The mini-series follows the history of the Roman Empire, from approximately the death of Marcellus (24/23 BC) to Claudius' own death in 54 AD. As Claudius narrates his life, we witness Augustus' attempts to find an heir, often foiled by his wife Livia who wants her son Tiberius to become emperor. We also see the conspiracy of Sejanus, the infamous reign of Caligula, and Claudius' own troubled period of rule.
针对特殊性重要犯罪，华冈信一郎（阿部宽饰）凭借超越常人的敏感嗅觉常常成为解决案件的关键人物，人称sniffer。他与人情派的小向刑事（香川照之）组成搭档，通过现场留下的气味，揭露犯罪嫌疑人的真面目。
