BY: MICHELLE BZIKOT, EVELINA KURAYEVA, AND MARY A. GASPARIAN

Roman Emperor: Claudius

41 AD – 54 AD

Claudius Nero Germanicus, simply known as Claudius

Born in Gaul to Nero Drusus and Antonia in 10 BC

had a bad childhood often neglected due to his limp and

mild deafness Fourth ruler of the Julio-

Claudian dynasty from 41 AD to 54 AD

Before He Was an Emperor

Before Claudius was emperor, it was his nephew,

Caligula Caligula was assassinated on

January 24, 41 AD No one knows the details of

that day, however this is the rumored story: Claudius was

frightened after the assassination, so he hid behind a curtain until a

Praetorian found him and declared him emperor

How Did He Become Emperor?

1. was very successful in conquering lands 2. some places include:

Mauretania (North Africa) Thrace (the Balkans) Lycia (part of Turkey)

3. greatest conquests Britannia (present day Great Britain) in sixteen days

As a Military Leader

1. built two aqueducts, which supplied the whole city of Rome

with water (the Aqua Claudia and Anio Novus)

2. expanded on canals and ports to easily trade with nations such as present day France and Germany

3. some important routes/roads built were:

-river of Rhine to the sea -road from Italy to Germany

-built a canal on the Tiber to Portus

Improvements: Public Works

he had many reforms on the Roman judicial

system he made sure everyone

on the jury was older than 25 so the decisions

would be reasonablealso had the plaintiff of a trial stay in the city as

the defendant does

Changes to the Judicial System

the island of Rhodes was freed for their good faith

excused people of Troy from taxes

when Greeks and Jews had a dispute he confirmed Jewish

rights in the city but also forbade them to move in more

families as a group he then confirmed the rights and freedoms of all the Jews in

the Empire

Legislative Affairs

made laws pertaining to freeing slaves and woman privileges

when he came back from conquering land, the population was over five million, so he granted everybody a free citizenship

rebuilt Pompey’s theatre after it had been lost to a fire.

set two aqueducts which supplied water

wrote about the Etruscan and Carthaginian cultures

added three new letters, and in modern time we use two of them, the letters W and Y

Effect on Roman Life and Culture

was manipulated former slaves who were his close advisers and secretaries and allowed himself to be misled by them

a puppet in the hands of his private secretary, who seems to have had the

most to do with the day-to-day running of the Empire

tried hundreds of cases himself, and many of these cases were conducted in

complete violation of the rules of a fair trial (he ended up punishing the innocent

and freeing the guilty) had quite a few disabilities such as speech

impartment, severe clumsiness, infinite paralysis, and many other diseases

Weaknesses of Claudius

very vulnerable his wives cheated on him many time ,

but he turned a blind eye which led to his wives being

his worst enemies his new wife would soon

sabotage him to make her son, Nero emperor next

was on very shaky ground with the senate which would soon lead to them plotting

against Claudius

Leading to the Death of Claudius

Claudius decided to marry a second time to his niece,

Agrippina her own son, Nero, was the boy

she planned to make an emperor Agrippina removed all her rivals

and convinced Claudius to disinherit his own son,

Britannicusshe hired a doctor to get him out

of the way, and put a feather dipped in poison down his throat

Claudius died in 54 AD, at the age of 63

Death