I, Claudius is a 1976 BBC Television adaptation of Robert Graves' "I, Claudius" and "Claudius the God".
Written by Jack Pulman, produced by Joan Sullivan and Martin Lisemore, and directed by Herbert Wise in the studios at BBC Television Centre.
I, Claudius follows the history of the early Roman Empire, narrated by the elderly Roman Emperor Claudius, from the year 24 BC to his death in AD 54.
Episode 1: Rome, AD 54. Knowing that he will soon be assassinated, the Roman Emperor Claudius begins a secret history of his family, planning for it to be found long after he is dead. He begins his tale seventy years earlier, in 24 BC, as the newly-cemented Emperor Augustus begins to favour his son-in-law Marcellus over his old friend and ally Agrippa.
After Agrippa is insulted by Marcellus at a banquet honoring the Battle of Actium, he leaves Rome in protest. Augustus' wife Livia wants her son Tiberius to become Augustus' heir, so she secretly poisons Marcellus, who eventually dies. Augustus has Agrippa return to Rome. To seal their renewed friendship, he gives his daughter Julia, Marcellus' widow, to Agrippa to be his wife, infuriating Livia, who wanted Julia to marry Tiberius to cement his status as Augustus' heir.
Among other awards, the series won three BAFTAs in 1977 : Derek Jacobi, Best Actor (TV); Siân Phillips, Best Actress (TV); Tim Harvey, Best Design (TV). Director Herbert Wise won Outstanding Contribution Award at BAFTAs in 1978.
In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, I, Claudius placed 12th. If you haven't seen this mini-series, please do yourself a favour and watch it. It is one of the best British television shows and one of the best shows in history.
It starred Derek Jacobi as Claudius, with Siân Phillips as Livia, Brian Blessed as Augustus, George Baker as Tiberius, Margaret Tyzack as Antonia, John Hurt as Caligula, Patricia Quinn as Livilla, John Paul as Agrippa, Patrick Stewart as Sejanus, Sheila White as Messalina and many others: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074006/