Published in 1934, this is still seen as one of the great works of historical fiction ever written. Written from the point of view of Tiberius Claudius, who would become the Roman emperor after the death of Caligula, it paints a picture of the politics, intrigues, and corruption of the late Roman empire through the reign of Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula until the crowning of Claudius himself. The author has clearly done a ton of research into the period, but ultimately most of the details are probably almost entirely fiction since very few actual accounts remain. Still, the author creates a great narrator in the lame, stuttering Claudius who is mocked and ignored and thus remains alive to eventually be crowned emperor while the rest of his family fight and kill each other for political power. In Claudius, the author creates a sympathetic, intelligent, and interesting protagonist with the ability to portray the Roman empire as it might have been at the time - powerful, deeply corrupt, and sinking into self-destruction. A very interesting read and beautifully written, not sure why I had never read this before as I remember seeing it on my parents' bookshelves since I was a child.