Draggingtree Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Hoover Institute Trump… Our Claudius by Victor Davis Hanson Wednesday, May 31, 2017 The Roman Emperor Claudius, who reigned from 41 to 54 AD, was never supposed to be emperor. He came to office at age 50, an old man in Roman times. Claudius succeeded the charismatic, youthful heartthrob Caligula—son of the beloved Germanicus and the “little boot” who turned out to be a narcissist monster before being assassinated in office. Claudius was an unusual emperor, the first to be born outside Italy, in Roman Gaul. Under the Augustan Principate, new Caesars—who claimed direct lineage from the “divine” Augustus—were usually rubber-stamped by the toadyish Senate. However, the outsider Claudius (who had no political training and was prevented by his uncle Tiberius from entering the cursus honorum), was brought into power by the Roman Praetorian Guard, who wanted a change from the status quo apparat of the Augustan dynasty. The Roman aristocracy—most claiming some sort of descent from Julius Caesar and his grandnephew Octavian (Caesar Augustus)—had long written Claudius off as a hopeless dolt. Claudius limped, the result of a childhood disease or genetic impairment. His mother Antonia, ashamed of his habits and appearance, called the youthful Claudius “a monster of man.” He was likely almost deaf and purportedly stuttered. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickadee Posted June 16, 2017 Share Posted June 16, 2017 Another great one from VDH! Thanks @Draggingtree. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickydog Posted June 17, 2017 Share Posted June 17, 2017 That is so interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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