True, but considering the trouble maintaining Britannia as a far-off outpost of the Empire became, I doubt future emperors would have been very grateful to him.
Interesting ideas on Claudius. I'm sorry that I seem to comment on this frequently, but every time you end these videos without any sort of outro I'm thrown. Peace out.
It's interesting that already in the later years of Tiberius Claudius had a powerful party of supporters. Probably his elevation wasn't quite so unexpected and contingent as the legend suggests.
As Levick argues, the possibility Claudius played at least a small role in his own nephew's ultimate demise must be taken in account. The curtain tale sounds funny but it's most likely a later fabrication.
@@alanpennie8013 I mean the JC were never some unified bloc. From the start they were extremely faction based, and I always assumed Claudius never had much clout, but maybe he stepped up in the background and that turned a few heads. He was very good with history and writing and grew up in the imperial palace around all that intrigue, so he had to have some concept of statecraft before he wore the purple.
Maybe Claudius's reliance on freedmen & Gauls in his administration is a reflection of Claudius's own upbringing. Augustus and Tiberius almost completely excluded Claudius from public life. Caligula included Claudius in his administration but abused him pretty badly. Claudius probably identified with outsiders as a result. The unpopular kids at school usually hang out together.
That seems to be the portrait that Suetonius paints of Claudius' social life. By the time that Tiberius was on Capri, it seems that Claudius' social standing had improved as he was gaining some renown for his historical writings and senators were befriending him due to his membership in the imperial house.
This caught my attention: "unlike Tiberius and Caligula, Claudius wasn't a member of the Julian family, and in fact he wasn't a princeps at all." If Tiberius (his uncle) and Caligula (his nephew) were members ofJulian family, then Claudius was, too. "Princeps" is an official title, or function, if you will (the first senator, or the first citizen), and in fact Claudius was a princeps indeed.
Ironically, in today's world, some people DO describe Claudius as "Legit" to describe his competence, as an Emperor. I'm sure we're all in agreement that, that's what really mattered in the end.
Interesting topic. Claudius' policy is surely kinda erratic. He tried to imitate Augustus' link to the past, but his pedantic nature surely made his efforts not very effective. His attitude toward the Senate was not productive either - like Tiberius, he never managed to find a compromise between a deferential and an authoritarian attitude. What's noticeable, however, is that not even his deification protected his memory. Apokolokyntosis was written early during Nero's regime - someone argues just after Claudius' death, someone after Agrippina's - but making fun of a deified princeps under the rule of one of his relative is something unique - even though Nero soon started separating himself from the memory his predecessor.
Yeah I gotta agree with you, this ones not your best work. Not bad though. As for the man himself don't really have a strong opinion of him either way, but he did smash the brits so that's always cool
very interesting. I guess like most people listening to this i have a kind of bias here, because I watched I, Claudius on TV when i was young with my family and i read the book when i was very young, maybe about 11, so i've long been a partisan of him. I wonder how close the potrayal of him in that is to the real man?
I suspect it's close (to Momigliano). Though Claudius with his clemency and his viciousness, his scholarship and love of war, will always remain baffling
Graves' take on Claudius is obviously kinda biased and overly apologistic to him. That's fine: after all, Graves' works are novels, not historiography essay. True Claudius is truly a complex and enigmatic figure, quite far from the benign man Graves depicts.
Claudius is foremost was Historian and he was not politicians. Claudius blood line was Maternal he was Grandson to Livia where as Druses never adopted by Augustus. From the fact Livia was a woman and the Rome was very patriarchal and would bring him legitimacy. Agrippina the Younger was a political marriage meaning she was granddaughter to Augustus and daughter to Julia. It was more a move to secure his legitimacy. The problem Agrippina is no Livia in when it comes to the Female face the emperor.
I don't know. It is hard to say given that he was getting on in years and had never been the hardiest fellow. That being said, both Agrippina the Younger and Nero were incredibly ruthless, so I wouldn't put it past them.
