Roman Empire, Claudius (41-54 AD), Æ Dupondius, incusum

Claudius, the fourth Roman Emperor (41-54 AD) and the first one to be born outside of Italy.

Claudius was born in Roman Gaul (Lugdunum) on August 1, 10 BC into the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, the highest class of Roman society. He was declared emperor by the Praetorian Guard after the assassination of his nephew Caligula.

At a young age he developed an illness and was sent by his mother to his grandmother Livia. He was often ridiculed and never supposed to become a politician. Indirectly this spared his life during the plot against Caligula which was intended to wipe out all members of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty.

By contemporary historians he was considered too weak to rule, but he greatly expanded the Roman Empire into Britain, parts of Africa and the Middle East. He embarked on many public works, improved the judicial system, passed laws to protect enslaved workers and gave Roman citizens more rights. He was also a passionate fan of Roman games, a historian and avid writer. He produced dozens of volumes, in addition to works about the history of Carthage, the Etruscans and the Roman Republic he even wrote an Etruscan dictionary and a book on the art of dice 'De arte alae'.

He died under suspicious circumstances in 54 AD; ancient texts allege that he was poisoned by his wife Agrippina the Younger to clear the path for her 16-year-old son Nero.