He was ostracized by his family since he had a limp and some deafness as a result of a childhood illness

One of the most interesting facts about Claudius is that he was ostracized by his family since he had a limp and some deafness as a result of a childhood illness. Claudius was born in Lugdunum on August 1, 10 BC (modern Lyon, France). Germanicus and Livilla were his two older siblings. Antonia Minor, his mother, may have had two other children who died when they were little. Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia, Augustus' third wife, were his paternal grandparents. During his reign, Claudius revived the idea that his father, Nero Claudius Drusus, was Augustus' illegitimate son in order to give the impression that Augustus was Claudius' paternal grandfather. Claudius' father Drusus died abruptly during a campaign in Germany in 9 BC after falling from a horse. He was then abandoned by his mother, who never remarried. When his condition became apparent, his connection with his family deteriorated. Antonia called him a monster and used him as a yardstick for idiocy. She appears to have given her son to his grandma Livia for several years.

Livia was friendlier, but she still sent Claudius brief, harsh letters of reprimand. He was placed in the care of a "former mule-driver" to keep him disciplined, on the grounds that his condition was the result of sloth and a lack of desire. However, by the time he reached his adolescence, his symptoms appeared to have subsided, and his family began to take notice of his scholastic pursuits. With the help of Sulpicius Flavus, Livy was employed in AD 7 to educate Claudius on history. He spent a lot of time with him, as well as with the philosopher Athenodorus. According to a letter, Augustus was taken aback by the clarity of Claudius' oratory. Expectations for his future started to rise.