2019-02-12 Tue

Today on this day in 41 AD Roman Prince, Tiberius Claudius Britannicus was born.

He was the son of Roman Emperor Claudius and his wife Valeria Messalina. Just one month after birth, his father accession to the throne. Britannicus was originally named Germanicus, after Claudius’ brother.

He grew up at court and became close friends with the son of one of his father’s generals, Titus. On February 11, 55, the night before his 14th birthday, Britannicus died immediately after drinking some poison during a dinner party. A party attended by his best friends, Titus, who also ended up drinking some of the poison, but recovered after a long illness.

Titus would go on to erect a gold statue of his friend, and issue coins in his memory.

To mark the Britannicus’s birth, the emperor issued Sestertii with the obverse Spes Augusta – the hope of the imperial family. The reverse depicts the Mars advancing left, holding spear and shield.

Image Source: Google Images