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Denarius - Claudius EX SC OB CIVES SERVATOS
| Issuer | Roman Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 41-42 |
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| Currency | Denarius, Reform of Augustus (27 BC – AD 215) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse lettering | EX SC OB CIVES SERVATOS (Translation: Ex Senatus Consultum. Ob Cives Servatos. By decree of the senate. For saving the citizens.) |
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| Additional information |
Struck in the first two years of Claudius's reign, this issue belongs to a deliberate propaganda campaign by an emperor who came to power under deeply awkward circumstances — dragged from behind a curtain by Praetorian soldiers after Caligula's assassination, then essentially purchased the throne with a donative. The EX SC OB CIVES SERVATOS types were part of a broader effort to present Claudius as a legitimate, senate-approved ruler who had saved Roman citizens, inverting the reality of his accession.
The oak wreath civic crown referenced in the legend was Rome's highest military honor for saving the life of a fellow citizen — its application here to an emperor who never saw combat was pointed.