Britannicus - Definition and Overview

Britannicus (41 - 55 A.D.) was the son of the Roman emperor Claudius and his third wife Messalina. His original name was "Germanicus" but was changed in honor of his father's conquest of Britain in 43 AD.

Nobody is sure why Claudius made Nero his successor and not Britannicus, although the fact that Britannicus may have been Caligula's son is a factor. Britannicus was killed by (partisans of) his step-brother (and brother-in-law) Nero so that Nero could become emperor of Rome.

He was good friends with the future Emperor Titus. Titus would go on to erect a gold statue of his friend.

Britannicus is also the title of a tragedy by the French dramatist Jean Racine (1669).