Quelli giusti

Please add updates or make corrections to the NumisWiki text version as appropriate.

Claudius II. (M. AURELIUS, surnamed GOTHICUS) was born in Illyria on the 10th of May, A.D. 214
or 215. His family descent was so obscure that even the name of his father remains unknown. But
indebted for distinction to his own talkents both as a soldier and a statesman, he acquired the
confidence of Trajanus Decius, by whom he was entrusted with the defence of Thermopylae against
the northern invaders of Greece. ---Valerian gave him the rank of military tribune, and in A.D. 259,
made him governor of Illyricum, and general in chief of all the provinces on the Lower Danube. The
fame of Claudius in the wars, which the indolent Gallienus had to sustain against the usurpers who
rose under his distracted reign, induced the Senate to honour him with a statue. Having been
summoned to assist at the siege of Milan, where Gallienus was engaged in suppressing the revolt of
Aureolus, it was believed, but not on any assured authority, that he gave his assent to the plot, which
resulted in the assassination of the prince, whom he succeeded abouth the twentieth of March, AD
268. The choice of the army was enthusiastically confirmed by the Senate. Claudius fulfilled, with a
character unchanged, and a reputation undiminished, the expectations and wishes of the Romans.
He seemed to have only one wish, that of restoring to the republic its ancient liberty and its original
splendour. After having destroyed Aureolus, and gained a decisive victory over a large body of the
Alemanni, on the shores of the Lago di Garda, near Verona, he commenced the arduous task of re-
establishing order and discipline. It was to this end that he decreed laws, which had they been
followed out and obeyed, would have ensured the welfare and happiness of the empire. In AD269,
Claudius took the consulship, and the same year marched to the encounter of a more formidable
enemy than had, up to that period, menaced the power of Rome. The different tribes of barbarians,
known under the general appellation of Goths, having colledted a fleet of more than two thousand
vessels, at the mouth of Dniester, embarked on board of it no less, it is said, than 320,000 men, who
were landed on the shores of Macedonia; and thence advanced to meet Claudius, who after a terrible
battle fought near Naissus, in Dardania, (AD268), gained a great victory; 50,000 of them having been
slain in one day. The following year the emperor succeeded in either destroying or dispersing the
remainder: these achievements, gained for him the title of GOTHICUS. He then prepared to turn his
arms against Queen Zenobia, and the usurper Tetricus; but at that moment, a pestilence which the
Goths had brought with them into the confines of the empire, proved fatal to their conqueror. He was
attacked by this widely spread epidemic at Sirmium (Sirmich), in Pannonia, and died there in the
month of May, AD270, aged 56, after a reign of about two years, recommending with his parting
breath, his general Aurelianus as the worthiest candidate for the purple. This heroic prince is
described to have had a tall and robust person, a broad countenance, and eye full of fire. He was
dignified in his manners, calim in disposition, temperate in his habits. A foe to effeminacy, he
delighted in warlike exercises; and set an example to his soldiers of a life subjected to the greatest
fatigues and privations. To believe his panegyrists, he was of all the emperors the most beloved
during his reign, and the most regretted after his death. There is no doubt, however, that he was a
prince of great merit, and of splendid public qualities. The Senate heaped honours of every
description on his memory; a golden buckler (see clipeus votinus) bearing his image, was placed in
the Curia Romana; and a golden statue, six feet high, was erected to him in the capitol, at Rome.
This emperor is styled on coins, at first simply IMP. CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG. or IMP. C. M. AVR.
CLAVDIVUS AVG. ---After his victory over the Alemanni, and his still greater victory over the Goths,
we read his portrait IMP. C. M. AVR. CLAVDIVS GERM. GOTHICVS. --- After hisdeath DIVVS
CLAVDIVS GOTHICVS and DIVVS CLAVD. OPT. IMP.
The following are amongst the rarest and most remarkable reverses in the coinage of Claudius
Gothicus.
GOLD - CONCORD EXERCI. A woman with to cosigns; one which she holds erect in her right hand,
and the other under her left arm--a singular feature in such a type.
INVICTVS AVG. Helmed head of Claudius --- MEMORIAE AETERNAE. Rome within a temple.
The above two are valued at 300 fr. each by Mionnet.
PAX EXERC. Peace. Brought £15 15s. at the Thomas sale.
VIRTVS CLAVDII. Emperor on horseback riding over prostrate figures.
Engraced in Akerman. Descr. Cat. ii. pl. 10, No. 2. A finely preserved specimen of this very rare
aureus brough £14 10s. at the Thomas sale.
Victoria AVG. A Victory standing; at her feet are two captives; one kneels, and is raising up his
hands; the other is seated. --[This beautiful and extra rare coin brought £27 10s. at the Thomas sale.
