--- product_id: 129186140 title: "I, Claudius" brand: "robert graves" price: "€ 22.97" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 7 url: https://www.desertcart.at/products/129186140-i-claudius store_origin: AT region: Austria --- # I, Claudius **Brand:** robert graves **Price:** € 22.97 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** I, Claudius by robert graves - **How much does it cost?** € 22.97 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.at](https://www.desertcart.at/products/129186140-i-claudius) ## Best For - robert graves enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted robert graves brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![I, Claudius - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81JQsNZ1ZFL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Survival amidst violence, corruption and chaos *by G***Z on Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2006* Through the voice of Graves, Claudius, or even better, Tiberius Caludius Drusus Nero Germanicus, later Emperor of Rome, tells us his story, a story of precarious survival in a world of intrigue, betrayal, lies and dangerous madmen (and madwomen). Sickly, limp, deaf in one ear, and stammering, Claudius is right from his birth a shy, timorous and diminished boy. In consequence, almost everybody believes him to be hopelessly stupid. Everybody rejects him, except his beloved older brother Germanicus and his friend Postumus, but even these treat him only as their poor protege. His parents tend to his needs, but nothing else. His grandmother Livia, the most fascinating character in the book, despises and hates him. All the rest simply mock or ignore him.Claudius, with his peculiar and acid sense of humor, tells us the story beginning two generations before his birth. At the end of the Civil War provoked by Julius Ceasar, Augustus (originally Octavian) attains victory and installs him as de-facto Emperor of Rome (it would be centuries later that the pretensions of Republican institutions would be officially disappeared). Livia, a woman sick with ambition and lust for power, divorces Claudius's grandfather and marries Augustus. Thus begins a story of centralization of power, of poisonings and blackmailing, of a power-behind-the-throne which makes Lady Macbeth look like an innocent school girl. Livia is a portent: she possesses incredible political and administrative skills, and she becomes the perfect partner of the noble, capable, but sometimes naive Augustus, who consults with her every matter. Augustus plays good cop: he is honest and magnanimous, the friendly face of the regime. Livia does all the dirty work, with dedication and efficiency. For a moment, the Empire ceases its expansionist efforts, and the resources are dedicated to consolidation of frontiers and to the strengthening of infrastructure and administrative apparatus. A spirit of sacrifice and service prevails. Heroes abound, remarkably Drusus, Claudius's father, and then Germanicus, the older brother and true Hero of Rome. Both men preserve ideas about Republican restoration, something they will pay dearly for.While many things are passing, Claudius grows up silently in the shadow. Little by little, some people (his two friends, his two servants and his two teachers) discover that the family fool is in fact a clever, observant, just and gentle guy. But no one else notices, which is exactly what saves his life, since no one envies him or feels he is a threat.When he is thirteen, still living in Rome, Claudius falls in love with an angelical creature, his soulmate, to whom he is promised in marriage. I won't spoil for you what happens the day of the wedding, but suffice it to say that his subsequent married life will be horrible.During the following years, Claudius retires to live at his villa in Capua, where his only company are some faithful servants and the two successive prostitutes who become his only true friends. After Augustus's death, the obscure Tiberius raises to the throne. Tiberius is a capable politician, soldier and administrator, but he is also a sexual degenerate, a puppet in the hands of his mother Livia, who progressively becomes a paranoid murderer and an intolerable tyrant. Tiberius's years are for Claudius a time of great intellectual achievements (he is an historian and writer), as well as a time of a personal nightmare, for one by one his loved ones are murdered by Tiberius and Livia. Then Tiberius's debacle sets in and he is succeeded by Caligula. Claudius's nephew and Livia's grand-grandson (Livia finally dies at age 86) begins his reign as a benevolent and generous ruler. But one day, after a month of sickness, Caligula sends for Claudius and tells him the real truth: He is God, more powerful than Jupiter. What follows, horrible but fun to read, is the crazed story of a living Devil. Dispend, negligence, murder, degenerate orgies and almost the ruin of the Empire, until the furious masses kill Caligula and crown the ultimate survivor, the only capable man left alive but who, alas, doesn't want to be Emperor.Thus finishes the first part of Claudius's life, masterfully told by a Classicist, poet and narrator of the first order. This is one of the bloodiest and cruellest books you'll ever going to read, but it is extremely entertaining, illuminating and solid. