Claudius at the river : aspects of biography
Tiberius Claudius Germanicus was acclaimed emperor in AD41 after the murder of Gaius by members of the Praetorian Guard. Despite manifest handicaps that worried the imperial family enough to result in a career of education, scholarship and minor offices, Ti. Claudius Caesar emerged as <i>princeps, </i>a position which he held until his untimely death in AD54. Scholars have assessed the impact of Claudiusâ disabilities in a negative light, or, in a spirit of revisionism without producing evidence that would authentically refute the original allegations. This is a contradictory result; one is asked to accept as fact the severity of a negative and satirical portrait of Claudius, but then be coerced to assume that he was in fact still capable - this is not a tenable position. Past scholarship has given a cursory assessment of Claudiusâ illness, and promoted infantile paralysis (polio) or cerebral palsy as being consistent with his apparent eccentricities in the sources. This study carries out a risk assessment of Claudiusâ birth and early childhood, a pathological examination based on the evidence; the result of the study shows that any long-term illness is stable and then progresses to a degenerative state.
Gibson, A. G. G.
Claudius at the river : aspects of biography. Tiberius Claudius Germanicus was acclaimed emperor in AD41 after the murder of Gaius by members of the Praetorian Guard. Despite manifest handicaps that worried the imperial family enough to result in a career of education, scholarship and minor offices, Ti. Claudius Caesar emerged as <i>princeps, </i>a position which he held until his untimely death in AD54. Scholars have assessed the impact of Claudiusâ disabilities in a negative light, or, in a spirit of revisionism without producing evidence that would authentically refute the original allegations. This is a contradictory result; one is asked to accept as fact the severity of a negative and satirical portrait of Claudius, but then be coerced to assume that he was in fact still capable - this is not a tenable position. Past scholarship has given a cursory assessment of Claudiusâ illness, and promoted infantile paralysis (polio) or cerebral palsy as being consistent with his apparent eccentricities in the sources. This study carries out a risk assessment of Claudiusâ birth and early childhood, a pathological examination based on the evidence; the result of the study shows that any long-term illness is stable and then progresses to a degenerative state.
river aspect biography tiberius acclaim emperor murder member guard despite manifest handicap worry imperial_family enough career education scholarship minor office caesar emerge princeps position hold death scholars assess_impact disability negative light spirit revisionism without produce evidence would authentically refute original allegation contradictory ask accept fact severity negative satirical portrait coerce assume fact still capable tenable position past scholarship give cursory assessment illness promote cerebral consistent apparent source study_carry risk assessment birth early childhood pathological examination base evidence study_show long_term illness stable progress degenerative state