倒数第二位的朱利奥·克劳迪亚皇帝克劳迪亚斯（Claudius）在BBC制作的罗伯特·格雷夫斯一世《克劳迪亚斯》（Robert Graves’I）系列中为我们所熟知，该系列由德里克·雅克比（Derek Jakobi）主演，饰演口吃的克劳迪亚斯皇帝。真正的Ti。克劳迪斯·尼禄·日耳曼库斯于公元前10年8月1日出生于高卢。

家庭

马克·安东尼在继承朱利叶斯·凯撒遗产的斗争中可能输给了屋大维，后者是第一位皇帝奥古斯都，但马克·安东尼的遗传系一直存在。克劳迪斯不是奥古斯都（朱利安家族）的直系后裔，他的父亲是德鲁苏斯·克劳迪斯·尼罗，奥古斯都的妻子利维亚的儿子。克劳迪斯的母亲是马克·安东尼和奥古斯都的妹妹奥克塔维亚·小调的女儿安东妮亚。他的叔叔是提比略皇帝。

缓慢的政治崛起

克劳迪斯患有各种各样的身体疾病，许多人认为这反映了他的精神状态，而不是卡西乌斯·迪奥，他写道：

Book LX In mental ability he was by no means inferior, as his faculties had been in constant training (in fact, he had actually written some historical treatises); but he was sickly in body, so that his head and hands shook slightly.

结果，他被隔离了，这一事实使他很安全。克劳迪斯没有公共职责可以履行，他可以自由地追求自己的利益，阅读和写作，包括用伊特鲁里亚语写的材料。他在46岁时首次担任公职，当时他的侄子卡利古拉于公元37年成为皇帝，并任命他为苏菲特执政官。

他是如何成为皇帝的

公元41年1月24日，克劳迪斯的侄子被他的保镖暗杀后不久，克劳迪斯成为了皇帝。传统上，执政官卫队找到了藏在窗帘后面的年老学者，将他拖了出来，并让他成为皇帝，尽管詹姆斯·罗姆在2014年探索真正的塞内卡时，每天都会死去：尼禄宫廷的塞内卡说，克劳迪斯很可能事先就知道这些计划。凯修斯·迪奥写道（也是第LX本书）：

1 Claudius became emperor on this wise. After the murder of Gaius the consuls despatched guards to every part of the city and convened the senate on the Capitol, where many and diverse opinions were expressed; for some favoured a democracy, some a monarchy, and some were for choosing one man, and some another. 2 In consequence they spent the rest of the day and the whole night without accomplishing anything. Meanwhile some soldiers who had entered the palace for the purpose of plundering found Claudius hidden away in a dark corner somewhere. 3 He had been with Gaius when he came out of the theatre, and now, fearing the tumult, was crouching down out of the way. At first the soldiers, supposing that he was some one else or perhaps had something worth taking, dragged him forth; and then, on recognizing him, they hailed him emperor and conducted him to the camp. Afterwards they together with their comrades entrusted to him the supreme power, inasmuch as he was of the imperial family and was regarded as suitable. 3a In vain he drew back and remonstrated; for the more he attempted to avoid the honour and to resist, the more strongly did the soldiers in their turn insist upon not accepting an emperor appointed by others but upon giving one themselves to the whole world. Hence he yielded, albeit with apparent reluctance. 4 The consuls for a time sent tribunes and others forbidding him to do anything of the sort, but to submit to the authority of the people and of the senate and of the laws; when, however, the soldiers who were with them deserted them, then at last they, too, yielded and voted him all the remaining prerogatives pertaining to the sovereignty. 2 Thus it was that Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, the son of Drusus the son of Livia, obtained the imperial power without having been previously tested at all in any position of authority, except for the fact that he had been consul. He was in his fiftieth year.

征服英国

随着凯撒未能进球，克劳迪斯恢复了罗马征服英国的企图。公元43年，四个军团以一个当地的准统治者请求帮助作为入侵的借口。[见时间表。]

"[A] certain Bericus, who had been driven out of the island as a result of an uprising, had persuaded Claudius to send a force thither...." Dio Cassius 60

迪奥·卡修斯继续总结克劳迪斯在现场的参与情况，参议院授予他“布列塔尼库斯”称号，并将其传给了他的儿子。

When the message reached him, Claudius entrusted affairs at home, including the command of the troops, to his colleague Lucius Vitellius, whom he had caused to remain in office like himself for a whole half-year; and he himself then set out for the front. 3 He sailed down the river to Ostia, and from there followed the coast to Massilia; thence, advancing partly by land and partly along the rivers, he came to the ocean and crossed over to Britain, where he joined the legions that were waiting for him near the Thames. 4 Taking over the command of these, he crossed the stream, and engaging the barbarians, who had gathered at his approach, he defeated them and captured Camulodunum,13 the capital of Cynobellinus. Thereupon he won over numerous tribes, in some cases by capitulation, in others by force, and was saluted as imperator several times, contrary to precedent; 5 for no man may receive this title more than once for one and the same war. He deprived the conquered of their arms and handed them over to Plautius, bidding him also subjugate p423the remaining districts. Claudius himself now hastened back to Rome, sending ahead the news of his victory by his sons-in‑law Magnus and Silanus. 22 1 The Senate on learning of his achievement gave him the title of Britannicus and granted him permission to celebrate a triumph.

