Statue of the Roman Emperor Claudius

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Claudius ruled Rome from 41 to 54. As a member of the powerful Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born in Lugdunum, Gaul, and became the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy. Despite being hampered by a lingering limp and slight deafness resulting from an early illness, his family initially shunned him and denied him public office until he shared the consulship with his nephew Caligula in 37. Claudius' physical limitations probably spared him from the fate of many other nobles during Tiberius' and Caligula's reigns; potential adversaries failed to view him as a major threat. His survival ultimately led the Praetorian Guard to declare Claudius Emperor after Caligula's assassination, at which point he was the last adult male of his family still alive.