Once a rather bookish young man with a limp and a stammer, a man who spent most of his time trying to stay away from the danger and risk of the line of ascension, Claudius seemed an unlikely candidate for Emperor. Yet, on the death of Caligula, Claudius finds himself next in line for the throne, and must stay alive as well as keep control.
Drawing on the histories of Plutarch, Suetonius, and … Suetonius, and Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, noted historian and classicist Robert Graves tells the story of the much-maligned Emperor Claudius with both skill and compassion. Weaving important themes throughout about the nature of freedom and safety possible in a safety and a monarchy, Graves’ Claudius is both more effective and more tragic than history typically remembers him. A best-selling novel and one of Graves’ most successful, I, Claudius has been adapted to television, film, theatre, and audio.
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This is one of the greatest books I’ve ever read, but a challenge. It took two months of reading, but for anyone who loves history and the Game of Thrones kind of story, this is the real thing. This is the book I wish I could write, full of historic authenticity, but with passion and double-dealing characters that are spell-binding in their …
This book is about Roman royalty. It’s a like watching a train wreck it is sometimes ugly but you can’t turn away. I started reading this in seventh grade study hall. It’s still with me fifty years later
I just re-read I, Claudius and Claudius the God for the first time in ages. These are great books, probably the best ever written about ancient Rome with the possible exception of Robert Harris’s Cicero trilogy. Prepare to be disgusted, horrified, enthralled, and sleep-deprived due to compulsively turning the pages late into the night.
Classic story of a decent man who’s ruined by becoming the very thing he hated.
I love real history and intrigue with awesome characters and motivations.rearly well told.
Robert Graves, who was primarily a poet but wrote books to make money, wrote two of the best historical novels ever with I Claudius and Claudius the God. Made into Masterpiece Theater’s first production, this excellent novel is an up-close view of the mechanics of the Roman Empire. People debate how much Graves invented in the construction of …
Wonderful evocative history with nasty homocidal characters and a central character who seems to have wandered out of Narnia into a fully fledged massacre of his relatives over a series of changes in the Roman Ruling family. Great historical detail, you can almost smell Rome and feel the heat in the streets. One of my favourite history books and …
Always entertaining, full of action, adventure and drama, this historical fiction masterpiece by Robert Graves will delight anyone looking for a satisfying and memorable read. His novel of Ancient Rome told from the POV of unlikely yet effective ruler Claudius describes the dangers and triumphs of his colorful life. An inspirational and wonderful …
This book is a classic read for anyone interested in learning about the Julio-Claudian emperors. Robert Graves is a well-respected classicist who knew the subject quite well, although since it is a work of fiction based on stories from the ancient world (that were often biased about certain historical figures) the characterization might not …