#k025# Roman Antoninianus coin of Claudius II from 268-270 AD

Claudius II

268 - 270

Claudius was apparently one of the principal conspirators who instigated a lethal mutiny against Gallienus during his siege against the usurper Aureolus. His claim that Gallienus designated him his heir in his deathbed and absent any credible witnesses led many to doubt the story. Regardless, Claudius rose to power and quelled any discontent over Gallienus's fate by giving each soldier the princely sum of 20 Aurei and locating Aureolus who was promptly executed.

The controversial accession besides, Claudius proved a remarkably able battlefield commander and he earned the nickname Gothicus following the devastating blow he dealt to the Goths; accounts of which had the battle ending with some 50,000 barbarians of this tribe being killed. Before he had much more time to secure more honorary titles for himself, however, he contracted plague and died in Sirmium two years into his reign. The Senate praised and deified him afterwards as one of the greatest emperors ever. Contemporary historians linked his family to that of Constantine and evidently his memory was still popular enough half a century later that Constantine would be able to exploit the public relations value of this link through a series of coins minted honoring his dead ancestor.