@@ThersitestheHistorian I'm not sure how accurate Wikipedia is but it states that most historians of the time claimed that he was poisoned by Agrippina.
My feeling is that Agrippina the Younger would poison Claudius if she could gotten away with it. The problem I have Agrippina had more power with Claudius than Nero. Claudius is disabled and he may have died from natural causes as well as he could have taken the poison himself to escape from constant pain. Agrippina may not have needed to poison Claudius. My impression is that Claudius could have grown weary from his own failing body. Also the marriage was loveless.
@@Insectoid_ There's a number of superficial similarities, such as the stutter and their age, however primarily it's the fact that both men spent a lifetime near the heart of imperial power without the expectation of anyone that they would succeed to the top position, only for a disruptive maverick's reign to propel them into that positions, with their power being founded upon a desire for a return to normalcy. Due to the circumstances of their ascension, both have had their legitimacy questioned, and both have been viewed completely differently by different groups. Also, Joe Biden's planned invasion of Britain will definitely be a major parallel if it goes ahead.
Claudius is underrated. He took power at a bad time and left it to a bad person but overall he was one of the best emperors.
I'll take this as a sign it's high time I revisited I, Claudius.
This is very based, Mr Thersites
Yo, it's a video on uncle Claudius.
Claudius is credited with conquering Ancient Britannia. Thats a pretty good legacy.
True, but considering the trouble maintaining Britannia as a far-off outpost of the Empire became, I doubt future emperors would have been very grateful to him.
@@tejdandekar good point!
@@tejdandekarTo be fair Britannia wasn't just a money and manpower sink, it had plenty of natural resources.
I find Claudius extremely fascinating, I would like for more material to be posted on him and his 14 year reign.
Interesting ideas on Claudius. I'm sorry that I seem to comment on this frequently, but every time you end these videos without any sort of outro I'm thrown. Peace out.
My favourite emperor
Hurray! My favorite emperor!
Grandiiiiii i miglioriii❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
It's interesting that already in the later years of Tiberius Claudius had a powerful party of supporters.
Probably his elevation wasn't quite so unexpected and contingent as the legend suggests.
As Levick argues, the possibility Claudius played at least a small role in his own nephew's ultimate demise must be taken in account. The curtain tale sounds funny but it's most likely a later fabrication.
@tiberiuscave4617 I do like the idea that Claudius was part of the shadow inner circle during his nephew's reign.
@@geordiejones5618
The committee of sensible folk pondering how to get the crazy youth out of the way.
@@alanpennie8013 I mean the JC were never some unified bloc. From the start they were extremely faction based, and I always assumed Claudius never had much clout, but maybe he stepped up in the background and that turned a few heads. He was very good with history and writing and grew up in the imperial palace around all that intrigue, so he had to have some concept of statecraft before he wore the purple.
Maybe Claudius's reliance on freedmen & Gauls in his administration is a reflection of Claudius's own upbringing.
Augustus and Tiberius almost completely excluded Claudius from public life. Caligula included Claudius in his administration but abused him pretty badly. Claudius probably identified with outsiders as a result. The unpopular kids at school usually hang out together.
That seems to be the portrait that Suetonius paints of Claudius' social life. By the time that Tiberius was on Capri, it seems that Claudius' social standing had improved as he was gaining some renown for his historical writings and senators were befriending him due to his membership in the imperial house.
Is there somewhere your essays are published and can be read?
This caught my attention: "unlike Tiberius and Caligula, Claudius wasn't a member of the Julian family, and in fact he wasn't a princeps at all."
If Tiberius (his uncle) and Caligula (his nephew) were members ofJulian family, then Claudius was, too.
"Princeps" is an official title, or function, if you will (the first senator, or the first citizen), and in fact Claudius was a princeps indeed.
