cover of episode 537. Emperors of Rome: Claudius, Paranoia and Poison (Part 4)

537. Emperors of Rome: Claudius, Paranoia and Poison (Part 4)

2025/2/6
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The Rest Is History

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Tom Holland: 在卡利古拉遇刺后,罗马面临着选择:恢复共和国还是继续由奥古斯都家族统治。由于凯撒的独裁统治并非正式的世袭君主制,没有明确的继承规则,因此局势更加复杂。虽然皇帝通常是凯撒家族的人,但克劳狄乌斯的情况特殊。他出身于奥古斯都家族,但因身体和精神上的缺陷长期被忽视,甚至被家人视为怪物。尽管如此,禁卫军在混乱中发现了他,并拥立他为皇帝,这实际上是一场政变。克劳狄乌斯的崛起并非出于他的野心,而是出于对卡利古拉的恐惧和禁卫军的操纵。他通过贿赂军队赢得了他们的忠诚,开创了凯撒们用金钱收买军队的先例。克劳狄乌斯上台的方式掩盖了这基本上是一场政变的事实,也预示着他统治的特殊性和挑战性。他并非奥古斯都的血统或养子,这将极大地影响他的统治。克劳狄乌斯揭示了凯撒这个名字是可以继承的,帝国制度正在成为一种制度。克劳狄乌斯能否成功地使帝国制度发挥作用,将对罗马的未来至关重要。

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Following the bloody assassination of the twenty-eight year old Emperor Caligula, Rome found herself without a leader. Who then should fill the enormous power vacuum left by the death of an emperor? Should Rome return to a Republic? Then, one overlooked candidate - a scion of the hallowed family of Augustus long lurking in the wings of imperial power - unexpectedly rose to the fore: Claudius, Caligula’s uncle. Famed as a drooling idiot all his life, Claudius’ apparent shortcomings had kept him safe from the ruthless ambitions of his family and enemies. But his life of anonymity would now be brought to an abrupt end, with a shocking coup led by the Praetorian Guard. The Praetorians, one of the most potent forces in Rome, feared the loss of the emperor’s patronage, and so pulled him out from the curtain behind which he had been hiding, carried him to their camp, and declared him emperor. The reign that ensued - described in gory, glistening, salacious detail by the Roman historian Suetonius - would see Claudius dismantle his mask of imbecility to reveal himself clever and studious, but easily duped by his advisors, freemen, and wives alike. It would see him claim the conquest of Britain, increase the strength of the Roman army, fall foul of the senate, play cuckold in one of the most famous sexual scandals of all time, and marry his niece. All the while, the shadows of Nero’s rise to supreme power were lengthening…

Join Tom and Dominic for the mighty conclusion of their journey through the lives of Rome’s first Caesars, as described in rich, technicolour by Suetonius, climaxing with the epic reign of Rome’s most unexpected emperor: Claudius.

Pre-order Tom Holland's new translation of 'The Lives of the Caesars' here:

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/279727/the-lives-of-the-caesars-by-suetonius/9780241186893


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Producer: Theo Young-Smith

Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett

Editor: Jack Meek

Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor

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