The book is presented as a secret autobiography written by Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus, most commonly known as 'Claudius', the Emperor of the Roman Empire from 44 to 51 AD. Graves writes the narrative in the first person, using historical vocabulary and expressions to authenticate Claudius as the author. With Claudius centered in the novel as the protagonist, we learn a great deal of detailed information about the Julio-Claudian line through his observations.
Graves' version of Claudius is technically fictitious, though it does rely mostly on historical facts and accounts in relation to the characters and events. The historical Claudius was indeed an avid historian who did...
