Lunchtime Lecture - ‘Claudius: the idiot’

Part of our 'Imperial Lives' Lunchtime Lecture series. Hear about the life of the Roman Emperor Claudius

The Roman Emperor Claudius is famous for conquering the island of Britain, a place of mystery on the fringes of the known world, and bringing it within the Roman sphere of influence.  Often best known from Derek Jacobi's portrayal in 'I Claudius', the pervading image of Claudius is of a bumbling, limping, and stuttering fool, who survives through the sheer fact that nobody considers him a threat.  This lecture will look at the evidence of Claudius' life provided by authors such as Suetonius to examine whether this popular image is accurate, or whether Claudius was more ruthless than we often realise.

This lecture will be delivered by our Collections Access Officer (archaeology).  The lecture begins at 12.30 and will last approximately 30 minutes, in The Collection's auditorium, and is FREE.  There is no need to book in advance.

This lecture is part of a series of six Lunchtime Lectures entitled 'Imperial Lives: Six Roman Emperors with British connections'.  The other lectures in the series are:

15 August 2014 - 'Claudius: the idiot'

12 September 2014 - 'Domitian: the tyrant'

10 October 2014 - 'Hadrian: the traveller'

14 November 2014 - 'Septimius Severus: the popular dictator'

12 December 2014 - 'Carausius: the usurper'

16 January 2015 - 'Constantine the Great: the convert'