Quote Originally Posted by Atilius View Post
I wonder if the author is mistaking the emperor Claudius with the consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who was the last man to win the spolia opima. He slew the Gallic chieftain Vertomarus at the battle of Clastidium in 222 BC. That's sort of a big mistake though.
1) I suppose it's possible but as you say, it is a very big mistake. Something like 300 years between the two events, one even in Gaul the other in Britain, and then there is the common sense element to it.

2) Further research into the spolia opima revealed this:

Over the course of their entire history, the Romans recognized only three instances of spolia opima having been taken. The first was by Romulus from Acro, king of the Caeninenses; the second by Aulus Cornelius Cossus from Lar Tolumnius, king of the Veientes; the third by Marcus Claudius Marcellus from Viridomarus, king of the Gaesatae (a Celtic warband). As the first two figures are legendary, or semi-legendary, it may be said that Marcus Claudius Marcellus is the only Roman figure ever to have accomplished this feat.

3) On a side note, as I was researching the Claudia Gens, I discovered another fact I didn't know. The name Claudius is likely derived from the word Claudeo, meaning to limp because many members of the Claudian family suffered from this, likely genetic, issue.