Quintillus ,AD 270 BI Double Denarius. NGC VF ex South Pemberton Hoard. Rare. Shipped with USPS First Class. Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus(died 270) was aRoman emperor. He was a brother of EmperorClaudius Gothicus, whom he succeeded after Claudius' death in 270. Quintillus' claim to be emperor was challenged byAurelian, who was proclaimed emperor by thelegionshe commanded. Quintillus' reign lasted no more than six months. Different sources report his cause of death as murder by his own soldiers, in battle with Aurelian, or by suicide Born212 AD Sirmium,Pannonia Inferior(Sremska Mitrovica,Serbia)Died270 AD (aged 58) Aquileia,ItalyIssue2 sonsNamesMarcus Aurelius Claudius QuintillusRegnal nameImperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus Augustus Marcus Aurelius Claudius Quintillus' exact birthplace is unknown. AnIllyrian, he was likely born inPannonia Inferior, as is indicated by his coinage.[2]Originating from a low-born family, Quintillus came to prominence with the accession of his brotherClaudius Gothicusto the imperial throne in 268. Quintillus was possibly madeProcuratorofSardiniaduring his brother's reign. Reign of Quintillus Quintillus was declared emperor either by the Senate or by his brother's soldiers upon the latter's death in 270.Eutropiusreports Quintillus to have been elected by soldiers of theRoman armyimmediately following the death of his brother;the choice was reportedly approved by theRoman Senate.Joannes Zonarasreports him elected by the Senate itself.Records, however, agree that thelegionswhich had followed Claudius in campaigning along theDanubewere either unaware or disapproving of Quintillus' elevation. They instead elevated their current leaderAurelianas emperor. The few records of Quintillus' reign are contradictory. They disagree on the length of his reign, variously reported to have lasted 17 days (Jerome,EutropiusandZonaras) or 77 days (Filocalus,Zosimusgives "a few months"). Modern scholars believe "17" to be a misreading of a larger number, as there is an abundance of coins produced during his reign.Records also disagree on the cause of his death. TheHistoria Augustareports himmurderedby his own soldiers in reaction to his strictmilitary discipline.Jeromeonly reports that he was slain atAquileia.Joannes Zonaras reported Quintillus to have committedsuicidebyopening his veins and bleeding himself to death;John of Antiochreports the suicide to have been assisted by aphysician.Claudius Salmasiusnoted thatDexippusrecorded the death without stating causes.All records, however, agree in placing the death atAquileia. Quintillus was reportedly survived by his two sons. TheHistoria Augustareports Claudius and Quintillus having another brother named Crispus and through him a niece,Claudia, who reportedly married Eutropius and was mother toConstantius Chlorus.Some historians however suspect this account to be agenealogicalfabricationto flatterConstantine I. His reign was very short and he never managed to visit Rome as emperor. Surviving Roman records considered Quintillus a moderate and capable emperor.He was seen as a champion of the Senate and thus compared to previous emperorsGalbaandPertinax. All three were highly regarded by senatorial sources despite their failure to survive a full year of reign.In his reign the priestly offices held by the emperor were separated and the image of the emperor aspontifex maximuswas abandoned.