alexeykorovin This TV series is a must-watch for anyone interested in movies. Although, as a TV show, it's pretty low-budget, the plot is strong and the actors' performances are so good that overall the movie is simply great.It's interesting that the portrayal of Caligula is somewhat different here from the one in the Caligula movie from 1979. This series shows the degradation of Rome in much greater detail and at a much larger scale.The main character, Claudius, is a very likable character. Even though I watched this series years ago, I still have the phrase in my head which one of the imperial advisers says to the young Claudius: "Do you want to live a long a happy life? Exaggerate your stuttering..." Says it all.

ShelbyTMItchell Saw this first of all as a 16-year old. As really wanted to know who Derek Jacobi was in Henry V as the Chorus. As he is the lead in this role. Really top class top notch acting! As the stammering but really smart and intelligent lead role. For he sees everybody in his family and the reign of Rome falter in his life and we see everything from his point of view.For Claudius is told that he needed to act dumb as much as it hurts him to in order to survive in Rome. He is the only "normal" one in his family full of schemers and traitors.Supporting Jacobi is Sian Phillips as his ruthless grandma, John Hurt as the mad crazed Caligua, Brian Blessed as Phillips clueless husband, Margaret Tyrius as Claudius mean spirited mom, among others that support him.Great and skilled writing and really shows you how ruthless Rome was in those days.

thinker1691 When this film (entire series) is viewed by any student of history or for that matter, anyone " wishing to see Rome, . . .as it truly was " will hardly be surpassed for enjoyment. The story told here is that of the first five emperors of Ancient Rome. Brian Blessed plays Augustus and is very accepted as the benevolent dictator. Siân Phillips plays Livia, his scheming wife. George Baker is Tiberius, who waited too long to become emperor and was despised during his tenure. John Hurt plays Caligula who garnered more praise for his role than nearly everyone else. Christopher Biggins plays the fiddle playing Nero. James Faulkner is Herod Agrippa, the jovial friend from the East. His was a particularly sympathetic soul and friend of Claudius. But it is Derek Jacobi as Claudius who tells the tale of his family and does such a fantastic job, that this series has created such a high plateau, he may never surpass it. An excellent series which should also establish for itself the crown of Classic. *****

jamesroo like all TV and movies based on historical events they add things that are quite untrue.the two most glaring examples of this in i Claudius is the portrait of Livia and her son Tiberius.and the problem with this is Livia drives this story mostly so her character is so important as this murderous evil woman. i went and read many historical books on Augustus after seeing this great TV series.mind u it is one of the best I've seen besides shaka Zulu.according to most historians Livia was a devoted and loyal wife of Augustus till the end and had nothing to do with his death.Augustus lived a long and healthy life for a person back then and died old age and some aliment he caught at his old age.all these murders Livia is supposed to have done in this series has no proof of any kind.Livia by the way had all the power she could want as the wife of Augustus.he was devoted to her.Tiberius did become emperor through the death of wounds Germanic's had from battles and these became infected causing his death leaving Tiberius next in line as emperor.in his early life Tiberius was a competent general on the battlefield and was a pretty good emperor most of his early reign.only as he grew old he became feeble and what we would call a dirty old man.no one is sure if his death was by Caligula or not.and again at the beginning Caligula was a competent emperor.when he caught this unknown fever is when he became mad.so i understand the liberties taken in this great series about Livia and Tiberius but remember this is done all the time in historical facts in movies and TV series. this is still a great TV series with great performances.