Claudius Died on This Day in 54 AD

On this day in history, October 13, 54 AD, Rome's emperor, Claudius, died under mysterious circumstances. He was only 44 years old and had been poisoned. He had been born in Gaul, which is now France, and was the first Roman emperor to be born outside of Italy. His grandfather had been Mark Anthony and his grandmother Octavia, the sister of Augustus. Due to a childhood illness, he couldn't hear well and had a slight limp. Because of these, his enemies never considered him a serious threat to come to the throne. Yet, he managed to climb through the ranks and do exactly that.

Claudius became know as an able and efficient leader, despite his lack of experience or training to become emperor. Under him, the Roman system of roads, canals, and aqueducts was expanded and the successful conquest of Britain begun. He had a personal interest in legal matters and is known for sometimes issuing up to 20 edicts in one day. Yet, he still had his enemies, as most Roman emperors did, and they worked against him. Even before his death, he dealt with several coups, which led to the death of some senators and their supporters.

Most historians agree that Claudius died from poison, but they're not sure if he was in Rome or in Sinuessa, Italy, at the time. Most believe his wife, Agrippa, had something to do with it. His son, Nero, took over after him, and that would have long-lasting effects on history.

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