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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 464 examples.

PAS record number: PUBLIC-C694D8

Record: PUBLIC-C694D8
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A copper-alloy Roman sestertius of Claudiu…
Workflow: PublishedFind published

PAS record number: IOW-86F77D

Record: IOW-86F77D
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: An incomplete Roman silver denarius of Cla…
Workflow: PublishedFind published

PAS record number: NLM-997AB9

Record: NLM-997AB9
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A corroded copper-alloy contemporary copy …
Workflow: PublishedFind published

PAS record number: BH-72E38E

Record: BH-72E38E
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A very worn Roman copper-alloy As of Claud…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

Other resources about Claudius

View all coins recorded by the scheme attributed to Claudius.

Information from Wikipedia

  • Preferred label: Claudius
  • Full names:
    • (by death)
    • Ti.
    • (later)
    • Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus
    • (at birth)
    • Claudius
    • Tiberius Claudius Drusus
    • Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus
  • Title: Consul of the Roman Empire together with Gaius Caecina Largus and Lucius Vitellius, Consul of the Roman Empire together with Caligula, Consul of the Roman Empire together with Lucius Vitellius, Consul of the Roman Empire together with Servius Cornelius Scipio Salvidienus Orfitus
  • Predecessor: Caligula
  • Successor: Nero
  • Definition: Claudius (/ˈklɔːdiəs/; Latin: Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October 54 AD) was Roman emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul, the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy. Because he was afflicted with a limp and slight deafness due to sickness at a young age, his family ostracized him and excluded him from public office until his consulship, shared with his nephew Caligula in 37. Claudius' infirmity probably saved him from the fate of many other nobles during the purges of Tiberius and Caligula's reigns; potential enemies did not see him as a serious threat. His survival led to his being declared Emperor by the Praetorian Guard after Caligula's assassination, at which point he was the last man of his family. Despite his lack of experience, Claudius proved to be an able and efficient administrator. He was also an ambitious builder, constructing many new roads, aqueducts, and canals across the Empire. During his reign the Empire began the conquest of Britain (if the earlier invasions of Britain by Caesar and Caligula's aborted attempts are not counted). Having a personal interest in law, he presided at public trials, and issued up to twenty edicts a day. He was seen as vulnerable throughout his reign, particularly by elements of the nobility. Claudius was constantly forced to shore up his position; this resulted in the deaths of many senators. These events damaged his reputation among the ancient writers, though more recent historians have revised this opinion. Many authors contend that he was murdered by his own wife. After his death in 54 AD (at age of 63), his grand-nephew and adopted son Nero succeeded him as Emperor. He was a descendant of the Octavii Rufi (through Gaius Octavius), Julii Caesares (through Julia Minor and Julia Antonia), and the Claudii Nerones (through Nero Claudius Drusus); he was a great-nephew of Augustus through his full sister Octavia Minor, a nephew of Tiberius through his father Drusus, Tiberius' brother, an uncle of Caligula and finally a great-uncle of Nero through Caligula's father and Nero's grandfather Germanicus, his brother.
  • Parents:
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  • Other title(s):
    • Consul of the Roman Empire together with Gaius Caecina Largus and Lucius Vitellius
    • List of Roman Emperors
    • Consul of the Roman Empire together with Caligula
    • Consul of the Roman Empire together with Lucius Vitellius
    • Consul of the Roman Empire together with Servius Cornelius Scipio Salvidienus Orfitus
  • Came After:
    • Came before:
      • Subjects on wikipedia:

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