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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 472 examples.

PAS record number: BH-D1C17B

Record: BH-D1C17B
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A copper-alloy Roman dupondius of Cla…
Workflow: PublishedFind published

PAS record number: SUR-ABE39E

Record: SUR-ABE39E
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: An extremely worn Roman copper-alloy conte…
Workflow: Awaiting validationFind awaiting validation

PAS record number: HESH-1E7358

Record: HESH-1E7358
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A silver Roman denarius of Claudius&n…
Workflow: PublishedFind published

PAS record number: HAMP-9D6539

Record: HAMP-9D6539
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: ROMAN
Description: A corroded contemporary copy of a Roman co…
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:
    • Claudius
  • Title: Suffect consul of the Roman Empire, Consul of the Roman Empire
  • Predecessor: Caligula
  • Successor: Nero
  • Definition: Claudius ( KLAW-dee-əs; Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was Roman emperor from AD 41 to 54. 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 Italic of Sabine origins and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. 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 male of his family. Despite his lack of experience, Claudius proved to be an able and efficient administrator. He expanded the imperial bureaucracy to include freedmen, and helped to restore the empire's finances after the excess of Caligula's reign. He was also an ambitious builder, constructing many 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 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 at the age of 63, his grand-nephew and legally adopted step-son Nero succeeded him as emperor. His 13-year reign (slightly longer than Nero's) would not be surpassed by any successors until that of Domitian, who reigned for 15 years. He was a descendant of the Octavii Rufi (through Gaius Octavius), Julii Caesares (through Julia Minor and Julia (Mark Antony's mother)), and the Claudii Nerones (through Nero Claudius Drusus). He was a step-grandson (through his father Drusus) and great-nephew (through his mother Antonia Minor) of Augustus. Tiberius was his father's brother. Through his brother Germanicus, Claudius was an uncle of Caligula and a great uncle of Nero. Through his mother, Antonia Minor, he was also a grandson of Mark Antony and Octavia Minor.
  • Parents:
  • Birth place: Roman Gaul, Lugdunum
  • Death place: Roman Italy, Rome
  • Spouse:
    • Other title(s):
      • Suffect consul of the Roman Empire
      • Consul of the Roman Empire
      • List of Roman emperors
    • Came After:
      • Faustus Cornelius Sulla Felix
      • Lucius Vipstanus Poplicola
      • Titus Statilius Taurus
      • Caninia (gens)
      • Aulus Caecina Paetus
      • Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus
      • Vitellius
      • Titianus
    • Came before:
      • Caligula
      • Petronia gens
      • Camerinus Antistius Vetus
      • Gaius Terentius Tullius Geminus
      • Gnaeus Sentius Saturninus
      • Marcus Suillius Nerullinus
      • Gnaeus Acerronius Proculus
      • Marcus Junius Silanus (consul 46)
    • Subjects on wikipedia:

    Types issued

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