It is now in the British Museum. Se an accurate engraving of it, prefixed to the foregoing biographical
notice of this emperor].
BRASS MEDALLIONS - ADVENTVS AVG. Emperor on horseback, with Victory and soldiers. Valued
by Minnoet at 50 fr.
CONSECRATIO. Altar lighted -- MARS VLTOR, marching with trophy -- MARTI PACIF. With olive
branch.--The above three are valued by Minnoet at 40 fr. each.
CONSECRATIO. Square altar.--Valued at 60 fr.
FIRST BRASS---IOVI VICTORI. Jupiter standing --- 60fr.
ECOND BRASS---VIRTVS AVG. Military figure.
THIRED BRASS---DEO CABIRO. One of the Cabiri.
REGI ARTIS. Vulcan standing.
VIR. AVG. Minerva and one of the Cabiri.
REQVIES OPTIMORVM MERIT. Figure veiled and seated.
……………………………………………….
QVINTILLVS (Marcus Aurelius Claudius), resolved to be the successor, although Aurelian was the
choice of his brother Claudius the Second, took the title of Augustus, which the legions of Italy by
acclamation had bestowed upon him, and which the senate, from a high opinion of his virtues, readily
confirmed to him (A.D. 279). In the meantime, however, Aurelian was proclaimed Emperor by the
army that was at Sirmium (Pannonia). And Quintillus, finding himself abandoned by the soldiery who
had just elected him, but to whom the rigor of his military discipline was unwelcome, caused his veins
to be opened, and thus terminated his life, in the city of Aquileia. Possessed of the moderation and
integrity which distinguished Claudius Gothicus, he was deficient in that firmness and enterprise
which also characterised that great prince, otherwise he would have been well worthy to occupy the
imperial throne. "Most of teh ancient writers (says Eckhel) agree in limiting the duration of his reign
to the short period of seventeen days, but from the abundance of his coins and the remarkable
variety of their types, the workmanship of which would require more time, the opinion expressed by
Zozimus seems the most probable, that at least some months must have elapsed between his
accession and his death. - He is numismatically styled IMP. C. M. AVR. CL. QVINTILLVS. P. F.
AVG. - His gold coins are of the highest degree of rarity. There are no silver. One brass medallion is
known. Third brass are common. - There are Consecration medals of this Emperor, indicating the
honours of the apotheosis, which were in all probability rendered to his memory, through the
intervention of Aurelian.

……………………………………………………………
AURELIANUS (Lucius Claudius Domitius), born, of an obscure family, at Sirmium in Pannonia or in
Dacia Ripensis, about A.D.207. A man of sagacity, valour and talent, severe to the point of cruelty, he
distinguished himself in Gaul under Gordian III (A.D.241), against the Sarmatians. He rose to be
general of the cavalry in the army of Claudius II Gothicus, and, with the consent of all the legions,
was proclaimed Emperor in Pannonia, after the death of Claudius in A.D.270. He embellished Rome;
and rebuilt the Temple of the Sun, of which his wife was priestess. The Goths, Germans, and other
northern tribes who assailed the Empire, having deluged Italy with their myriads, defeated Aurelian at
Placentia. But he avenged himself promptly, by three victories, which resulted in peace with the
vanquished barbarians. He also recovered Gaul and Spain out of the hands of Tetricus I. Scarcely,
however, had he placed Rome in a state of security by repairing and fortifying the walls (one of
which, begun in A.D.271, bears his name and still exists today), when the war against Zenobia,
widow of Odenathus and Queen of Palmyra, called him to the East. At length her magnificent capital,
after a long siege and reduced to extremities by famine, surrendered to Roman arms (A.D.272).
Zenobia, after a fruitless attempt at escape, was brought as a prisoner to Rome, where she, feted out
in golden chains, together with Tetricus, graced the triumph of the victorious Emperor in A.D.273.
Palmyra destroyed and Egypt subdued, Aurelian endeavoured at Rome to gain the affections of the
lazy, indolent populace, by his liberalities, which were of the most prodigal kind. But, in caressing the
multitude, he still maintained order and justice, and was inexorable against crime, his punishment of
which was sometimes carried to a dreadful extreme, as in the case of the monetal forgers in A.D.274.
His prudence dictated to him the abandonment of Dacia (the conquest of Trajan), situated beyond the
Danube, which then became the barrier of the Empire. On his march, between Byzantium and
Heraclea, against the Persians, whose king, Sapor, had begun the hostilities, he was
assassinated  by some of his generals (deceived by the treachery of his freedman and
secretary Mnesteus) in A.D.275. He had reigned four years and nine months.

