Claudius

The Claudius Collection: I, Claudius & Claudius the God

Step into the treacherous world of ancient Rome, where ambition, betrayal and murder shape the fate of an empire. In these two classic novels, Robert Graves brings to life the extraordinary story of Claudius, the unlikely emperor who survives the deadly intrigues of the imperial court to claim the throne. Rich in historical detail, dark humour, and political drama, this is Rome at its most ruthless - and history at its most compelling.

'Still an acknowledged masterpiece and a model for historical fiction ... sympathetic and intensely involving: a great feat of imagination' - Hilary Mantel

I, Claudius: Book One

Bringing to life the intrigue of ancient Rome, Robert Graves's I, Claudius is one of the most celebrated, gripping historical novels ever written.

Despised for his weakness and regarded by his family as little more than a stammering fool, the nobleman Claudius quietly survives the bloody purges and mounting cruelty of the imperial Roman dynasties. In I, Claudius he watches from the sidelines to record the reigns of its emperors: from the wise Augustus and his villainous wife Livia to the sadistic Tiberius and the insane excesses of Caligula. Written in the form of Claudius' autobiography, this is the first part of Robert Graves's brilliant account of the madness and debauchery of ancient Rome.

Claudius the God: Book Two

Continuing the saga begun in I, Claudius, Robert Graves's Claudius the God is a compelling fictional autobiography of the Roman emperor.

Claudius has survived the murderous intrigues of his predecessors to become, reluctantly, Emperor of Rome. Here he recounts his surprisingly successful reign: how he cultivates the loyalty of the army and the common people to repair the damage caused by Caligula; his relations with the Jewish King Herod Agrippa; and his invasion of Britain.

But the growing paranoia of absolute power and the infidelity of his promiscuous young wife Messalina mean that his good fortune will not last forever. In this second part of Robert Graves's fictionalised autobiography, Claudius - wry, rueful, always inquisitive - brings to life some of the most scandalous and violent times in history.

Robert Graves (1895–1985) was a British poet, novelist, critic and classical scholar, renowned for his imaginative engagement with ancient history and mythology. Best known for I, Claudius and Claudius the God, he combined meticulous research with a distinctive literary voice, bringing the ancient world vividly to life.