Lot 124: Germany. Claudius Gothicus, by Christian Wermuth. Circa 1686-1739. AR Medal.

Germany. Claudius Gothicus, by Christian Wermuth. Circa 1686-1739. AR Medal (32mm - 14.79 g). * IMP C . M . AVR . CLAVDI ' II . P . F . AVG . GERM . GOTHIC ' TR . P . II . COS . II . P . P, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Claudius II Gothicus right; C.PR.CÆS on shoulder / DALMATA / VEL DARDANIVS / PLVRIMARVM VIRTVTVM / LAVDE INCLYTVS / A GALLIENO MORIENTE / IMPERATOR DESIGNATVS / AB EXERCITV HINC A SENATV / IX . KL . APR . A . CCLXVIII . SALVTATVS / LEGES OPTIMAS CONDIDIT / OPTIMEQVESE GESSIT / GOTHOS ALIOSQVE BARBAROS / TERRA MARIQVE VICIT / INDE MORBO CONSVMTVS / SIRMII OBIIT A . C . CCLXX . / OCTOBRI EXEVNTE / AVREA STATVA / CLYPEOQVE / A S . P . Q . R . / CVLTVS ., legend in nineteen lines, small C-W flanking. Ebengreuth, pg. 33. EF, attractively toned, possibly mounted at one point.

Translation, courtesy of Scott VanHorn - 'A Dalmatian, or Dardanian, famed with the praise of very many virtues. Appointed emperor by the dying Gallienus; subsequently hailed by the army (and) Senate on 24 March 268 AD. He established very good laws, and ruled very well. On land and sea he overcame the Goths and other barbarians; thereupon consumed with an illness, he perished at Sirmium (in) 270 AD at the end of October. He was honored by the SPQR with a golden statue and shield'.

The reverse inscription is interesting as there are conflicting accounts as to what happened when. In David Vagi's "Coinage and History of the Roman Empire, Vol. I", we find on p. 361 a note that "(Claudius) conspired with at least three other commanders (one of whom was the future emperor, Aurelian) to murder Gallienus in September of 268." If this is true, Gallienus would not have 'appointed' Claudius emperor while dying and it would not have happened in March of 268. It is possible Wermuth was taking his information from Claudius' life in the Historia Augusta, a resource which attempts to "smooth over" some of the details as to how the emperors were elevated to give a person an impression there was clear, planned and consistent rule of the empire.

Christian Wermuth (1661-1739) was a medallist active in the court of Saxe-Gotha. He is responsible for nearly 1,500 medal designs. This piece is an example from a series of portrait medals with brief biographies of all Roman emperors, including Holy Roman.

• Offered By: VAuctions
• Lot #: 124
• Listing #: 199933
• Closed: Thursday, October 2, 2008 9:06:00 PM CT
• Estimate: $150