Editing Claudius (section)

=== Early life ===

{{See also|Julio-Claudian dynasty}}

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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}}