UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire emperor of Rome]] at age 51 after [[DecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
to:
Claudius was born in 10 B.C at Lugdunum,Gaul to Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia, one of Mark Anthony's daughters with Octavia. As a child he suffered from a sickness that left him with a severe stammer and weak knees. His mother once described him as “a monster of a man, not finished but merely begun by Nature". The full extent of his
Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
His candidness as a historian is believed to have undermined his prospects of public office, as Claudius spent Tiberius' reign in private scholarly pursuits. Claudius managed to evade both the treason trials of Tiberius (in spite of being married to a relative of Sejanus) and latter the tumultuous reign of Caligula,[[ObfuscatingStupidity by exaggerating his ailments and playing the fool to survive.]] Caligula took a gleeful delight in tormenting his uncle: playing cruel practical jokes, forcing him to pay ridiculous sums of money and humiliating him in public. In the wake of Caligula's assassination, he was found hiding behind the curtains in the Imperial Palace by the Praetorian Guard and acclaimed Emperor.
Claudius proved a shrewd Emperor, restoring stability and peace to the Empire. He embarked on a series of infrastructure projects and expanded the Imperial bureaucracy. He would place a considerable amount of trust in his freedman Narcissus and Pallas, giving them significant authority. Claudius also displayed a keen interest in the judicial system, hearing many cases himself.
Claudius was the first emperor since Augustus to expand the boundaries of the Roman Empire. He officially annexed a number of provinces, but the conquest of Britannia was his most notable achievement. In the year 43 A.D he sent Aulus Plautius with four legions to the isle, ostensible to help a tribal ally before expanding their efforts. Claudius would arrive with additional forces, including war elephants, to complete the establishment of Brittania as a Roman province. He would only spend sixteen days on British soil before returning to Gaul. He refused the horrific "Britannicus", instead giving it to his son. When Aulus Plautius returned to Rome, Claudius notably walked beside him in his procession through the city.
Claudius was very much TheCasanova and was married four times throughout his life. His first wife Plautia Urgulanilla was divorced because she was rumored to have killed her sister-in-law. His second wife was Aelia Paetina, a relative of Tiberius's Praetorian prefect Sejanus and was divorced after Sejanus' downfall. Claudius' third wife was Valeria Messalina who became infamous for her sexual affairs and is claimed to have competed with a prostitute. Ultimately her downfall came when she married Gaius Silius in a plot to overthrow him, resulting in the execution of Messalina, Silius, and her other lovers.
His final wife (and niece) Agrippina would successfully poison him in 54. Claudius was succeeded by her son who he had adopted UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
Robert Graves was largely responsible for prompting a reevaluation of his life, thanks to the popularity of Literature/IClaudius and [[Series/IClaudius
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!!Tropes as portrayed in
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Only tropes related to his portrayals in fiction are allowed
Changed line(s) 3,25 (click to see context) from:
UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire emperor of Rome]] at age 51 after [[DecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
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* ActionSurvivor: He managed to survive the deadly maze of conspiracies and backstabbings that was the Julio-Claudian family, in no small part due to his ObfuscatingStupidity. The imperial family ripped itself apart, and nobody bothered to kill "Claudius the Idiot" until he was the last man standing (well, crouching behind a curtain).
* AlmightyJanitor: During his nephew Caligula's reign, Claudius was appointed Consul to the Senate and was left in charge of administration. So when Claudius became Emperor, he was already experienced with the job of running the Empire, he was just higher up in the hierarchy.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Whether he actually was as dumb as his mother and nephew claimed or was ObfuscatingStupidity is the subject of much debate among historians. As is the degree to which he was manipulated by his wives and the freedmen who formed his most trusted advisers.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: Claudius may have appeared like a simpleton to his enemies, but he crushed two conspiracies against him and executed numerous Equestrians and Senators.
* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) UsefulNotes/{{Nero}} can become Emperor.
* BoringButPractical: Key to his rule was the sound policy of infrastructure projects along with a more meritocratic appointment of an unofficial bureaucracy to manage the Empire. Compared to Caligula's whims and Nero's "art projects", his bland rule was probably much better than what came before and after.
* BreadAndCircuses: Massively expanded during Claudius' reign, and the main reason for his ''huge'' popularity with the plebs.
