Claudius's Personal Life
His personal life on the other hand was a disaster. He married 4 times but his most recognized marriages were his third to Valeria Messalina and his forth to Agrippina the younger, his niece. They both took advantage of Claudius and when Messalina started having affairs with other men and plotting against him, he had her executed. Messalina was his only love. Agrippina talked Claudius into adopting her son, Lucius Domitius ( Nero ), from a previous marriage over his own son, Britannicus, to become the next emperor. As soon as he did this he repented and when Agrippina saw this she poisoned him with mushrooms. He died October,54 AD. He was 64 years old. After his death he became a god. Claudius was a very good ruler though, perhaps rivaling Caesar.