Claudius - Vatican City State
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Metro2
N 41° 54.402 E 012° 27.213
33T E 288793 N 4642553
This sculpture is located in one of the rotundas of the Vatican Museum.
Waymark Code: WMNPY9
Location: Vatican City State
Date Posted: 04/15/2015
Views: 3
This sculpture depicts the Roman Emperor Claudius
A Museum placard indicates that the marble sculpture was found in 1865 at Lanuvio. It informs us that Claudius is depicted as Jupiter with a civil crown of oak leaves and an eagle at his feet. It does not indicate the artist or date.
The Emperor is depicted standing, bare-chested wearing a loosely draped toga. His left hand holds an item (a sceptor?) above his head while his right hand is held out in welcome.
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us:
"Claudius ... Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus;[1][2] 1 August 10 BC – 13 October 54 AD) was Roman emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul, the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy. Because he was afflicted with a limp and slight deafness due to sickness at a young age, his family ostracized him and excluded him from public office until his consulship, shared with his nephew Caligula in 37.
Claudius' infirmity probably saved him from the fate of many other nobles during the purges of Tiberius and Caligula's reigns; potential enemies did not see him as a serious threat. His survival led to his being declared Emperor by the Praetorian Guard after Caligula's assassination, at which point he was the last man of his family.
Despite his lack of experience, Claudius proved to be an able and efficient administrator. He was also an ambitious builder, constructing many new roads, aqueducts, and canals across the Empire. During his reign the Empire began the conquest of Britain (if the earlier invasions of Britain by Caesar and Caligula's aborted attempt are not counted). Having a personal interest in law, he presided at public trials, and issued up to twenty edicts a day.
He was seen as vulnerable throughout his reign, particularly by elements of the nobility. Claudius was constantly forced to shore up his position; this resulted in the deaths of many senators. These events damaged his reputation among the ancient writers, though more recent historians have revised this opinion. Many authors contend that he was murdered by his own wife. After his death in 54 AD (at age of 63), his grand-nephew and adopted son Nero succeeded him as Emperor."