Why Claudius

The series, I, Claudius, offers both entertainment and knowledge. I missed it when it first ran on public television. While it was clear that the entire thing was, in fact, taking place on a stage from start to finish (Recordings of angry mobs are, nonetheless, used well.), the story is still very interesting and the acting is first rate. I'm fond of ancient history, so maybe I'm a bit biased. Claudius was my favourite out of his line. If you watch the series, you'll see why. You'll see how it often pays to have the appearance of a harmless half-wit when your family members are all dropping around you prematurely. And how Claudius learned what happens if you push the people too far, by the violent deaths of both Tiberius, who I can picture being smothered with a pillow, and Caligula, who almost cost Claudius his own life. The author, Robert Graves, very skillfully summarized Claudius's place in history with a scene from the emperor's childhood. A wounded wolf cub fell into the boy's arms in front of a soothsayer, who was able to decipher the event. The wolf, a symbol of Rome, was wounded and at Claudius's mercy. By the time Claudius's predecessors to the throne were through, Rome was in sorry shape. Caligula, in particular, did a real number on it, using the navy to attack sea shells and such. (But I liked his appointing of a horse to the Senate.) There's something for Christians, too, with the first half of the story extending from Augustus to Tiberius - round about the time Pilate was working in Judea. The production appears to have the feint handprint of the English on it. Could also be British. That scene near the end where a conquered British lord refuses to bow to Claudius and gets away with it probably really happened. And if all that isn't enough, Patrick Stewart has curly hair. But his helmet would ultimately win that battle. May 2015: Oops! Apparently that conquered British general named Caractacus really did speak his mind and was granted his freedom by Claudius. Sorry for the error.
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