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I, Claudius is a historical novel, written as the fictional autobiography of the Roman Emperor Claudius by Robert Graves. Summary of the Book Graves tells the story of one of Rome’s most powerful emperors through his own eyes. He carves out the life of Claudius, telling how he suddenly rose to power at the age of forty nine. Claudius was considered to be mentally retarded, and his relatives perceived no threat from him. He is cast aside as an idiot, but Claudius uses his intelligence to teach himself much about the court intrigue. He becomes a scholar and historian, studying the times around him as he becomes the Emperor of Rome. In this book, Claudius writes the story of his life, and the truth behind Augustus Caesar’s life. He critiques Augustus’ reign, and provides a complete coverage of the machinations of Augustus’ wife Livia. Graves’ book is a powerful representation of the times before Rome’s eventual decline, and provides a portrait of an emperor who took the throne reluctantly after the fall of Caligula. About Robert Graves Robert von Ranke Graves was an English poet, novelist, critic and classicist known for his historical novels King Jesus and Claudius the God. I, Claudius was adapted into a BBC TV series which won four BAFTAs in 1977 and three Emmys in 1978. Series Reading Order The story of Claudius continues in Claudius the God.