The women in Claudius' life just seem to keep getting better and better ... or should that be worse and worse? We'll leave it up to your discernment to decide. Herein the live and times of Claudius and Agrippina!

With Messalina dead, Claudius begins the process that any good Roman man would: choosing a new wife. As emperor, Claudius just happens to be the most eligible bachelor in town. He has a pick of the ladies and decides on Agrippina.

Making a New Marriage...

This is an unusual match in a number of respects, but it does ensure that Claudius draws conspicuous attention back upon the Julio-Claudian connection. Agrippina the Younger is not only his niece, but she boasts a direct connection to the lineage from Augustus. This is beneficial for Claudius, whose own claim to Augustus was less direct.

In this episode, we explore the various intricacies of the relationship between Claudius and Agrippina.

Claudius and Agrippina

https://partialhistorians.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Episode-14-Claudius-and-Agrippina-2018-Update.mp3

Bust of emperor Claudius. Currently held in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli. Image Courtesy of Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons.