Almost at the end of his family history, Claudius' thoughts turn to the future of Rome.
Claudius has ruled wisely for a year with the support of Messalina, whom he deeply loves. Convinced of her devotion, he is totally unaware that she is deceiving him.
Claudius is happily married, while the mad Caligula has been assassinated. To his astonishment, Claudius has been proclaimed emperor by the Praetorian Guard.
Claudius has high hopes of a return to a Republic when Caligula insanely proclaims himself a god and his sister a goddess... but Rome officially accepts his divinity.
With Tiberius retired to Capri, Sejanus plans to tighten his grip on Rome and divorces his wife so he can marry Livilla. But he also has powerful enemies and his attempts to consolidate power set in motion a bloody chain of events.
As Augustus learned of Livia's plot against Postumus, she took action which resulted in Tiberius becoming emperor. The situation in the East now threatens Tiberius's position.
The Imperial Army on the Rhine has been wiped out and Tiberius sent to avenge the defeat, followed later by Germanicus. Livia has discredited Postumus, who has been banished. Augustus has been feeling unwell, but is avoiding suspicions of poisoning by eating figs from his own garden.
Livia has engineered the downfall of Julia, who has been banished. Tiberius is recalled to Rome and is joint heir with Postumus. Poor stumbling, stuttering Claudius finds a friend in Herod, king of the Jews.
Livia, wife of Emperor Augustus plots against his daughter Julia and manages to convince him to bring her son Tiberius back from exile.
Livia, the scheming wife of Augustus, seeks to disinherit her husband's grand-children in favour of her own son Tiberius.