* ButtMonkey: How his nephew Caligula treated him while he was Emperor. It may have actually saved Claudius as numerous people in Caligula's inner-circle were executed.
* {{Gasshole}}: He was quite flatulent. He even encouraged farting in public because, as ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' put it, "better out than in."
** One account even states that this almost saved his life: as he was dying from the poisoned mushrooms, he discharged an explosive fart that nearly expelled the poison, prompting an assassin to come in and stick a poison-dipped feather in his mouth.
* HenpeckedHusband: How he was depicted in the sources. His wives Messalina and Agrippina were exceptionally influential and infamous.
* HiddenDepths:
** Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
** Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
* KavorkaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors, one of them having been his own nephew and predecessor Caligula, took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].''' Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided and moving it into an arena would have been impossible for the time.
* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, in his dynasty he would be the second greatest after Augustus, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the late rule of Caligula.
* TrueCompanions: His best friend and most powerful ally was the Senator Lucius Vitellius, who was put temporarily in charge of Rome when Claudius went to Britain. He also was the only man not of the Imperial Bloodline to hold the position of Censor in the Imperial Era. He died before Claudius, who commissioned a statue for Vitellius.
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in ''Literature/IClaudius'', particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
----
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* ActionSurvivor: He managed to survive the deadly maze of conspiracies and backstabbings that was the Julio-Claudian family, in no small part due to his ObfuscatingStupidity. The imperial family ripped itself apart, and nobody bothered to kill "Claudius the Idiot" until he was the last man standing (well, crouching behind a curtain).
* AlmightyJanitor: During his nephew Caligula's reign, Claudius was appointed Consul to the Senate and was left in charge of administration. So when Claudius became Emperor, he was already experienced with the job of running the Empire, he was just higher up in the hierarchy.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Whether he actually was as dumb as his mother and nephew claimed or was ObfuscatingStupidity is the subject of much debate among historians. As is the degree to which he was manipulated by his wives and the freedmen who formed his most trusted advisers.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: Claudius may have appeared like a simpleton to his enemies, but he crushed two conspiracies against him and executed numerous Equestrians and Senators.
* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) UsefulNotes/{{Nero}} can become Emperor.
* BoringButPractical: Key to his rule was the sound policy of infrastructure projects along with a more meritocratic appointment of an unofficial bureaucracy to manage the Empire. Compared to Caligula's whims and Nero's "art projects", his bland rule was probably much better than what came before and after.
* BreadAndCircuses: Massively expanded during Claudius' reign, and the main reason for his ''huge'' popularity with the plebs.
* ButtMonkey: How his nephew Caligula treated him while he was Emperor. It may have actually saved Claudius as numerous people in Caligula's inner-circle were executed.
* {{Gasshole}}: He was quite flatulent. He even encouraged farting in public because, as ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' put it, "better out than in."
** One account even states that this almost saved his life: as he was dying from the poisoned mushrooms, he discharged an explosive fart that nearly expelled the poison, prompting an assassin to come in and stick a poison-dipped feather in his mouth.
* HenpeckedHusband: How he was depicted in the sources. His wives Messalina and Agrippina were exceptionally influential and infamous.
* HiddenDepths:
** Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
** Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
* KavorkaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors, one of them having been his own nephew and predecessor Caligula, took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].''' Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided and moving it into an arena would have been impossible for the time.
* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, in his dynasty he would be the second greatest after Augustus, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the late rule of Caligula.
* TrueCompanions: His best friend and most powerful ally was the Senator Lucius Vitellius, who was put temporarily in charge of Rome when Claudius went to Britain. He also was the only man not of the Imperial Bloodline to hold the position of Censor in the Imperial Era. He died before Claudius, who commissioned a statue for Vitellius.
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in ''Literature/IClaudius'', particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
----
to:
UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire emperor of Rome]] at age 51 after [[DecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
----
* ActionSurvivor: He managed to survive the deadly maze of conspiracies and backstabbings that was the Julio-Claudian family, in no small part due to his ObfuscatingStupidity. The imperial family ripped itself apart, and nobody bothered to kill "Claudius the Idiot" until he was the last man standing (well, crouching behind a curtain).