Claudius Was From The Solomon islands 🇸🇧
Ironically, in today's world, some people DO describe Claudius as "Legit" to describe his competence, as an Emperor. I'm sure we're all in agreement that, that's what really mattered in the end.
There is an old series from BBC,I Claudius very nice series i think from 13 or 14 episodes
Interesting topic. Claudius' policy is surely kinda erratic. He tried to imitate Augustus' link to the past, but his pedantic nature surely made his efforts not very effective. His attitude toward the Senate was not productive either - like Tiberius, he never managed to find a compromise between a deferential and an authoritarian attitude. What's noticeable, however, is that not even his deification protected his memory. Apokolokyntosis was written early during Nero's regime - someone argues just after Claudius' death, someone after Agrippina's - but making fun of a deified princeps under the rule of one of his relative is something unique - even though Nero soon started separating himself from the memory his predecessor.
Yeah I gotta agree with you, this ones not your best work. Not bad though. As for the man himself don't really have a strong opinion of him either way, but he did smash the brits so that's always cool
He used elephants against us.
Unsporting if you ask me.
very interesting. I guess like most people listening to this i have a kind of bias here, because I watched I, Claudius on TV when i was young with my family and i read the book when i was very young, maybe about 11, so i've long been a partisan of him.
I wonder how close the potrayal of him in that is to the real man?
I suspect it's close (to Momigliano).
Though Claudius with his clemency and his viciousness, his scholarship and love of war, will always remain baffling
The last known man to understand the Etruscan language. He must have been fairly intelligent, and he survived Caligula
I should watch I, Claudius again, I am on lockdown
@@krisinsaigon
It's very sad that almost everything Claudius wrote has been lost.
All that survives is a few letters.
Graves' take on Claudius is obviously kinda biased and overly apologistic to him. That's fine: after all, Graves' works are novels, not historiography essay. True Claudius is truly a complex and enigmatic figure, quite far from the benign man Graves depicts.
Claudius is foremost was Historian and he was not politicians. Claudius blood line was Maternal he was Grandson to Livia where as Druses never adopted by Augustus. From the fact Livia was a woman and the Rome was very patriarchal and would bring him legitimacy. Agrippina the Younger was a political marriage meaning she was granddaughter to Augustus and daughter to Julia. It was more a move to secure his legitimacy. The problem Agrippina is no Livia in when it comes to the Female face the emperor.
Do you think Claudius was poisoned or did he die of natural causes/food poisoning?
I don't know. It is hard to say given that he was getting on in years and had never been the hardiest fellow. That being said, both Agrippina the Younger and Nero were incredibly ruthless, so I wouldn't put it past them.
@@ThersitestheHistorian I'm not sure how accurate Wikipedia is but it states that most historians of the time claimed that he was poisoned by Agrippina.
My feeling is that Agrippina the Younger would poison Claudius if she could gotten away with it. The problem I have Agrippina had more power with Claudius than Nero. Claudius is disabled and he may have died from natural causes as well as he could have taken the poison himself to escape from constant pain. Agrippina may not have needed to poison Claudius. My impression is that Claudius could have grown weary from his own failing body. Also the marriage was loveless.
Rome's most Bidenesque Emperor
What are you implying?
@@Insectoid_ maybe it's a trump/caligula link
@@krisinsaigon Trump is more bat 💩 mad than Caligula
@@ii121 oh like the stutter he’s meant to have? I’ve gotta be honest I only heard him speak a few times
@@Insectoid_ There's a number of superficial similarities, such as the stutter and their age, however primarily it's the fact that both men spent a lifetime near the heart of imperial power without the expectation of anyone that they would succeed to the top position, only for a disruptive maverick's reign to propel them into that positions, with their power being founded upon a desire for a return to normalcy. Due to the circumstances of their ascension, both have had their legitimacy questioned, and both have been viewed completely differently by different groups. Also, Joe Biden's planned invasion of Britain will definitely be a major parallel if it goes ahead.
C-C-C-Claudius...