This rare issue was struck by Claudius to honor his father, Drusus the Elder (brother of Emperor Tiberius), a celebrated Roman general renowned for his campaigns in Germania at the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 1st century AD.
Though Drusus died prematurely in 9 BC, he was remembered as a model of Roman virtus (military valor). By issuing these coins shortly after his accession in AD 41, Claudius sought to strengthen his legitimacy as emperor by linking himself with the glorious achievements of his ancestors.
The reverse legend DE GERMANIS directly references Drusus’s victories over the Germanic tribes, while the military trophies—shields, spears, and standard—symbolize Rome’s triumph over its northern enemies. These coins served both as commemoration and as propaganda, underscoring Claudius’s claim to descend from Rome’s great conquerors.
Ex. Fritz Rudolf Künker, 347 Auction, 22-23 March 2021, lot 1030.
Roman Imperial
Klaudius (41-54), Denarius 41-45, Rome mint
Obverse: laureate head of Nero Claudius Drusus left
NERO CLAVDIVS DRVSVS GERMANICVS IMP
Reverse: Two shields, two pairs of spears, two trumpets, all crossed, behind vexillum with flag which is still
DE GERMANIS
Diameter 21 mm, weight 3.78 g
