Extract

(Tiberius Claudius (256) Nero Germanicus, 10 bce–54 ce), the emperor Claudius I, was born at *Lugdunum (1) (Lyons) (1 August), the youngest child of Nero *Claudius Drusus and of *Antonia (3). Hampered by a limp, trembling, and a speech defect all perhaps due to cerebral palsy, and by continual illnesses, he received no public distinction from Augustus beyond the augurate, and was twice refused a magistracy by Tiberius. Enactments of 20 ce, the *tabula Siarensis (ZPE 55 (1984), 58 f., fr. 1, 11. 6 f.; 19–21.) and the senatus consultum de Cn. Pisone patre (ed. W. Eck and others, 1996) 1. 148, like Tac. Ann. 3. 18. 4, illustrate his low position in the imperial family. Claudius retained the status of a knight until on 1 July 37 he became suffect consul with his young nephew, the emperor *Gaius (1); for the rest of the reign he received little but insults.