* AlmightyJanitor: During his nephew Caligula's reign, Claudius was appointed Consul to the Senate and was left in charge of administration. So when Claudius became Emperor, he was already experienced with the job of running the Empire, he was just higher up in the hierarchy.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Whether he actually was as dumb as his mother and nephew claimed or was ObfuscatingStupidity is the subject of much debate among historians. As is the degree to which he was manipulated by his wives and the freedmen who formed his most trusted advisers.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: Claudius may have appeared like a simpleton to his enemies, but he crushed two conspiracies against him and executed numerous Equestrians and Senators.
* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) UsefulNotes/{{Nero}} can become Emperor.
* BoringButPractical: Key to his rule was the sound policy of infrastructure projects along with a more meritocratic appointment of an unofficial bureaucracy to manage the Empire. Compared to Caligula's whims and Nero's "art projects", his bland rule was probably much better than what came before and after.
* BreadAndCircuses: Massively expanded during Claudius' reign, and the main reason for his ''huge'' popularity with the plebs.
* ButtMonkey: How his nephew Caligula treated him while he was Emperor. It may have actually saved Claudius as numerous people in Caligula's inner-circle were executed.
* {{Gasshole}}: He was quite flatulent. He even encouraged farting in public because, as ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' put it, "better out than in."
** One account even states that this almost saved his life: as he was dying from the poisoned mushrooms, he discharged an explosive fart that nearly expelled the poison, prompting an assassin to come in and stick a poison-dipped feather in his mouth.
* HenpeckedHusband: How he was depicted in the sources. His wives Messalina and Agrippina were exceptionally influential and infamous.
* HiddenDepths:
** Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
** Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
* KavorkaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors, one of them having been his own nephew and predecessor Caligula, took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].''' Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided and moving it into an arena would have been impossible for the time.
* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, in his dynasty he would be the second greatest after Augustus, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the late rule of Caligula.
* TrueCompanions: His best friend and most powerful ally was the Senator Lucius Vitellius, who was put temporarily in charge of Rome when Claudius went to Britain. He also was the only man not of the Imperial Bloodline to hold the position of Censor in the Imperial Era. He died before Claudius, who commissioned a statue for Vitellius.
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in ''Literature/IClaudius'', particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
----UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
----
* ActionSurvivor: He managed to survive the deadly maze of conspiracies and backstabbings that was the Julio-Claudian family, in no small part due to his ObfuscatingStupidity. The imperial family ripped itself apart, and nobody bothered to kill "Claudius the Idiot" until he was the last man standing (well, crouching behind a curtain).
* AlmightyJanitor: During his nephew Caligula's reign, Claudius was appointed Consul to the Senate and was left in charge of administration. So when Claudius became Emperor, he was already experienced with the job of running the Empire, he was just higher up in the hierarchy.
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Whether he actually was as dumb as his mother and nephew claimed or was ObfuscatingStupidity is the subject of much debate among historians. As is the degree to which he was manipulated by his wives and the freedmen who formed his most trusted advisers.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: Claudius may have appeared like a simpleton to his enemies, but he crushed two conspiracies against him and executed numerous Equestrians and Senators.
* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) UsefulNotes/{{Nero}} can become Emperor.
* BoringButPractical: Key to his rule was the sound policy of infrastructure projects along with a more meritocratic appointment of an unofficial bureaucracy to manage the Empire. Compared to Caligula's whims and Nero's "art projects", his bland rule was probably much better than what came before and after.
* BreadAndCircuses: Massively expanded during Claudius' reign, and the main reason for his ''huge'' popularity with the plebs.
* ButtMonkey: How his nephew Caligula treated him while he was Emperor. It may have actually saved Claudius as numerous people in Caligula's inner-circle were executed.
* {{Gasshole}}: He was quite flatulent. He even encouraged farting in public because, as ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' put it, "better out than in."
** One account even states that this almost saved his life: as he was dying from the poisoned mushrooms, he discharged an explosive fart that nearly expelled the poison, prompting an assassin to come in and stick a poison-dipped feather in his mouth.
* HenpeckedHusband: How he was depicted in the sources. His wives Messalina and Agrippina were exceptionally influential and infamous.
* HiddenDepths:
** Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
** Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
* KavorkaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors, one of them having been his own nephew and predecessor Caligula, took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].''' Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided and moving it into an arena would have been impossible for the time.
* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, in his dynasty he would be the second greatest after Augustus, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the late rule of Caligula.
