Claudius Gothicus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Augustus
Marcus Aurelius Claudius rose through the ranks to become one of Gallienus's most trusted generals. When Gallienus was assassinated in 268, the army chose Claudius. His reign of less than two years was dominated by a massive Gothic invasion, the largest yet, which he crushed decisively at the Battle of Naissus in 269, earning the title Gothicus Maximus. He died of the Plague of Cyprian at Sirmium, widely mourned. The Senate deified him, and Constantinian propaganda later claimed him as an ancestor.
Claudius Gothicus stabilised the empire at its most desperate moment and gave it the breathing room Aurelian needed to restore it. His posthumous radiates, struck by successors to honour him, were issued in such vast quantities that they remain among the most affordable ancient coins. The genuine imperial issues are scarcer and form a natural centrepiece of any Crisis-era collection.
Key Events
Coinage
Claudius's coinage is plentiful relative to his short reign, reflecting the scale of military production. The antoninianus dominates. The most historically significant reverse type is VICTORIAE GOTHICAE, directly commemorating the Gothic victory. His portrait is one of the most powerful in the third-century series: compact, resolute, with close-cropped beard. Posthumous DIVO CLAVDIO radiates struck under Quintillus and Aurelian are extremely common and are often the first 'Crisis-era' coins a collector acquires.
Denominations
Notable Types
- VICTORIAE GOTHICAE (Victory over the Goths)
- MARS VLTOR types
- AEQVITAS AVG types
- Posthumous DIVO CLAVDIO radiates (very common)
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume V, Part I,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume III,