CLAUDIUS klô’ dĭ əs. Roman emperor a.d. 41-54. Son of Drusus and Antonia, nephew of the Emperor Tiberius and grandson of Livia the wife of Augustus, he was born at Lugdunum (Lyons, France) in 10 b.c. A young man of physical disabilities and some intellectual weakness, he lived a secluded life under the Emperor Tiberius (Suet. Claudius 4). He was made consul in a.d. 37 by Caligula and held other important posts, largely as a source of amusement for the latter. When Caligula was killed Claudius was named emperor by the praetorian guard in return for a considerable largess.

Despite his handicaps he ruled well during the early years of his reign. The boundaries of the empire were extended to include Mauretania and portions of Britain. Judea, which had been handed over to Agrippa, became an imperial province in 44 as did Thrace in 46. His policies toward provincials were liberal. A large number of colonies and municipalities were granted Rom. citizenship during his reign.

He enlarged the imperial civil service, which was now largely maintained by freedmen. Though legally his personal servants, they functioned as ministers of the state. They were soon hated by the nobility because of their efficiency and power, and sometimes for their arrogance and corruption. The emperor was often criticized also for his desire to hear legal cases in his own chambers rather than allowing them to be settled in the public courts.

The latter part of his reign was marked by intrigue and suspicion. The government was in the hands of his freedmen and the women around him. He had married Messalina, his third wife, who because of infidelity was put to death by his favorite freedman, Narcissus. At the prompting of another freedman, Pallas, he married his niece Agrippina. She prompted him to set aside his own son Brittanicus in favor of her son Nero by a former marriage. In 54 the emperor decided that Brittanicus should succeed him, but before he could make public his wish Agrippina fed him poisoned mushrooms which Nero said were “divine food, since by eating them Claudius became a god” (Cassius Dio 61:35).

Claudius is mentioned twice in the New Testament. In Acts 11:28 a prophecy was made by Agabus that there would be a “great famine over all the world” which was interpreted “and this took place in the days of Claudius.” During the reign of Claudius there were a number of famines. The carelessness of his predecessors had caused him to take stringent measures to insure a steady supply of grain (Cassius Dio 59. 17. 2; Suet. Claud. 18. 20). According to Tacitus the emperor’s life was in danger for the same reason (Annals 11. 4), and the interpretation of a dream signifying famine led to the ruin of two Rom. equestrians (Annals 11. 4).

In Acts 18:2 we are told that Paul met at Corinth Aquila and his wife Priscilla, Jews who had come there because “Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.” This prob. coincides with an incident which Suetonius mentions, “Judaeos impulsore Chreso assidue tumultuantes expulit” (Claud. 25). Dio perhaps more correctly says that the Jews, who could not be expelled because of their great numbers, were forbidden the right of free assembly, which would have the effect of forcing pious Jews to leave the city to observe their rites (60. 6. 6). Claudius was favorable towards the Jews in the early years of his reign. Two edicts, one relating to Alexandria and the other to the empire, granted them religious toleration, exemption from military service, and partial self-government (Jos. Ant. XIX. v. 2). He was influenced in this attitude by one of his favorites, Herod Agrippa, who had aided in his accession (19. 4. 5), and in return received all of Pal. for himself and favors for his brother and his son. The edict of expulsion prob. came during his later years, perhaps 50-52. Chrestus and Christus were sounded very much alike. Suetonius probably understood the more common Χρηστός for Χριστός, G5986.

Bibliography R. Graves, I, Claudius (1934); Claudius the God (1935); both historical novels, but in general very accurate. V. M. Scramuzza, The Emperor Claudius (1940).