Editing Claudius Gothicus (section)

== Saint Valentine ==
Claudius Gothicus has been linked to [[Saint Valentine]] since the [[Middle Ages]]. Contemporary records of his deeds were most probably destroyed during the [[Diocletianic Persecution]] in early 4th century<ref name="oruch" /> and a tale of martyrdom was recorded in ''Passio Marii et Marthae'', a work published in the 5th or 6th century.<ref name="oruch" /><ref name="kelly" /> 20th-century historians agree that the accounts from this period cannot be verified.<ref name="oruch">Jack Oruch, "St. Valentine, Chaucer, and Spring in February", ''Speculum'' '''56'''.3 (July 1981 pp 534–565) p 535.</ref><ref name="kelly" /> The legend refers to "Emperor Claudius", but [[Claudius I]] did not persecute Christians (minus the one mention by [[Suetonius]] of Jewish followers of "Chrestus" being expelled from Rome; ''see'' [[Suetonius on Christians]]), so people believe he was Claudius II even though this emperor spent most of his time warring outside his territory.<ref name="oruch" />

The legend was retold in later texts, and in the ''[[Nuremberg Chronicle]]'' of 1493, involved the Roman priest being martyred during a general persecution of Christians. The text states that St. Valentine was beaten with clubs and finally beheaded for giving aid to Christians in Rome.<ref name="oruch" /> The ''[[Golden Legend]]'' of 1260 recounts how St. Valentine refused to deny Christ before the "Emperor Claudius" in 270 and as a result was beheaded.<ref name="kelly">Henry Kelly, ''Chaucer and the cult of Saint Valentine'', pg. 49</ref> Since then, February 14 marks [[Valentine's Day]], a day set aside by the Christian church in memory of the Roman priest and physician.<ref>Larue, pg. 1</ref>