Claudius

Claudius became emperor after the assassination of Caligula, and was deified by his successor Nero in AD 54. Opinions of him have varied greatly over succeeding centuries, but he has mostly been caricatured as a reluctant emperor, hampered by a speech impediment, who preferred reading to ruling. Barbara Levick's authoritative study reassesses the reign of Claudius, examining his political objectives and activities within the constitutional, political, social and economic development of Rome. Out of Levick's critical scrutiny of the literary, archaeological and epigraphic sources emerges a different Claudius - an intelligent politician, ruthlessly determined to secure his position as ruler. Now updated to take account of recent scholarship, Claudiusremains essential reading for students and historians of the early Roman Empire.

Preface 1. Principate and Dynasty 2. Education 3. Unfit for a public career? 4. Accession 5. Princeps and Imperator 6. Establishment of the Court: Messalina 7. The Dominance of Agrippina 8. Imperial Policies? 9. Senate and Knights: Claudius and the Aristocracy 10.The People of Rome and Italy 11. Legislation, Justice, and Society 12. Finance and the Economy 13. Claudius’ Invasion of Britain 14. Warfare on Three Continents 15. Claudius and his Provincial Subjects 16. Aftermath: Claudius in Literature and History References and Notes Concordance Bibliography Index

Barbara Levick is Fellow and Tutor Emeritus, St. Hilda’s College, Oxford. She has published extensively on Roman history, with titles including Tiberius the Politician (Routledge, 1999), Vespasian (Routledge, 1999), The Government of the Roman Empire, second edition(Routledge, 2001), Julia Domna: Syrian Empress (Routledge, 2007), Augustus: Image and Substance (2010) and Imperial Women of the Golden Age: Faustina I and II (2014).