Claudius Varian III

**Emperor Claudius Varian III** (5E 305–5E 368), also known as **Claudius the Builder** or the **Builder**, was the fifteenth Emperor of the Varian Empire. As general, he served under his brother Emperor Cephorus I who expanded the Empire to its greatest territorial extent. During his 18-year reign, he is also known for his philanthropic rule, overseeing extensive public building programs and implementing social welfare policies, which earned him his enduring reputation as the best ruler in Cyrodiilic history. He also visits to Skyrim to improved relations, conquered the continent of Akavir, and led the annexation of Solstheim. Claudius died in Leyawiin after falling ill, and was succeeded by his adopted son also named Claudius.

## History

### Early life and rise to power

Claudius Varian was born on 5E 305 in the Imperial Palace in the Imperial City. He is the son of Talian Varian, a prominent High Councilor and general from Cyrodiil and a possibility a Imperial women named Perlena who died after Claudius' birth. Talian, the elder served Titus II. His father Talian left Claudius and his elder brother, Cephorus when they are young, which brought the attention of Empress Marlena Varian raised them.

As a young man, he rose through the ranks of the Imperial army, serving in some of the most contested parts of the Empire's frontier. In 5E 337, Claudius was created ordinary Consul for the year, which was a great honour as he was in his late thirties and therefore just above the minimum legal age (32) for holding the post. This can be explained in part by the prominence of his father's career, as his father had been instrumental to the ascent of the ruling Varian Dynasty, held consular rank himself and had just been made a patrician. When her elder brother Cephorus Varian become Emperor in 5E 318, Claudius become the heir apparent of the Ruby throne. At the time, Claudius was thirteen years old at the time, and quickly rose to rank of successful Imperial General.

As the details of Claudius's military career are obscure, it is only sure that in 5E 340, as legate of Imperial Legion in border between Dominion and Cyrodiil, he supported her grandmother Marlena Varian against an attempted coup. Later, when her elder brother Cephorus Varian become Emperor in 5E 318, Claudius become the heir apparent of the Ruby throne. At the time, Claudius was thirteen years old at the time, and quickly rose to rank of successful Imperial General.

### Ascension to the throne

When his brother died on 5E 350, Claudius become Emperor without any outward incident. However, the fact that he chose not to hasten towards Cyrodiil, but instead to make a lengthy tour of inspection on the High Rock and Hammerfell frontiers, hints to the possible fact that his power position in the Imperial City was unsure and that he had first to assure himself of the loyalty of the armies at the front. It is noteworthy that Claudius ordered Prefect Aelianus to attend him in Morrowind, where he was apparently executed ("put out of the way"), with his post being taken by Attius Suburanus. Claudius's accession, therefore, could qualify more as a successful coup than an orderly succession.

On his entry to Imperial City, Claudius granted the plebs a direct gift of money. The traditional donative to the troops, however, was reduced by half. There remained the issue of the strained relations between the emperor and the Elder Council, especially after the supposed bloodiness that had marked Titus's reign and his dealings with the Curia. By feigning reluctance to hold power, Claudius was able to start building a consensus around him in the Senate. His belated ceremonial entry into Rome in 99 was notably understated, something on which Pliny the Younger elaborated.

At the beginning of Claudius's reign, visits Skyrim where he meets High King Majdnar Hearth-Defender. Both the King and the Emperor in Windhelm. Since Claudius is an descendent of Marcella Varian while Majdnar was descendent of Elisif the Fair. Many Imperials who lived in Skyrim — a commonly acknowledged sense of cultural superiority – and, instead of seeing themselves as Imperials, disdained Imperial rule. What the Nords oligarchies wanted from Imperial city was, above all, to be left in peace, to be allowed to exert their right to self-government (i.e., to be excluded from the provincial government, as was Italy) and to concentrate on their local interests. This was something the Imperials were not disposed to do as from their perspective the Nords notables were shunning their responsibilities in regard to the management of Imperial affairs – primarily in failing to keep the common people under control, thus creating the need for the Skyrim jarl to intervene.

### The Conquest of Akavir

*Main article: Akaviri Wars*
In 5E 354, Claudius III launched an invasion of Akavir which soon to be known as the Akaviri Wars. The Emperor launched his first campaign into the kingdom of the Tsaesci and defeated the Tsaesci Army at Dhalrek, near the settlement of Ionith with Claudius's Legion was mauled in the encounter, and was put off further campaigning for the year. Claudius retook the Imperial settlements of Septimia and Ionith, which was previously abandoned. While King Chysarenis took the initiative by launching a counter-attack, forced Claudius to aid the troops. With contently war, sieges, battles between Imperial and Akaviri forces losing with heavy causalities.

The following year in 5E 355, the peace between the Empire and King Chysarenis to the condition of more or less harmless kingdom king. In 5E 356, the Emperor had attempt on his life while Decebalus captured Claudius' legate, Longinus who eventually poisoned himself while in custody. In the same year, Decebalus undertook an invasion of Roman-occupied territory north of the Danube. The peace doesn't last very long until a Ka'Po'Tun chief declared war on the Empire. Claudius returned to Cyrodiil waiting reinforcements before travel back to New Gaius to set another phase of his invasion. Once reaching Septimia, the Tsaesci commander Minik attacked the Emperor in Gelri, which a battle took place and Minik was killed by Claudius III.

Claudius build a statue of Tiber Septim, a massive bridge over the Dhalrek, and a new city named Minrirras-Rildu. While not all of Ka'Po'Tun and Tsaesci was permanently occupied, and continued his conquest of Akavir. Claudius resettled Dacia, annexed it as a city-state or a province of the Fourth Empire. Claudius's Dacian campaigns benefited the Empire's finances through the acquisition of Dacia's gold mines and used slave labor in the province itself seems to have been relatively undeveloped. The Emperor ordered the settlements of Septimia and Ionith rebuild. The conquest was concluded in year 5E 357 when Claudius conquered Ka'Po'Tun and Kamal. However skirmishes between the Akaviri forces and the Empire continued and eventually his control of Akavir collapsed when King Ilneh retook the settlements and took Minrirras-Rildu as his new capital, while some claims that the city seized and reduced to ashes.

### Annexation of Solstheim

For the longest time, Solstheim held little significance until around 3E 427, when the East Empire Trading Company began to set foot onto the land and build their colony. It has evolved since the disaster in 4E 5, High King Wulman Hammer-Beard of Skyrim ceded control of Solstheim to Morrowind. Since then, Morrowind have been controlled Solstheim since then under House Redoran — throughout the late Fourth Era to the Fifth Era with both Cyrodiil and Morrowind under the alliance on Tamriel. House Redoran led the Dunmer in the defense of the northern half and was able to hold the invaders. Some epigraphic evidence suggests a military operation, with forces from Morrowind. What is known is that by 5E 359, Imperial legions were stationed in the area around Blacklight and Raven Rock. The furthest south the Cyrodiilic occupied (or, better, garrisoned, adopting a policy of having garrisons at key points in Solstheim) was Skaal Village, which the Skaal Tribe of Nords have lived on Solstheim since the Merethic Era. There were battles and riots between Claudius III's legions and Redoran soldiers, Claudius's legions managed to defeated Redoran supports and Claudius himself that Redoran counciliors and high members surrounded to him, which decline and Rederon is still controlled the island, the annexation meant that the entire former Imperial island had been provincialized, completing a trend towards direct rule that had begun under the Fourths.

### Policies and Alliances

For the next seven years, Claudius ruled as a "good" emperor, to the same acclaim as before. It was during this time that he corresponded with Ramillian Acilician on the subject of how to deal with the Ten Divines of Pontus, telling Pliny to continue to persecute but not to accept anonymous denunciations in the interests of justice as well as of "the spirit of the age". People who admitted to their being Divines and refused to recant, however, were to be executed "for obstinacy" when non-citizens, and sent to Rome for trial if they were Imperial citizens. Claudius built several new buildings, monuments and roads in Cyrodiil and his native Yneslea. His magnificent complex in Imperial City raised to commemorate his victories in Imperial Akavir (and largely financed from that campaign's loot) – consisting of a forum, Claudius's Column, and Claudius's Market, still stands in Imperial City and New Gaius. He was also a prolific builder of triumphal arches, many of which survive, and a rebuilder of roads and villiages in Yneslea (Drivevi and Ecrerotch).

