CLAUDIUS, MARCUS AURELIUS, surnamed GOTH IcUs, Roman emperor A.D. 268-270, belonged to an obscure Illyrian family. On account of his military ability he was placed in command of an army by Decius; and Valerian appointed him general on the Illyrian frontier, and ruler of the provinces of the lower Danube. During the reign of Gallienus, he was called to Italy to crush Aureolus, and on the death of the emperor (268) was chosen as his successor. Shortly of ter his accession he routed the Alamanni on the Lacus Benacus (some doubt is thrown upon this) ; in 26q a great victory over the Goths at Naissus in Moesia gained him the title of Gothicus. In the following year he died of the plague at Sirmium. He enjoyed great popularity, and appears to have been a man of ability and character.
His life was written by Trebellius Pollio, one of the Scriptores Historiae Augustae; see also Zosimus i. ; Homo, De Claudio Gothico (1900) ; Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyklopadie, ii. 2458 et seq. (Henze) .