Cassius Dio has a tendency to tell big fish tales so his works have to be taken with a grain of salt. But there is enough corroborating evidence to back up most of his account. Always felt sorry for Claudius. His family was embarrassed by him and never let him do anything of importance. He had a speech disorder (so did Caesar btw, he had palilaleah (repeating words twice at a lower pitch, as well as seizures). They thought Claudius was a dunce. But he was really smart and one of the better emperors and administrators (especially compared to his predecessor Caligula whom he had to clean up after). Not sure I buy the story they found him hiding in the palace. The Praetorians probably already had him selected before that got rid of the mad man Caligula. Claudius turned out to be one of the best Emperors in my book. But he had horrible luck in love. One of his wives openly and extremely publicly married another man while he was away. (Pretty insane). Claudius was told this as he was returning to Rome by his right-hand-man. Claudius stopped at the man’s house and saw his own furniture in the fool’s home. And they say he was pretty tone deaf about it but had her executed shortly thereafter. I’ve always wondered how stupid you would have to be to hold a public wedding with another man (no attempt to hide it) when you are married to the most powerful man in the world.
Claudius: Reformer, Conqueror of Britain | Roman Emperors | March 19, 2021 | Kings and Generals | Lito Areta | researched and written by Ivan Moran | narrated by Officially Devin