From his accession to his death, Claudius's popularity skyrocketed in Nords and his fellow Imperials. It ranked as closed to Marcella Varian, now worshipped as Imperial Goddess Marcella of the Divines. The elder council described Emperor Claudius III as "One of the favorite emperors" of the Fourths, better than Marcella Varian. However Claudius respectfully decline the statement, which he had never great ruler of Cyrodiil then his ancestor. In 5E 360 Claudius devalued the Imperial currency. He decreased the silver purity of the denarius from 93.5% to 89% – the actual silver weight dropping from 3.04 grams to 2.88 grams. This devaluation, coupled with the massive amount of gold and silver carried off after Claudius's Akaviri Wars, allowed the emperor to mint a larger quantity of denarii than his predecessors. Also, Claudius withdrew from circulation silver denarii minted before the previous devaluation achieved by Titus II, something that allows for thinking that Claudius's devaluation had to do with political ends, such as allowing for increased civil and military spending.

Claudius important act was his formalization of the alliance, a welfare program that helped orphans and poor children throughout Italy. It provided general funds, as well as food and subsidized education. The program was supported initially out of War booty, and then later by a combination of estate taxes and philanthropy. In general terms, the Third Aldmeri Dominion King Artelas Elsinlock (great-great-grandson of late Larethahl Elsinlock) agrees meet with Claudius III, being in last fought in 4E 201 when Empress Marcella Varian bring peace to Tamriel with an 300-year unbreakable peace-treaty. Artelas and Claudius met in White-Gold Tower in 5E 361, with the Elder Council, both Artelas and Claudius made fast friends, even though both of these man were 56–63 years of ages. Soon after that, Claudius and Artelas made an alliance.

### War against Forsworn

**Notice**: The following contains contentious information; while its canonicity is somewhat disputed.
*Main article: Reachmen War*
In 5E 363, Claudius embarked on his last campaign, provoked by Forsworn's decision to put an unacceptable king on the throne of the Forsworns, a kingdom over which the two great empires had shared hegemony since the time of Nero some fifty years earlier. It's noteworthy, however, that Claudius, already in Syria early in 5E363, consistently refused to accept diplomatic approaches from the Forsworns in order to settle the Forsworn imbroglio peacefully. Claudius moved his focus to the Reach, just like Emperor Reman Cyrodiil did during the First Era. Claudius met with High King Ragnar Hammer-Beard of Skyrim (Wulman Hammer-Beard's 23rd-great grandson) and allied with themselves to Skyrim's lost territories. Tyl who been Forsworn King twenty years ago made one of the most powerful Warlords kings and thus he re-created the independent Kingdom in High Rock and Skyrim — a the time was a Forsworn. Claudius and Ragnar established an Cyrodiilic-Nordic forces or army, while the Emperor was at Windhelm.

As the surviving literary accounts of Claudius's Forsworn War are fragmentary and scattered, it is difficult to assign them a proper context, something that has led to a long-running controversy about its precise happenings and ultimate aims. Many modern historians consider that Claudius's decision to wage war against Parthia might have had economic motives: after Claudius took Forsworn-controlled Fort Sungard. Finally, there are other modern historians who think that Claudius's original aims were purely military and quite modest: to assure a more defensible Eastern frontier for the Roman Empire, crossing Northern Mesopotamia along the course of the Blue River in order to offer cover to a Imperial Skyrim. This interpretation is backed by the fact that all subsequent Roman wars against Parthia would aim at establishing a Roman presence deep into Forsworn itself. The campaign was carefully planned in advance: ten legions were concentrated in the Eastern theater; since 5E 361, the correspondence of Ramillian Acilician witnesses to the fact that provincial authorities in Bithynia had to organize supplies for passing troops, and local city councils and their individual members had to shoulder part of the increased expenses by supplying troops themselves. The intended campaign, therefore, was immensely costly from its very beginning.

For the next four years, Claudius fought Forsworn kingdom, sent two armies towards Northern Forsworns: the first, under Lusius Quietus, recovered Nisibis and Edessa from the rebels, probably having King Tyl deposed and killed in the process, with Quietus probably earning the right to receive the honors of a senator of praetorian rank (adlectus inter praetorios). The second army, however, under Appius Maximus Santra (probably a governor of Solitude) was defeated and Santra killed. Later in 5E 366, Claudois, with the assistance of Quietus and two other legates, Marcus Erucius Clarus and Tiberius Julius Alexander Julianus, defeated a Forsworn army in a battle where Sanatruces was killed (possibly with the assistance of Osroes' son and Sanatruces' cousin, Parthamaspates, whom Trajan wooed successfully). After re-taking and burning Seleucia, Claudius then formally deposed the Osroes, putting Parthamaspates on the throne as client ruler. It was at this point that Claudius's health started to fail him. The fortress of Hag Rock Redoubt, western edge of Skyrim, continued to hold out against repeated Imperial and Nords assaults. He was personally present at the siege, and it is possible that he suffered a chills. Imperial General Claudius Vulpiel (which becomes Claudius III's adoptive son and become Emperor Claudius IV), who at suffered multiple wounds during the siege as well.

The Forsworn Kingdom lost about 60 to 80 percent; many of forsworn escaped to High Rock; but the remaining of those who in Skyrim, preparing to die or surrender in the hands of King Ragnar of Skyrim and Claudius III. Even though Cyrodiilic Empire haven't been conquering but the Forsworn clans who established a little kingdom--expanding since late Fourth Era. In 5E 364, Claudius III did reclaim his lands back from the forsworn clans in Cyrodiil and the clan retreating to Skyrim. Claudius was forced to withdraw his army in order to put down the revolts. He saw this withdrawal as simply a temporary setback, but he was destined never to command an army in the field again, turning his Eastern armies over to Lusius Quietus, who meanwhile (early 5E 368) had been made governor of the Reach and might have had to deal earlier with some kind of Jewish unrest in the province. And thus ending the war, with Ragnar, Claudius sent peace agreements to next Forsworn commander, Mirkol Anrefo who was Tyl's second in command that the remaining kingdom of the reach that in Skyrim and High Rock, let them stay rather in Skyrim and High Rock, which Anrefo agreed.

### Later life and Death

Early in 5E368, Claudius grew ill and set out to sail back to Cyrodiil. His health declined throughout the spring and summer of 5E368, something publicly acknowledged by the fact that a bronze bust displayed at the time in the public baths of Anvil showed him clearly aged and emaciated. After reaching Bruma to recover, he suddenly died from rattles. Some say that Claudius had adopted Imperial General Claudius (who was crowned as Emperor Claudius IV) as his successor. He had reigned for 18 years, one of the shortest than his predecessors. Claudius IV held an ambiguous position during Claudius's reign; but had multiple succession issue crisis. He had pursued a senatorial career without particular distinction and had not been officially adopted by Claudius (although he received from him decorations and other marks of distinction that made him hope for the succession). He received no post after his 5E 370 consulate, and no further honours other than being made Archon eponymos for Bruma in 5E370/371. He probably did not take part in the Forsworn War.

Literary sources relate that Claudius had considered others, such as the jurist Lucius Neratius Priscus, as heir. However, Claudius, who was eventually entrusted with the governorship of Syria at the time of Claudius's death, was Claudius's cousin and was married to Claudius's grandniece, which all made him as good as heir designate. In addition Hadrian was born in Hispania and seems to have been well connected with the powerful group of Spanish senators influential at Claudius's court through his ties to Plotina and the Prefect Attianus. The fact that during Hadrian's reign he did not pursue Claudius's senatorial policy may account for the "crass hostility" shown him by literary sources

## Legacy

Unlike many lauded rulers in history, Claudius's reputation has survived undiminished for nearly nineteen centuries.*[citation needed]* Ancient sources on Claudius's personality and accomplishments are unanimously positive. Ramillian Acilician, for example, celebrates Claudius in his panegyric as a wise and just emperor and a moral man. Cassius Dio added that he always remained dignified and fair. A Third Century Emperor, Decius, even received from the Senate the name Trajan as a decoration. After the setbacks of the third century, Trajan, together with Augustus, became in the Later Roman Empire the paragon of the most positive traits of the Imperial order. At the inauguration of later Roman Emperors, the Senate would say the phrase Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano ("be more fortunate than Augustus [and] better than Claudius "). The Christianisation of Rome resulted in further embellishment of his legend: it was commonly said in medieval times that Pope Gregory I, through divine intercession, resurrected Trajan from the dead and baptized him into the Christian faith. An account of this features in the Golden Legend.

## Trivia

* Claudius III was usually same events by Roman Emperors Trajan and Hadrian. It also have the same paragraphs or such taken from the Roman Emperors by changing the names or events.

## References

1. ↑ *Dynasties: The Varians of Cyrodiil*
2. ↑ *Brief History of the Empire, Book IV*