Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Lame. ) The fourth Roman emperor. D. 41). D. 49) he banished them all from Rome (Acts 18:2). In this edict the Christians were included, as being, as was supposed, a sect of Jews. The Jews, however soon again returned to Rome. During the reign of this emperor, several persecutions of the Christians by the Jews took place in the dominions of Herod Agrippa, in one of which the apostle James was “killed” (12:2). D. 54. ) Claudius Lysias, a Greek who, having obtained by purchase the privilege of Roman citizenship, took the name of Claudius (Acts 21:31-40; 22:28; 23:26).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
D. He was nominated to the supreme power mainly through the influence of Herod Agrippa the First. In the reign of Claudius there were several famines, arising from unfavorable harvests, and one such occurred in Palestine and Syria. (Acts 11:28-30) Claudius was induced by a tumult of the Jews in Rome to expel them from the city. cf. (Acts 18:2) The date of this event is uncertain. D. 54.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
CLAU'DIUS (lame), the fourth Roman emperor, successor of Caius Coin of Claudius. d. 41-54. Acts 11:28. Herod Agrippa I. was mainly instrumental in securing him the throne. Several different famines took place during his reign, one of which, predicted by Agabus, was very severe, and lasted three years. In the ninth or twelfth year of his reign he banished the Jews, probably including the Christian converts, from Rome.