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding Historical Fiction: Entertaining and Educational *by C***S on Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2011* INTRO: Entertaining AND EducationalI, CLAVDIVS (Romans did not have the letter U) by Robert Graves manages to fulfill for me my two objectives for reading this wonderful novel: (1) entertainment and (2) education. The novel is written from the perspective of CLAVDIVS, and it provides a fascinating exploration of the beginnings of the Roman Empire.GRIPPING SCENESSome of the scenes in the novels are gripping (and historically accurate!). In particular, I enjoyed the part when TIBERIVS is reading a letter from his brother DRVSVS that is critical of LIVIA and Emperor AVGVSTVS. TIBERIVS is forced to read the letter out loud. Another part that stands out is when Emperor CALIGVLA is undergoing his metamorphosis from a mere mortal to a god. Some characters are hilarious such as CLAVDIVS'S wife VRGVLANILLA.COMPELLING CHARACTERSSpeaking of characters, I left this novel with a deep respect for GERMANICVS (brother of CLAVDIVS and father of CALIGVLA). Another gripping portion of the novel is when GERMANICVS'S palace is being haunted with unlucky signs "scrawled on the walls in charcoal." Worse, dead animals and "the corpse of a baby, the belly painted red and horns tied to the forehead" beneath loose tiles. These occurred immediately prior to his unfortunate death.Another character worth mentioning of course is CALIGVLA. He stuffed the body of the tallest man in the world, an eleven-foot Parthian, and dressed him in armor to display him outside his bed-chamber door to frighten off assassins. He would dress as different gods depending upon his whims and possessed an incomprehensible wickedness. To suggest CALIGULA was mad would be a remarkable understatement. He was demonic, cruel, and psychotic.Let me briefly, then, discuss our Emperor, CLAVDIVS. CLAVDIVS the lame, the stutter, the idiot. Well, his character teaches us never to underestimate someone based upon some sort of defect (inability to speak well, limp, physical handicap). He was a historian and scholar. An enjoyable part of the novel is when he was in the Apollo Library and the historians LIVY and POLLIO come along. An interesting conversation emerges on historical writing and the difference between readability and accuracy. Should we prefer reading history that is less accurate but poetic or history that is written with diligence and correctly records events?ROMAN v. GERMANThe novel teaches a great deal of the difference between the German warring tribes and the discipline of the Roman legions. The Roman military was extraordinarily disciplined, yet floggings and paying soldiers were considered base by the Germans. The Germans, however, would promise glory and plunder to inspire their troops. The Germans were "chaste in their morals" while Roman officers "openly practiced vices." It was very interesting to learn about the loss of the eagles and the battle between VARVS and HERMANN (ARMINIVS). The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest resulted in the loss of three Roman legions.CONCLUSIONYour perspective of LIVIA, the Roman Empire, and the Roman people will forever change by reading this novel. You will learn history, (corrupt) politics, complex characters and be entertained while you are learning.Five stars are warranted. Suggestion: Read Anthony Everitt's CICERO prior to reading this to place the novel in historical context of the late Roman Republic and certainly obtain a Julio-Claudian family tree. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Just amazing ! *by C***I on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2020* Wow, what an unexpected amazing read ! My husband recommended this one the other day to me - at first, it doesn't sound like the most interesting read. I mean historical novels are hard to bring to life and never been my thing really - I prefer non-fiction or history books in these cases. But wow! The first sentence got me completely hooked:"I, Tiberius Claudius [...], who was once, and not so long ago either, known to my friends and relatives and associates as 'Claudius, the Idiot', or 'That Claudius', or ' Claudius, the Stammerer', or' Clau-Clau-Claudius' or at best as 'Poor Uncle Claudius', am now to write the strange history of my life"and I didn't put it down for the next three days. I just ordered the sequel and can't wait.I don't want to give away too much - I think it's best the way I did, simply order it and read a page or two. What an amazing feat of imagination Graves had ! It's just stunningly good.So sorry for the lack of content, but just read it. You won't regret it. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.at/products/129186140-i-claudius](https://www.desertcart.at/products/129186140-i-claudius) --- *Product available on Desertcart Austria* *Store origin: AT* *Last updated: 2026-05-04*