Editing Claudius (section)

== Family and youth ==

=== Early life ===

{{See also|Julio-Claudian dynasty}}

{{multiple image|align=left
|total_width=250
|image1=Drusus the Elder, bronze bust, MANN.jpg
|image2=MSR 30005 Antonia Minor.jpg
|footer=Busts of Nero Claudius Drusus and Antonia Minor, Claudius' parents
}}
Claudius was born on 1 August 10&nbsp;BC at [[Lugdunum]] (modern [[Lyon, France|Lyon]], [[France]]). He had two older siblings, [[Germanicus]] and [[Livilla]]. His mother, [[Antonia Minor]], may have had two other children who died young. Claudius's maternal grandparents were [[Mark Antony]] and [[Octavia Minor]], [[Augustus]]'s sister, and he was therefore the great-great-grandnephew of [[Julius Caesar|Gaius Julius Caesar]]. His paternal grandparents were [[Livia]], Augustus's third wife, and [[Tiberius Claudius Nero (father of Tiberius Caesar)|Tiberius Claudius Nero]]. During his reign, Claudius revived the rumour that his father [[Nero Claudius Drusus]] was actually the illegitimate son of Augustus, to give the appearance that Augustus was Claudius's paternal grandfather.

In 9&nbsp;BC, Claudius's father Drusus died on campaign in Germania from a fall from a horse. Claudius was then raised by his mother, who never remarried. When his disability became evident, the relationship with his family turned sour. Antonia referred to him as a monster, and used him as a standard for stupidity. She seems to have passed her son off to his grandmother Livia for a number of years.{{sfn|Cassius Dio|loc=60, 2}}

Livia was a little kinder, but nevertheless sent Claudius short, angry letters of reproof. He was put under the care of a former mule-driver{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=Claudius 2}} to keep him disciplined, under the logic that his condition was due to laziness and a lack of willpower. However, by the time he reached his teenage years, his symptoms apparently waned and his family began to take some notice of his scholarly interests. In AD&nbsp;7, [[Livy]] was hired to tutor Claudius in history, with the assistance of Sulpicius Flavus. He spent a lot of his time with the latter, as well as the philosopher [[Athenodoros Cananites|Athenodorus]]. Augustus, according to a letter, was surprised at the clarity of Claudius's oratory.{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=Claudius 4}}

=== Public life ===

Claudius' work as a historian damaged his prospects for advancement in public life. According to Vincent Scramuzza and others, he began work on a history of the [[Roman civil wars|Civil Wars]] that was either too truthful or too critical of Octavian,{{sfn|Scramuzza|1940|p=39}} then reigning as [[Augustus|Caesar Augustus]]. In either case, it was far too early for such an account, and may have only served to remind Augustus that Claudius was Antony's descendant. His mother and grandmother quickly put a stop to it, and this may have convinced them that Claudius was not fit for public office, since he could not be trusted to toe the existing [[Party line (politics)|party line]].{{sfn|Stuart}}

When Claudius returned to the narrative later in life, he skipped over the wars of the [[Second Triumvirate]] altogether; but the damage was done, and his family pushed him into the background. When the [[Triumphal arch|Arch]] of [[Pavia]] was erected to honour the Imperial clan in AD 8, Claudius's name (now Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus after his elevation to ''[[pater familias]]'' of the Claudii Nerones on the adoption of his brother) was inscribed on the edge, past the deceased princes, [[Gaius Caesar|Gaius]] and [[Lucius Caesar|Lucius]], and Germanicus's children. There is some speculation that the inscription was added by Claudius himself decades later, and that he originally did not appear at all.{{sfn|Stuart}}

When Augustus died in AD&nbsp;14, Claudius – then aged 23 – appealed to his uncle [[Tiberius]] to allow him to begin the ''[[cursus honorum]]''. Tiberius, the new Emperor, responded by granting Claudius consular ornaments. Claudius requested office once more and was snubbed. Since the new emperor was no more generous than the old, Claudius gave up hope of public office and retired to a scholarly, private life.

Despite the disdain of the Imperial family, it seems that from very early on the general public respected Claudius. At Augustus's death, the ''[[Equestrian (Roman)|equites]]'', or knights, chose Claudius to head their delegation. When his house burned down, the Senate demanded it be rebuilt at public expense. They also requested that Claudius be allowed to debate in the Senate. Tiberius turned down both motions, but the sentiment remained.

During the period immediately after the death of Tiberius's son, [[Drusus Julius Caesar|Drusus]], Claudius was pushed by some quarters as a potential heir to the throne. This again suggests the political nature of his exclusion from public life. However, as this was also the period during which the power and terror of the commander of the [[Praetorian Guard]], [[Sejanus]], was at its peak, Claudius chose to downplay this possibility. After the death of Tiberius, the new emperor [[Caligula]] (the son of Claudius's brother [[Germanicus]]) recognized Claudius to be of some use. He appointed Claudius his co-consul in 37 to emphasize the memory of Caligula's deceased father Germanicus.

Despite this, Caligula tormented his uncle: playing practical jokes, charging him enormous sums of money, humiliating him before the Senate, and the like. According to [[Cassius Dio]], Claudius became sickly and thin by the end of Caligula's reign, most likely due to [[Psychological stress|stress]].<ref>{{harvnb|Cassius Dio|loc=60, 2}}; {{harvnb|Suhr|1955}} suggests that this must refer to before Claudius came to power.</ref> A possible surviving portrait of Claudius from this period may support this.

===Assassination of Caligula and Declaration of Claudius as Emperor (AD&nbsp;41)===
[[File:Coin of Herod of Chalcis (obverse).jpg|thumb|left|upright|A coin of [[Herod of Chalcis]], showing him with his brother [[Herod Agrippa I|Agrippa of Judaea]] crowning Claudius, AD 43.]]

On 24 January 41, Caligula was assassinated in a [[conspiracy (political)|conspiracy]] involving [[Cassius Chaerea]] – a [[military tribune]] in the [[Praetorian Guard]] – and several [[Roman Senate|senators]]. There is no evidence that Claudius had a direct hand in the assassination, although it has been argued that he knew about the plot – particularly since he left the scene of the crime shortly before his nephew was murdered.{{sfn|Major|1992}} However, after the deaths of [[Milonia Caesonia|Caligula's wife]] and [[Julia Drusilla (daughter of Caligula)|daughter]], it became apparent that Cassius intended to go beyond the terms of the conspiracy and wipe out the Imperial family.<ref name="Josephus">{{harvnb|Josephus|loc=''Antiquitates Iudiacae'' XIX}}. {{harvnb|Cassius Dio|loc=''Historia Romana'', [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/60*.html#1 60 1.3]}}</ref>

{{multiple image
 | total_width = 400

 | image1 = Proclaiming claudius emperor.png
 | caption1 = ''Proclaiming Claudius Emperor'', 1867.

 | image2 = A Roman Emperor AD41 detail.jpg
 | caption2 = Detail from ''A Roman Emperor 41 AD'', {{Circa|1871}}.

 | footer = Two drastically different oil paintings by [[Lawrence Alma-Tadema]] of Claudius being proclaimed emperor by [[Gratus]].
}}
In the chaos following the murder, Claudius witnessed the [[Numerus Batavorum|German guard]] cut down several uninvolved noblemen, including many of his friends. He fled to the palace to hide. According to tradition, a Praetorian named [[Gratus]] found him hiding behind a curtain and suddenly proclaimed him ''[[princeps]]''.<ref name="Josephus"/> Claudius was spirited away to the [[Castra Praetoria|Praetorian camp]] and put under their protection.

The Senate met and debated a change of government, but this devolved into an argument over which of them would be the new ''princeps''. When they heard of the Praetorians' claim, they demanded that Claudius be delivered to them for approval, but he refused, sensing the danger that would come with complying. Some historians, particularly [[Josephus]],{{sfn|Josephus|loc=''Ant. Iud.'' XIX}} claim that Claudius was directed in his actions by the [[Iudaea Province|Judaean]] King [[Herod Agrippa]]. However, an earlier version of events by the same ancient author downplays Agrippa's role<ref>[[Josephus]] ''[[Bellum Judaicum]]'' [[s:The War of the Jews/Book II|II]], 204–233.</ref> so it remains uncertain. Eventually the Senate was forced to give in. In return, Claudius granted a general amnesty, although he executed a few junior officers involved in the conspiracy.{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=Claudius 11}} The actual assassins, including Cassius Chaerea and Julius Lupus, the murderer of Caligula's wife and daughter, were put to death to ensure Claudius's own safety and as a future deterrent.{{sfn|Josephus|loc=''Ant. Iud.'' XIX, 268–269}}{{sfn|Cassius Dio|loc=50 3, 4}}

Since Claudius was the first emperor proclaimed on the initiative of the Praetorian Guard instead of the Senate, his repute suffered at the hands of commentators (such as [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]]). Moreover, they accused him of being the first emperor to resort to bribery as a means to secure army loyalty and rewarded the soldiers of the Praetorian Guard that had elevated him with 15,000 sesterces,{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=Claudius 10}} although Tiberius and Augustus had both left gifts to the army and guard in their [[will (law)|wills]] and upon Caligula's death the same would have been expected, even if no will existed. Claudius remained grateful to the guard, issuing coins with tributes to the Praetorians in the early part of his reign.<ref>{{cite web|title=Coin, Museum No. R1874,0715.4|url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1216117&partId=1|website=British Museum Online Collection|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref>