Claudius II (Marcus Aurelius Claudius), d. 270, Roman emperor (268–70), called Gothicus. A successful general under Valerian, Claudius put down the revolt in which Gallienus was killed. He succeeded Gallienus and went to the East to resist the Goths who were overrunning the empire. In 269, Claudius overwhelmed the Goths at Naissus (now Niš, Serbia). He died of the plague the following year and was succeeded by Aurelian.
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