RIC V Claudius Gothicus 168
Title
RIC V Claudius Gothicus 168
Date
268-270 AD
Description
An Antoninianus of the Emperor
Publisher
Bethel University
Contributor
Lizzie Johnson
Coverage
POINT(1022810.16043567 5694826.66795594)
214-270 AD
Relation
Render unto Caesar Roman Coin Project
Type
Coin
Format
Image/jpeg
Mint
Mediolanum (Milan)
Denomination
Antoninianus
Deity
Spes
Portrait
Claudius Gothicus
Region
Italy
Material
Silver
Obverse Legend
IMP CLAVDIVS PF AVG
Obverse Type
Bust of Claudius Gothicus, Radiate, Draped Right
Reverse Legend
SPES PVBLICA
Reverse Type
Spes, draped, walking left,holding flower in right hand and raising robe with left hand
Obverse Analysis
Officially known as Marcus Aurelius Valerius Claudius. He was born May 10, 214 AD in the region of Dardania-which was a part of the province Illyricum or the Upper Moesia. He was of a barbarian birth and was the first in a series of tough soldier-emperors who would help restore the Empire from the crisis of the third century. He served as an army officer most of his life, making his way up the military hierarchy. He was then, under the emperor Gallienus, became the commander of Gallienus’ newly formed elite cavalry. In the Summer of 268 there was a plot to kill Gallienus-a man by the name of Aureolus. After Gallienus’ death Claudius was chosen to succeed him. The new rulers he quickly suppressed the rebellion of the traitor and drove out all his men form Italy.
In 269 AD, Claudius sought to rid the Balkans of the Gothics, at this time he also served as consul. The Battle of Naissus was the defeat of the Gothic force near Naissus. He drove out the great army and together with his cavalry commander Aurelian, they took thousands of prisoners and destroyed its cavalry. In addition to the bad weather and lack of supplies there was a plague which played a major role in defeating the Goths. He won one of the greatest battles in Roman histories and assumed the name “Gothicus” conqueror of the Goths. However, his victory was short, he himself caught the plague of Cyprian (possibly smallpox) and died in early 270.
This coin was minted in Mediolanum(Milan), in the Antoninianus denomination. The name Antoninianus comes from the Emperor Caracalla-M. Aurelius’ Antoninus Caracalla (A.D 211-217), who first introduced it. This coin has a copper base and probably had a light silver wash. Late Antoninianus coins had a lights silver wash, this one’s silver has faded. However, occasionally it is still possible to find some of the late coins with the silver still present.
Obverse: This side has the Bust of Claudius Gothicus with a radiate (Solar or Sun) crown facing right. He is also draped in some sort of clothing seen at the bottom. Around the edge of the coin possibly reads IMP CLAVDIVS AVG- Imperator or Emperor Claudius Augustus. AVG-Augustus and became a title for all successive emperors after that.
In 269 AD, Claudius sought to rid the Balkans of the Gothics, at this time he also served as consul. The Battle of Naissus was the defeat of the Gothic force near Naissus. He drove out the great army and together with his cavalry commander Aurelian, they took thousands of prisoners and destroyed its cavalry. In addition to the bad weather and lack of supplies there was a plague which played a major role in defeating the Goths. He won one of the greatest battles in Roman histories and assumed the name “Gothicus” conqueror of the Goths. However, his victory was short, he himself caught the plague of Cyprian (possibly smallpox) and died in early 270.
This coin was minted in Mediolanum(Milan), in the Antoninianus denomination. The name Antoninianus comes from the Emperor Caracalla-M. Aurelius’ Antoninus Caracalla (A.D 211-217), who first introduced it. This coin has a copper base and probably had a light silver wash. Late Antoninianus coins had a lights silver wash, this one’s silver has faded. However, occasionally it is still possible to find some of the late coins with the silver still present.
Obverse: This side has the Bust of Claudius Gothicus with a radiate (Solar or Sun) crown facing right. He is also draped in some sort of clothing seen at the bottom. Around the edge of the coin possibly reads IMP CLAVDIVS AVG- Imperator or Emperor Claudius Augustus. AVG-Augustus and became a title for all successive emperors after that.
Reverse Analysis
Reverse: This side has the deity SPES who represented hope. A woman a flower in her right ad and raising her robe with the other hand walking to the right which is depicted as more subtle and graceful. On this coin, she is more “gangly looking like the adolescent she was supposed to be” (Bill welch). This image of SPES shows her hand drawn too big, oversized. This was to make it look that the grip was a delicate one, as to not crush the flowers of hope. On the edge of this side reads, SPES PVBLICA- “Hope of the People”.
Mintmark
P
Diameter
2 cm
Weight
2.3 g