Emperor Claudius -- Roman Baths, Bath, Somerset, UK
N 51° 22.875 W 002° 21.551
30U E 544596 N 5692417
Statues of 5 Roman Emperors, 3 Roman Governors, and the Spirit of Roma ring the 1897-vintage upper level at the UNESCO-listed Roman Baths in Bath, England.
Waymark Code: WMTA10
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/21/2016
Views: 3
This statue of Emperor Claudius, stands on the 1897 walkway over the Roman baths.
Each of these statues (except for the statue of Julius Caesar carved in 1989 by Laurence Tyndall) all date from the late 1890s and were carved by G. A. Lawson.
All statues and plinths are made of local Bath limestone.
The statue appears to be about 1.5 times life size.
Emperor Claudius is shown dressed in a Roman tunic which is draped over one shoulder. His muscular right arm and right chest are exposed. His head is crowned with a laurel wreath, and he is holding a scroll with both hands close to his left side.
From wikipedia: (
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"Claudius (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 attempts 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.
He was a descendant of the Octavii Rufi (through Gaius Octavius), Julii Caesares (through Julia Minor and Julia Antonia), and the Claudii Nerones (through Nero Claudius Drusus); he was a great-nephew of Augustus through his full sister Octavia Minor, a nephew of Tiberius through his father Drusus, Tiberius' brother, an uncle of Caligula and finally a great-uncle of Nero through Caligula's father and Nero's grandfather Germanicus, his brother."