Claudius II Gothicus – The Emperor of Valentine’s Day
This album features an authentic bronze coin struck during the short reign of Emperor Claudius II Gothicus (AD 268–270), a soldier-emperor remembered for both his military victories and his legendary connection to St. Valentine.
Historical Significance:
Claudius II came to power in a time of crisis, when the Roman Empire was beset by invasions and instability. In AD 269, he won a decisive victory over the Goths at the Battle of Naissus, a triumph that earned him the surname “Gothicus.”
Yet history most often remembers Claudius for another story. According to later Christian tradition, he forbade marriages among young men, believing unmarried soldiers fought more bravely. A Christian priest named Valentinus defied this decree by secretly performing weddings. When discovered, he was executed on February 14, AD 269—a martyrdom that gave rise to the enduring celebration of Valentine’s Day.
Though Claudius himself died of plague the following year, his reign left behind both a military legacy and one of the most romantic traditions in the Western world. This coin is a rare and tangible connection to an emperor whose actions—by chance or design—helped inspire the story of love’s most famous holiday.
Claudius II Gothicus – The Emperor of Valentine’s Day
This album features an authentic bronze coin struck during the short reign of Emperor Claudius II Gothicus (AD 268–270), a soldier-emperor remembered for both his military victories and his legendary connection to St. Valentine.
Historical Significance:
Claudius II came to power in a time of crisis, when the Roman Empire was beset by invasions and instability. In AD 269, he won a decisive victory over the Goths at the Battle of Naissus, a triumph that earned him the surname “Gothicus.”
Yet history most often remembers Claudius for another story. According to later Christian tradition, he forbade marriages among young men, believing unmarried soldiers fought more bravely. A Christian priest named Valentinus defied this decree by secretly performing weddings. When discovered, he was executed on February 14, AD 269—a martyrdom that gave rise to the enduring celebration of Valentine’s Day.
Though Claudius himself died of plague the following year, his reign left behind both a military legacy and one of the most romantic traditions in the Western world. This coin is a rare and tangible connection to an emperor whose actions—by chance or design—helped inspire the story of love’s most famous holiday.
