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Claudius

Reece Period attributed: Period 2

Obverse image of a coin of Claudius

Member of the Julio-Claudians dynasty.

Coins for this issuer were issued from 41 until 54.

Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 1, 10 BC – October 13, 54) (Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germanicus before his accession) was the fourth Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from January 24, 41 to his death in 54. Born in Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon, France), to Drusus and Antonia Minor, he was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy.

Claudius was considered a rather unlikely man to become emperor. He was reportedly afflicted with some type of disability, and his family had virtually excluded him from public office until his consulship with his nephew Caligula in 37. This infirmity may have saved him from the fate of many other Roman nobles during the purges of Tiberius' and Caligula's reigns. His very survival led to his being declared emperor after Caligula's assassination, at which point he was the last adult male of his family. Despite his lack of political experience, Claudius proved to be an able administrator and a great builder of public works. His reign saw an expansion of the empire, including the conquest of Britain. He took a personal interest in the law, presided at public trials, and issued up to twenty edicts a day. However, he was seen as vulnerable throughout his rule, particularly by the nobility. Claudius was constantly forced to shore up his position—resulting in the deaths of many senators. He also suffered tragic setbacks in his personal life, one of which led to his murder. These events damaged his reputation among the ancient writers. More recent historians have revised this opinion.

Latest examples recorded with images

We have recorded 543 examples.

PAS record number: SUSS-1218EB

Record: SUSS-1218EB
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A very worn Roman copper alloy contem…
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PAS record number: NARC-D31571

Record: NARC-D31571
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: An incomplete copper alloy contemporary na…
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PAS record number: WAW-2086C1

Record: WAW-2086C1
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A worn, copper alloy Roman as of Claudius …
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PAS record number: DOR-064198

Record: DOR-064198
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A copper alloy contemporary copy of an As …
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Other resources about Claudius

View all coins recorded by the scheme attributed to Claudius.

Information from Wikipedia

  • Preferred label: Claudius
  • Full names:
    • Title: Roman consul II, Roman consul IV, Roman consul III
    • Predecessor: Caligula
    • Successor: Nero
    • Definition: Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (/ˈklɔːdiəs/; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor at Lugdunum in Roman Gaul, where his father was stationed as a military legate. He was the first Roman emperor to be born outside Italy. Nonetheless, Claudius was an Italian of Sabine origins. As he had a limp and slight deafness due to sickness at a young age, he was ostracized by his family and was excluded from public office until his consulship (which was shared with his nephew, Caligula, in 37). Claudius's infirmity probably saved him from the fate of many other nobles during the purges throughout the reigns of Tiberius and Caligula, as potential enemies did not see him as a serious threat. His survival led to him being declared emperor by the Praetorian Guard after Caligula's assassination, at which point he was the last adult male of his family. Despite his lack of experience, Claudius was an able and efficient administrator. He expanded the imperial bureaucracy to include freedmen, and helped restore the empire's finances after the excesses of Caligula's reign. He was also an ambitious builder, constructing new roads, aqueducts, and canals across the Empire. During his reign the Empire started its successful conquest of Britain. Having a personal interest in law, he presided at public trials, and issued edicts daily. He was seen as vulnerable throughout his reign, particularly by elements of the nobility. Claudius was constantly forced to shore up his position, which resulted in the deaths of many senators. Those events damaged his reputation among the ancient writers, though more recent historians have revised that opinion. Many authors contend that he was murdered by his own wife, Agrippina the Younger. After his death at the age of 63, his grand-nephew and legally adopted step-son, Nero, succeeded him as emperor.
    • Parents:
    • Birth place: Roman Gaul, Lugdunum
    • Death place: Roman Italy, Rome
    • Spouse:
      • Other title(s):
        • List of Roman emperors
        • Roman consul II
        • List of early imperial Roman consuls
        • Roman consul IV
        • Roman consul III
      • Came After:
        • Vitellius
        • Titus Statilius Taurus (consul 44)
        • Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix
        • Lucius Vipstanus Poplicola
        • Lucius Salvius Otho Titianus
        • Gaius Caninius Rebilus (consul 37)
        • Aulus Caecina Paetus
        • Gaius Sallustius Passienus Crispus
      • Came before:
        • Marcus Junius Silanus (consul 46)
        • Marcus Suillius Nerullinus
        • Caligula
        • Gaius Terentius Tullius Geminus
        • Gnaeus Acerronius Proculus
        • Gnaeus Sentius Saturninus (consul 41)
        • Gaius Petronius Pontius Nigrinus
        • Camerinus Antistius Vetus
      • Subjects on wikipedia:

      Types issued

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