Aurelian is represented on his coins, sometimes laureate, sometimes radiate, after the usual
manner of the Roman Emperors, and at other times crowned with a diadem according to the fashion
of eastern kings. - Victor says of him, "Primus apud Romanos diadematem capiti innexuit" - and
Jornandes (quoted by Oiselius), says, "Is primus gemmas vestibus, calceamentisque inseruit,
diadematemque in capite."
On the latin coins of this emperor he is styled, AVRELIANVS AVG. - IMP AVRELIANVS AVG (See
the photograph at the top of this biography). - IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG. - IMP C L DOM
AVRELIANVS AVG. - IMP CAES DOM AVRELIANVS AVG. - IMP C AVRELIANVS INVICTVS AVG. -
DEO ET DOMINO NATO AVRELIANO AVG. - DEO ET DOMINO NOSTRO, etc.
Thus we see, by the last of these titles, that "this humble Pannonian peasant was the first of the
Roman Emperors who openly assumed the regal diadem, and now for the first time we read on
medals struck [at Rome] during the life time of an emperor, the arrogant and impious titles of
DOMINVS et DEVS." - See Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol i. 436.
Aurelian's money is numerous. The gold is of the second and fourth degree of rarity. Base silver is
also rare. The brass, with exceptional instances, is very common. Some pieces represent him with
Ulpia severina, his wife; and others with Vabalathus Athenodorus. On some of his medals, the entire
bust appears, and shows him with a spear on his right shoulder and a shield on his left arm.
Amongst the rarest types of reverse are the following :-
Gold medallions. ADVENTVS AVG. Emperor on horseback, with lance reversed. [This, by far the
rarest medallion of Aurelian, and in extremely fine condition, brought £26.00 at the sale of the
Thomas collection, in 1844. The same type is engraved in Akerman, Descr.Cat. ii. pl.I. p.91].
Gold. P M TR P VII COS II P P. ars carrying a trophy. [See the preceding wood cut. A well
preserved specimen of this fine type, at the Thomas sale, brought five pounds, seven shillings and
sixpence.] - PROVIDENTIA DEORVM. Providence and Sol.
Third Brass. PIETAS AVG. Two figures sacrificing. - RESTITVT ORBIS. The Emperor crowned by
a female figure; with INVICTVS on the obverse. - DEO ET DOMINO NATO AVRELIANO AVG. Head
of Aurelian. - Reverse, RESTITVT ORBIS.
………………………………..
SEVERINA (Ulpia), wife of the Emperor Aurelian, as she is certainly proved to have been as well
from coins as from the dedicatory inscription of a marble copied by Muratori, which names her as
ULPIA SEVERINA AVG. COnIVX INVICTI AVRELIANI AVG. But scarcely anything is historically or
personally known of this princess. Her medals, as Beauvais observes, do not represent her as
handsome, and give great severity to her countenance. She is said to have been warlike
in disposition, and even as Empress to have followed Aurelian on his military expeditions, on which
occasion she gained the affection of the soldiers by her kindness and her liberalities. The eyes of her
cruelly rigid husband were watchful over her conduct, but she never gave the least pretence for
slander.
Greek medals of Severina, struck at Alexandria, acquaint us that she survived her husband. These
same medals give her the name of the Ulpia family: a circumstance which induced Eckhel to believe
(what indeed Beauvais has already stated) that she was the daughter of Ulpius Crinitus, a celebrated
general in Valerian's time, who, descended from the family of Trajan, resembled him in valour and
talents for war. This great captain adopted Aurelian (AD258), named him for his heir, and gave him
his daughter in marriage.
Her coins are of the highest rarity in gold; second brass scarce, base silver and small brass
common. Some pieces represent her with Aurelian.
She is styled: SEVERINA AVG or SEVERINA P.F. AVG.
The illustration is from an antoninianus in the FORVM Members Collection of *Alex.
……………………………..
Valerian I Maximian
Mariniana Domitius Domitianus
Gallienus Constantius I
Valerian II Theodora
Salonina Galerius
Saloninus Galeria Valeria
Macrianus Severus II
Quietus Maximinus II
The Secessionist Empires Maxentius
Regalianus Romulus
Uranius Antoninus Alexander Tyrannus
Postumus Licinius I
Laelianus Licinius II
Marius Martinian
Victorinus Constantinian Era
Tetricus I Constantine the Great
Tetricus II Commemoratives
Carausius Fausta
Allectus Helena
Vabalathus Crispus
Recovery of the Empire Delmatius
Claudius II Hanniballianus
Constantine II
Quintillus Constans
Aurelian Constantius II
Severina Magnentius
Decentius
Tacitus Nepotianus
Florianus Vetranio
Probus Constantius Gallus
Carus Julian II
Carinus Jovian
Magnia Urbica
Nigrinian
Numerian
Julian of Pannonia
The Tetrarchy
Diocletian