Claudius (gens)

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The gens Claudia was one of the oldest families in ancient Rome, and for centuries its members were regularly leaders of the city and empire.

The family was traditionally held to have begun with Attius Clausus, a Sabine who favored peace with Rome, an unpopular position that led to him leaving Regillus with his followers around 504 BC. Rome was welcoming however, making his followers citizens and giving them land, and making Appius Claudius Sabinus (as his name was said in the Roman dialect) a senator. It is assumed that the name came from the latin claudeo (to limp), as many of the family members were lame, probably from some congenital disease.

[edit] Branches of the gens Claudia

There were three of four major branches of the Claudian gens at the end of the Republic.

Those with the cognomen Nero were prominent patrician senators during the late Republic; they favoured the praenomen Tiberius. However, the Neros joined the gens Julia when Tiberius Claudius Nero, the son of another Ti. Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla (herself a member of the other main branch of the gens Claudia - the Claudii Pulchri) through her father Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus) was adopted by Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus thus forming the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

Those Claudii with the cognomen Marcellus were plebeians and had three consuls in three successive years (51-49 BC; two brothers and their first cousin); they favoured the praenomina Gaius and Marcus. Gaius Claudius Marcellus (consul 49 BC) was married to Augustus' sister Octavia Minor and their son, Marcus, was married to Augustus' daughter, Julia the Elder.

Those Claudii with the cognomen Pulcher (fem. Pulchra, meaning "beautiful") were patricians and also very prominent in the late republic; they favoured the praenomina Appius (the only family to bear this praenomen) and Publius. A plebeian offshoot of this family was created when a Publius Claudius Pulcher had himself adopted by a plebeian (for political reasons) and was thereafter known as Publius Clodius; his sister Clodia also adopted this vulgar spelling.

Claudia (and Clodia) were the forms used by women.

[edit] Notable members of the gens Claudia

Appius Claudius Sabinus Inregillensis, founder, consul in 495 BC
Appius Claudius Crassus, decemvir ca 450 BC, consul 445 BC
Gaius Claudius, consul 454(?)
Appius Claudius P.f. Crassus Inregillensis, consul 346 BC
Marcus Claudius C.f. Marcellus, consul 329 BC
Appius Claudius Caecus, censor 312 BC consul 307 BC, 297 BC (or 296 BC)
Marcus Claudius M.f. Marcellus, consul 288 BC
Gaius Claudius M.f. Canina, consul 286 BC, 274 BC
Appius Claudius Ap.f. Russus, consul 269 BC
Appius Claudius Caudex, consul 264 BC
Publius Claudius Pulcher, consul 249 BC, lost the battle of Drepana
Gaius Claudius Ap.f. (Caecus f.?) Centho, consul 240 BC
Marcus Claudius Marcellus, consul 222 BC, suffect 215 BC, 214 BC, 210 BC, 208 BC
Quintus Claudius, tribune 218 BC
Appius Claudius P.f. Pulcher, consul 212 BC
Gaius Claudius Ti.f. Nero, consul 207 BC, won the battle of the Metaurus.
Tiberius Claudius P.f. Nero, consul 202 BC
Marcus Claudius M.f. Marcellus, consul 196 BC
Appius Claudius Ap.f. Pulcher, consul 185 BC
Publius Claudius Ap.f. Pulcher, consul 184 BC
Marcus Claudius M.f. Marcellus, consul 183 BC
Gaius Claudius Pulcher, consul 177 BC
Marcus Claudius Marcellus, consul 166 BC, 155 BC, 152 BC
Appius Claudius Pulcher, consul 144 BC (or 143 BC)
Gaius Claudius Pulcher, consul 92 BC
Appius Claudius Pulcher, consul 77 BC (or 79 BC?)
Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius, historian
Publius Clodius, tribune of the plebs 58 BC
Appius Claudius Pulcher, consul 54 BC
Marcus Claudius Marcellus, consul 51 BC
Gaius Claudius Marcellus Major, consul 50 BC
Gaius Claudius Marcellus Minor, consul 49 BC

Note: Consuls of 51 and 49 BC were brothers and first cousins to the consul of 50 BC.

Appius Claudius Pulcher, consul 38 BC
Marcus Claudius Marcellus, namesake of the Theatre of Marcellus, married to Augustus' daughter.
Marcus Claudius Marcellus Aeserninus, consul 22 BC
Tiberius Claudius Nero, father of the emperor Tiberius, praetor in 42 BC.
Nero Claudius Drusus, consul 9 BC, father of the emperor Claudius I.
Tiberius Claudius Nero (Tiberius), emperor
Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus (Claudius I), emperor
Tiberius Claudius Britannicus (Britannicus), son of the last
Nero Claudius Drusus Caesar (Nero), emperor, first Claudian by adoption.