* TrueCompanions: His best friend and most powerful ally was the Senator Lucius Vitellius, who was put temporarily in charge of Rome when Claudius went to Britain. He also was the only man not of the Imperial Bloodline to hold the position of Censor in the Imperial Era. He died before Claudius, who commissioned a statue for Vitellius.
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in ''Literature/IClaudius'', particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
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* HiddenDepths: Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
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* HiddenDepths: HiddenDepths:
** Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
** Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
** Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. He was also fluent in Etruscan--one of the last if not ''the'' last person to have full command of that ancient language--and wrote a comprehensive Latin-Etruscan dictionary...[[MissingEpisode which is now lost]]. (Cue the wails of modern historians, archaeologists, and linguists, who are stuck making educated guesses to interpret Etruscan texts.)
** Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
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UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming emperor at age 51 after [[DecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
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UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire emperor of Rome]] at age 51 after [[DecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
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[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/claudius.jpg]]
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* KarkovaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
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* KarkovaMan: KavorkaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
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* KarvokaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
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* KarvokaMan: KarkovaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
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* BewareTheSillyOnes: Claudius may have appeared like a simpleton to his enemies, but he crushed two conspiracies against him and executed numerous Equestrians and Senators.
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* BoringButPractical: Key to his rule was the sound policy of infrastructure projects along with a more meritocratic appointment of an unofficial bureaucracy to manage the Empire. Compared to Caligula's whims and Nero's "art projects", his bland rule was probably much better than what came before and after.
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* ButtMonkey: How his nephew Caligula treated him while he was Emperor. It may have actually saved Claudius as numerous people in Caligula's inner-circle were executed.
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* HenpeckedHusband: How he was depicted in the sources. His wives Messalina and Agrippina were exceptionally influential and infamous.
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* KarvokaMan: Despite being potbellied, stuttering, and not having a very masculine voice he was a known womanizer, and one of his wives was considered exceptionally beautiful.
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* TrueCompanions: His best friend and most powerful ally was the Senator Lucius Vitellius, who was put temporarily in charge of Rome when Claudius went to Britain. He also was the only man not of the Imperial Bloodline to hold the position of Censor in the Imperial Era. He died before Claudius, who commissioned a statue for Vitellius.
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UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming emperor at age 51 after [[DeadlyDecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
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UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming emperor at age 51 after [[DeadlyDecadentCourt [[DecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
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* {{Gasshole}}: He was quite flatulent. He even encouraged farting in public because, as ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' put it, "better out than in."
** One account even states that this almost saved his life: as he was dying from the poisoned mushrooms, he discharged an explosive fart that nearly expelled the poison, prompting an assassin to come in and stick a poison-dipped feather in his mouth.
** One account even states that this almost saved his life: as he was dying from the poisoned mushrooms, he discharged an explosive fart that nearly expelled the poison, prompting an assassin to come in and stick a poison-dipped feather in his mouth.
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* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in ''Literature/IClaudius'', particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
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* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in ''Literature/IClaudius'', particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.mini-series.
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* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the late rule of Caligula.
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* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, in his dynasty he would be the second greatest after Augustus, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the late rule of Caligula.
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* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the later rule of Caligula.
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* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the later late rule of Caligula.
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* StandardizedLeader: Claudius was never really one of the greatest leaders of Rome, but many historians agree that at the very least, he was not incompetent as an Emperor. He certainly wasn't, compared to the later rule of Caligula.
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General editing.
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* AlmightyJanitor: During his nephew Caligula's reign, Claudius was appointed Consul to the Senate and was left in charge of administration. So when Claudius became Emperor, he was already experienced with the job of running the Empire, he was just higher up in the hierarchy.
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* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors, one of them having been his own nephew and predecessor Caligula, took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
** Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided.
** Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided.
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* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors, one of them having been his own nephew and predecessor Caligula, took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
**''' Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided.one-sided and moving it into an arena would have been impossible for the time.
**
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* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
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* {{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors Emperors, one of them having been his own nephew and predecessor Caligula, took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
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* HiddenDepths: Before becoming Emperor, he wrote several histories, one of which was censored by the Imperial Family for being too truthful. Though people thought he would be a poor Emperor, he turned out to be probably the best Julio-Claudian Emperors after Augustus. Though admittedly that isn't saying much.
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* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Whether he actually was as dumb as his mother and nephew claimed or was ObfuscatingStupidity is the subject of much debate among historians. As is the degree to which he was manipulated by his wives and the freedmen who formed his most trusted advisers.
