Obverse Analysis
According to the questionable account of the author of the Historia Augusta, Claudius II Gothicus was born during the reign of Caracalla in Illyricum. His military career likely started before the reign of Gallienus, with the Historia Augusta attributing his first role to an appointment by Valerianus as dux in Illyricum (Mennen 2011, 222). Nevertheless, he rose to the role of supreme commander of the cavalry under the command of Gallienus (Watson 2003, 47). Gallienus’ memory continued to be mocked by the senate after his lifetime, and he eventually came to his death at the hands of his young Illyrian officers (Dunstan 2011, 288). Claudius then succeeded Gallienus in 268 C.E., inheriting the task of restoring the unity of the Empire and continuing on Gallienus’ struggle to stem the decline (Mennen 2011, 237). One of Claudius’ major military successes dealt with the successful defeat of a barbarian group, the Alamanni, in its attempt to take advantage large amount of resource centered around Milan during the power struggles in that area (Watson 2003, 43). With the help of future emperor Aurelian, he marched north to meet this pillaging group and successfully defeated this group at Lake Garda in 269 C.E. (Watson 2003, 43). He earned his title, “Gothicus” from his successful victories in defeating multiple Gothic waves of invasion (Dunstan 2011, 288). The second invasion of the Goths in his reign occurred when a group of tribes, led by the Heruli, decided to break their truce with the Romans and once again assemble an armada and attack various Balkan states (Watson 2003, 43). The author of Historia Augusta speaks to Claudius’ eventual success in thwarting this invasion by praising his crushing of 2,000 barbarian ships and killing of 320,000 men (Historia Augusta). He is then responsible for giving the “state both security and an abundance as riches” after defeating the Goths in the series of events to follow this particular naval battle (Historia Augusta). The Gothic threat then did not reemerge in Italy until more than a century later (Dunstan 2011, 289). Upon the ending of this series of impressive victories against the Goths, a certain pestilence began to spread among the Goths and spread to the Roman army (Historia Augusta). Claudius succumbed to this pestilence in 270 C.E. (Historia Augusta). Claudius’ reign marked several changes within the leadership of the empire. By this time in the third century, imperial authority was critically unstable and was characterized by the diminishing role for senators in military events (Mennen 2011, 238). In this time of crisis, the emperor faced many military threats all at once on opposite frontiers of the empire, and he consequently had to rely on various military officers to travel and deal with the arising issue (Mennen 2011, 238). By the 260s, the military system had become much more flexible, relying on the legions placed under the control of duces, men that accumulated military connections, supplies, and troops in and around their native area to confront various threats (Mennen 2011, 238). Naturally, these duces came from areas on the frontier, and they began to more or less replace traditional governors due to the constant instability of these regions (Mennen 2011, 239). Although almost nothing is known about how Claudius became a dux, but he likely arose through a similar process, although it was not typical for duces to gain much more then regional acceptance for their power.
A right facing, radiate, and cuirassed portrait of Claudius II Gothicus exists on the obverse of this coin. The inscription around the edge of the obverse reads, IMP CLAVDIVS AVG, or in longhand, Imperator Claudius Augustus. The reverse bears an image of Laetitia, one of the personifications for happiness that the Romans used on coinage, standing left, holding a cornucopia in her left hand. Although difficult to see on this particular coin, she also holds a laurel wreath in her left hand, held at her side. Laetitia is portrayed with her typical anchor facing vertically downward. The inscription around the obverse reads, LAETITIA AVG, also known as, Laetitia Augustus. Claudius wears the radiate crown common to the need to distinguish the antoninianus from other denominations although the Sol Invictus had not yet been instilled as the prime deity by Aurelian.
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