一连串

公元50年，克劳迪斯收养了他第四任妻子的儿子L.多米提乌斯·阿赫诺巴布斯（尼禄）后，皇帝明确表示，尼禄的继承权优先于比尼禄小三岁的儿子不列颠尼斯。这有几个原因。在其他人中，罗姆认为，无论不列颠人看起来是多么明显的继承人，他与仍然重要的第一位皇帝奥古斯都的关系都比尼禄这样的直系后裔弱。此外，大英帝国的母亲梅萨琳娜从未晋升为奥古斯塔，因为这是一个为非现任皇帝妻子的女性保留的角色，但尼禄的母亲被任命为奥古斯塔，这意味着权力。此外，尼禄是克劳迪斯的侄子，因为他的母亲，克劳迪斯最后的妻子阿格里皮娜，也是克劳迪斯的侄女。尽管有着亲密的家庭关系，克劳迪斯还是得到了参议院的特别批准。除了对尼禄有利的其他几点之外，尼禄还与克劳迪斯的女儿奥克塔维亚订婚，这是一种现在的兄弟关系，也需要特别的欺骗。

From Tacitus Annals 12: [12.25] In the consulship of Caius Antistius and Marcus Suilius, the adoption of Domitius was hastened on by the influence of Pallas. Bound to Agrippina, first as the promoter of her marriage, then as her paramour, he still urged Claudius to think of the interests of the State, and to provide some support for the tender years of Britannicus. "So," he said, "it had been with the Divine Augustus, whose stepsons, though he had grandsons to be his stay, had been promoted; Tiberius too, though he had offspring of his own, had adopted Germanicus. Claudius also would do well to strengthen himself with a young prince who could share his cares with him." Overcome by these arguments, the emperor preferred Domitius to his own son, though he was but two years older, and made a speech in the senate, the same in substance as the representations of his freedman. It was noted by learned men, that no previous example of adoption into the patrician family of the Claudii was to be found; and that from Attus Clausus there had been one unbroken line. [12.26] However, the emperor received formal thanks, and still more elaborate flattery was paid to Domitius. A law was passed, adopting him into the Claudian family with the name of Nero. Agrippina too was honoured with the title of Augusta. When this had been done, there was not a person so void of pity as not to feel keen sorrow at the position of Britannicus. Gradually forsaken by the very slaves who waited on him, he turned into ridicule the ill-timed attentions of his stepmother, perceiving their insincerity. For he is said to have had by no means a dull understanding; and this is either a fact, or perhaps his perils won him sympathy, and so he possessed the credit of it, without actual evidence.

根据传说，克劳迪斯的妻子阿格里皮娜在公元54年10月13日用毒蘑菇杀死了她的丈夫，现在她儿子的未来已经安全。塔西佗写道：

[12.66] Under this great burden of anxiety, he had an attack of illness, and went to Sinuessa to recruit his strength with its balmy climate and salubrious waters. Thereupon, Agrippina, who had long decided on the crime and eagerly grasped at the opportunity thus offered, and did not lack instruments, deliberated on the nature of the poison to be used. The deed would be betrayed by one that was sudden and instantaneous, while if she chose a slow and lingering poison, there was a fear that Claudius, when near his end, might, on detecting the treachery, return to his love for his son. She decided on some rare compound which might derange his mind and delay death. A person skilled in such matters was selected, Locusta by name, who had lately been condemned for poisoning, and had long been retained as one of the tools of despotism. By this woman's art the poison was prepared, and it was to be administered by an eunuch, Halotus, who was accustomed to bring in and taste the dishes. [12.67] All the circumstances were subsequently so well known, that writers of the time have declared that the poison was infused into some mushrooms, a favourite delicacy, and its effect not at the instant perceived, from the emperor's lethargic, or intoxicated condition. His bowels too were relieved, and this seemed to have saved him. Agrippina was thoroughly dismayed. Fearing the worst, and defying the immediate obloquy of the deed, she availed herself of the complicity of Xenophon, the physician, which she had already secured. Under pretence of helping the emperor's efforts to vomit, this man, it is supposed, introduced into his throat a feather smeared with some rapid poison; for he knew that the greatest crimes are perilous in their inception, but well rewarded after their consummation.

资料来源：克劳迪斯（公元41-54年）——迪尔和詹姆斯·罗姆每天都在死去：塞内卡在尼禄宫廷。