Claudius

Caligula's uncle, Claudius, took power due to the Praetorian Guard discovering him hiding in the Imperial Palace after Caligula 's assasination, and pronouncing him Emperor. The senate convened to "restore the republic" but as negotiations dragged on, the people begged to have him pronounced Princeps.

Character
Cladius had largely survived the years of his uncle Tiberius' suspicion largely by playing the fool and moving cautiously. He was lame, deaf in one ear, and may have had cerebral palsey in his youth. He had a "scholar's mind" and was tutored by the historian Livy.

Early Moves
Cladius, after being pronounced by a reluctant Senate, further angered them by paying each Praetorian Guard 150 pieces of gold. However, his immediate concern was to decrease the power of the group, by making two Prefects instead of one.

Senatorial Relationship
He was quite deferential in general to the Senate, though his interest in judicial affairs seemed fussy and upset Senator's who thought this interefered with their dignity. He was very involved in all affairs military and political. He revives the role of censor and, in general, brings back a good deal of the "armature" of the Republic's offices, though for his own bureaucracy and administration he appoints nearly entirely freedmen.

For advice, he turned mostly to freedmen, which incurred the ire of Rome's elite classes, though his predeliction for men who could not threaten him politically is understandable.

Military Activities
He was much more akin to Augustus in his concern to expand the empire. He directed, in 43, the invasion of Britain, and attended the climax of the campaign. He annexed Mauretania and Thrace as provinces.

People Person
He enjoyed races, games, dicing, and his succesfull military achievements led to many victory celebrations for the city. He was concerned about the grain supply, and built several aqueducts.

Love Life
For a "bumbling idiot," remarkably active life.

Originallly married to Messalina who fathered his two descendents Octavia and Britannicus. Messalina decides Claudius isn't ambitious enough for her, she tries to seize power from him. She commits adultery with a senator, and they plan together to assasinate him. Freedmen inform him, he divorces and eventually kills her.

He marries Agrippina the Younger, his neice, the daughter of Caligula, who apparently seduces him. His interest lay in strengthening his ties to the Julio-Claudian line. She herself planned for Nero (her son by her first husband) to become emperor.

In 51, Nero is appointed as his succesor (he's older than his direct son Britannicus) all the while assuming that, once Britannicus becomes of age, he'll be made Princeps.