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** Granted, Pliny the Elder's account claims the whale managed to sink one of the ships attacking it, so it wasn't entirely one-sided.
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* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) {{Nero}} can become Emperor.
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* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) {{Nero}} UsefulNotes/{{Nero}} can become Emperor.
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removed zero context examples, no Useful Notes page for Tiberius, adjusted wick for Nero
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UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and UsefulNotes/{{Tiberius}}' nephew, unexpectedly becoming emperor at age 51 after [[DeadlyDecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son {{Nero}}.
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UsefulNotes/{{Caligula}}'s uncle and UsefulNotes/{{Tiberius}}' Tiberius' nephew, unexpectedly becoming emperor at age 51 after [[DeadlyDecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son {{Nero}}.
UsefulNotes/{{Nero}}.
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* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His most famous trait.
* ProperlyParanoid
* {{Sadist}}
** Other Roman Emperors took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His most famous trait.
* ProperlyParanoid
* {{Sadist}}
** Other Roman Emperors took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
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* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His most famous trait.
* ProperlyParanoid
* {{Sadist}}
**{{Sadist}}: Other Roman Emperors took part in GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His most famous trait.
* ProperlyParanoid
* {{Sadist}}
**
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{{Caligula}}'s uncle and {{Tiberius}}' nephew, unexpectedly becoming emperor at age 51 after [[DeadlyDecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son {{Nero}}.
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** Other Roman Emperors took part in {{Gladiator Games}}. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in IClaudius, particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in IClaudius, particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
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** Other Roman Emperors took part in {{Gladiator Games}}.GladiatorGames. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted inIClaudius, ''Literature/IClaudius'', particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in
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** Other Roman Emperors took part in {{Gladiator Games}}. What would weak, old Claudius do? '''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown Fight against a stranded orca]].'''
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{{Caligula}}'s uncle and {{Tiberius}}' nephew, already an older man when he became emperor. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son {{Nero}}.
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{{Caligula}}'s uncle and {{Tiberius}}' nephew, already an older man when he became emperor.unexpectedly becoming emperor at age 51 after [[DeadlyDecadentCourt escaping the murders of his family]]. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son {{Nero}}.
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Added DiffLines:
{{Caligula}}'s uncle and {{Tiberius}}' nephew, already an older man when he became emperor. Is famous for [[Series/IClaudius a certain TV Series]], and for conquering Britain. Surviving his murderous family and eventually obtaining the imperial throne due to his ObfuscatingStupidity, he had a fairly successful reign. Poisoned by his wife (and niece) in 54, and succeeded by his adoptive son {{Nero}}.
* ActionSurvivor: He managed to survive the deadly maze of conspiracies and backstabbings that was the Julio-Claudian family, in no small part due to his ObfuscatingStupidity. The imperial family ripped itself apart, and nobody bothered to kill "Claudius the Idiot" until he was the last man standing (well, crouching behind a curtain).
* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) {{Nero}} can become Emperor.
* BreadAndCircuses: Massively expanded during Claudius' reign, and the main reason for his ''huge'' popularity with the plebs.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His most famous trait.
* ProperlyParanoid
* {{Sadist}}
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in IClaudius, particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
* ActionSurvivor: He managed to survive the deadly maze of conspiracies and backstabbings that was the Julio-Claudian family, in no small part due to his ObfuscatingStupidity. The imperial family ripped itself apart, and nobody bothered to kill "Claudius the Idiot" until he was the last man standing (well, crouching behind a curtain).
* BlackWidow: His death was often believed to be by poison or {{poison mushroom}}, and his wife [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrippina_the_Younger Agrippina]] is often believed to be responsible. Why would she do such a thing? So her son (and hence, Claudius' adopted son) {{Nero}} can become Emperor.
* BreadAndCircuses: Massively expanded during Claudius' reign, and the main reason for his ''huge'' popularity with the plebs.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass
* ObfuscatingStupidity: His most famous trait.
* ProperlyParanoid
* {{Sadist}}
* WordOfDante: That the modern, academic consensus on Claudius matching what Robert Grave depicted in IClaudius, particularly the whole idea of him ObfuscatingStupidity, is actually the result of a re-evaluation of the source material sparked by the popularity of Graves' novel and the subsequent mini-series.
