Rome’s Ultimate Guidebook: I, Claudius

by Jennifer Eisenlau

Here is a novel idea for a visit to Rome: replace the guidebook with literary fiction.  I, Claudius will prepare you for great buildings, art, and personalities--historical fiction brings Classical Rome to life. I, Claudius tells the tale of one of the Eternal City's earliest emperors, Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, who was the grand-nephew of the great Caesar Augustus. I, Claudiusis his autobiography, written by the distinguished British translator, Robert Graves.

After Augustus died (some say by his own wife's Livia's hand) his adopted son Tiberius took over Rome...