(Claudius), a Latin poet, flourished in the 4th century, under the emperor Theodosius, and under his sons Arcadius and Honorius. It is not agreed of what country he was a native; but he came to Rome in the year of Christ 395, when he was about 30 years old; and there inflamed himself into Stilicho's favour; who being a person of great abilities both for civil and military affairs, though a Goth by birth, was so considerable a person under Honorius, that he may be said for many years to have governed the western empire. Stilicho afterwards fell into disgrace, and was put to death; and it is more than probable that the poet was involved in the misfortunes of his patron, and severely persecuted in his person and fortunes by Hadrian, an Egyptian by birth, who was captain of the guards to Honorius, and succeeded Stilicho. There is reason, however, to think that he rose afterwards to great favour; and obtained several honours both civil and military. The princess Serena had a great esteem for Claudian, and recommended and married him to a lady of great quality and fortune in Libya. There are a few little poems on sacred subjects, which through mistake have been ascribed by some critics to Claudian; and so have made him be thought a Christian. But St. Austin, who was contemporary with him, expressly says, that he was a Heathen. The time of Claudian's death is uncertain, nor do we know any further particulars of his life than what are to be collected from his works, and which we have already related above. He is thought to have more of Virgil in his style than all the other imitators of him.

CLAUDIUS I., Roman emperor, A.D. 41. The beginning of his reign was very promising; but it was soon discovered that little better than an idiot filled the throne, who might easily be made a tyrant; accordingly he became a very cruel one, through the influence of his empress, the infamous Messalina: after her death, he married his niece Agrippina, who caused him to be poisoned to make way for Nero, A.D. 54. See History of Rome.

CLAUDIUS II. (Aurelius) surnamed Gothicus, signified himself by his courage and prudence under the reigns of Valerian and Julian; and on the death of the latter was declared emperor in 268. He put to death Aureolus, the murderer of Galienus; defeated the Germans; and in 269 marched against the Goths, who ravaged the empire with an army of 300,000 men, which he at first harried, and the next year entirely defeated: but a contagious disease, which had spread through that vast army, was caught by the Romans; and the emperor himself died of it a short time after, aged fifty-five. Pollio says that this prince had the moderation of Augustus, the virtue of Trajan, and the piety of Antoninus.