The Empire and Foreign Affairs Under Claudius Claudius Gothicus

a radiate of claudius ii gothicus

although see rise in pannonian, moesian , illyrian marshals, , foreigners become notable figures, impractical think government function without traditional classes within empire. although influence weakened, there still number of men influence older aristocracy. claudius assumed consulship in 269 paternus, member of prominent senatorial family, paterni, had supplied consuls , urban prefects throughout gallienus reign, , quite influential. in addition, flavius antiochianus, 1 of consuls of 270, urban prefect year before, continue hold office following year. colleague of antiochianus, virius orfitus, descendant of powerful family, continue hold influence during father s term prefect. aurelian s colleague consul such man, pomponius bassus, member of 1 of oldest senatorial families, 1 of consuls in 272, junius veldumnianus.

in first full year of power, claudius assisted sudden destruction of imperium galliarum. when ulpius cornelius laelianus, high official under postumus, declared himself emperor in germania superior, in spring of 269, postumus defeated him, in doing so, refused allow sack of mainz, had served laelianus headquarters. proved downfall, out of anger, postumus army mutinied , murdered him. selected troops, marcus aurelius marius replace postumus ruler. marius rule did not last long though, victorinus, postumus praetorian prefect, defeated him. emperor of gauls, victorinus in precarious position, spanish provinces had deserted gallic empire , declared loyalty claudius, while in southern france, placidianus had captured grenoble. luckily, there placidianus stopped , victorinus position stabilized. in next year, when autun revolted, declaring claudius, central government made no moves support it. result, city went through siege, lasting many weeks, until captured , sacked victorinus.

it still unknown why claudius did nothing city of autun, sources tell relations palmyra waning in course of 270. obscure passage in historia augusta life of gallienus states had sent army under aurelius heraclianus region had been annihilated zenobia. because heraclianus not in east in 268 (instead, @ time, involved in conspiracy of gallienus death), can see can not correct. confusion evident in passage, places bulk of skythian activity during 269 year earlier, under gallienus, may stem later effort pile possible disasters in year reign of former emperor. keep claudius record of being ancestor of constantine being tainted. if understanding of sources correct, might correct see expedition of heraclianus east event of claudius time.

the victories of claudius on goths not make him hero in latin tradition, admirable choice ancestor constantine i, born @ naissus, site of claudius victory in 269. claudius held in high esteem zonaras, greek tradition seems have been influenced latin. zosimus, more reasoned contemporary view shows him less grand. claudius successes in year 269 not continued in next year emperor. skythai starved in mountains or surrendered, legions pursuing them began see epidemic spreading throughout men. also, claudius unwillingness @ siege of autun provoked quarrel zenobia.

although not proven invasion of gaul breaking point between claudius , zenobia, sequence of events point siege important factor. issue @ hand position odaenathus held corrector totius orientis (imparting overall command of roman armies , authority on roman provincial governors in designated region). vaballathus, son of zenobia, given title when zenobia claimed him. on, tension between 2 empires worse. aurelius heraclianus fabled arrival might have been effort reassert central control after death of odaenathus, but, if so, failed. although coins never minted face of odaenathus, after death coins made image of son — outstripping authority under emperor.

under zabdas, palmyrene army invaded arabia , moved egypt in late summer. @ time, prefect of egypt tenagino probus, described able soldier not defeated invasion of cyrenaica nomadic tribes south in 269, successful in hunting down skythian ships in mediterranean. however, did not see same success in egypt, palmyrene underground, led timagenes, undermined probus, defeated army, , killed him in battle near modern city of cairo in late summer of 270.

generally when roman commander slaughtered taken sign state of war in existence, , if can associate death of heraclianus in 270, inscription bostra recording rebuilding of temple destroyed palmyrene army, these violent acts interpreted same way. yet apparently not. david potter writes, coins of vaballathus avoid claims imperial power: remains vir consularis, rex, imperator, dux romanorum, range of titles did not mimic of central government. status vir consularis was, have seen, conferred upon odaenathus; title rex, or king, latin translation of mlk, or king; imperator in context means victorious general ; , dux romanorum looks yet version of corrector totius orientis (potter, 263). these titles suggest odaenathus position inheritable. in roman culture, status gained in procuring position passed on, not position itself. possible thin line between office , status accompanied dismissed in palmyrene court, when circumstance worked against interests of regime able defeat persia, number of roman emperors had failed do. vaballathus stressed meanings of titles, because in palmyrene context, titles of odaenathus meant great deal. when summer of 270 ended, things looking different in empire did year before. after success, gaul in state of inactivity , empire failing in east. insufficient resources plagued state, great deal of silver used antoninianus, again diluted.