The Life and Times of Claudius

The entire affair has been debated by historians for centuries. Was Claudius aware of the assassination plot? Did the Praetorian guard proclaim him emperor because they thought he could be easily manipulated? We do know that Claudius quickly consolidated his power and executed some of the top conspirators but gave a general amnesty to everyone else. As emperor, Claudius proved himself to be a very capable administrator. He expanded the empire for the first time in decades since Augustus. Most famously under his reign, Rome conquered much of the island of Great Britain. Many of the physical elements that Claudius suffered from throughout his entire life either disappeared or greatly diminished when he became emperor.

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