Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus (born no later than 93 BC – died 42 BC) was a senator and praetor of the Roman Republic. He was born with the name Appius Claudius Pulcher, into the patrician family of the Claudii Pulchri but adopted by a Livius Drusus as a small child. His daughter Livia Drusilla became the wife of the first Roman Emperor Augustus, and he was a direct ancestor of the Julio-Claudian emperors Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero.
Biography
Background
As a Pulcher, Claudianus was a direct descendant of the consul and censor Appius Claudius Caecus through his son Publius Claudius Pulcher. Claudianus descended via the first Appius Claudius Pulcher, who was consul in 212 BC and Publius Claudius Pulcher's son or grandson.
Antiquarian Bartolomeo Borghesi suggested that his biological father could have been either Appius Claudius Pulcher (military tribune in the year 87 BC) or the Gaius Claudius Pulcher (legate or praetor in 73 BC); both of these men were sons of Gaius Claudius Pulcher (consul in 130 BC). Appius Claudius Pulcher (consul of 79 BC); and Gaius Claudius Pulcher (the consul of 92 BC), have been postulated by Ronald Syme. Susan Treggiari has speculated that his mother might have been a sister of Marcus Livius Drusus the tribune, this explaining his adoption by Drusus, since Drusus had at least two other nephews whom he chose Claudianus over. Adopted fathers and sons were often closely related and adoption of a sororal nephew was especially common in Rome.
Early life
Little is known about the circumstances leading to Claudianus's adoption by Marcus Livius Drusus.