Claudius II Gothicus, in full Marcus Aurelius Claudius Gothicus (born May 214, Dardania, Moesia Superior—died 270, Sirmium, Pannonia Inferior), Roman emperor in 268–270, whose major achievement was the decisive defeat of the Gothic invaders (hence the name Gothicus) of the Balkans in 269.
Claudius was an army officer under the emperor Gallienus from 260 to 268—a period of devastation of much of the Roman Empire by invading tribes. Rising to the command of Gallienus’ newly formed cavalry, Claudius succeeded to the throne upon the emperor’s assassination in 268. The new ruler speedily suppressed the rebellion of the usurper Aureolus and drove from Italy the Alemanni tribe, which had been summoned by the insurgents.
During his brief reign, Claudius’ authority was recognized only in the central territories of the empire. He made an unsuccessful attempt to recapture the allegiance of the western provinces, which obeyed the emperors of the Rhine. Nonetheless, in his own area, Claudius destroyed a vast Gothic migratory force near Naissus (modern Niš, Serbia) in Moesia. While preparing a campaign against the Vandals, Claudius died of the plague and was succeeded by his cavalry commander, Aurelian.