Gaius Claudius Sabinus Regillensis

Gaius Claudius Ap. f. M. n. Sabinus Regillensis (or Inregillensis), was a member of the great patrician house of the Claudii at Ancient Rome. He held the consulship in 460 BC.

Gaius was the younger son of Attius Clausus, a wealthy Sabine merchant who emigrated to Rome with a large following in 504 BC, and was admitted to the patriciate under the name of Appius Claudius Sabinus. The elder Claudius became a senator, and held the consulship in 495; he distinguished himself as the leading figure in the aristocratic party, and the fiercest opponent of the plebeians. He had at least two sons: Appius, who was consul in 471, and Gaius, who held the same magistracy in 460.

Almost nothing is known of Gaius Claudius' private life, except for his attachment to his nephew,Appius Claudius Crassus, the decemvir, whom he advised and subsequently defended following the overthrow of the decemvirate.

Elected consul in 460 with Publius Valerius Poplicola, Claudius and his colleague first had to contend with continuing arguments between Rome's aristocratic and popular interests, concerning a proposal to strictly limit the powers of the consuls. This measure had been brought forward two years earlier by Gaius Terentilius Arsa, one of the tribunes of the plebs; but its consideration had been twice postponed, first at the request of Quintus Fabius Vibulanus, the praefectus urbi, who argued that it was treasonous to consider such a law when both consuls were out of the city, and persuaded Terentilius' colleagues to intervene. The following year the law was tabled again following strange omens and a deadlock over a levy of troops by the consuls, followed by the excitement of the trial of Caeso Quinctius Cincinnatus.

Rumours of all kinds flew, none more serious than that Caeso Quinctius, who had fled into exile the previous year, had returned to the city at the head of a conspiracy of young noblemen, intent on the murder of the tribunes of the people, and any others who had opposed the aristocratic party. There was even a rumour that the conspirators were to be aided by the Aequi and the Volsci. Aulus Verginius, the tribune who had brought charges against Caeso, demanded an investigation to put down the conspiracy, before the liberty of the Roman people could be stolen away. But Claudius gave a speech opposing any such investigation, asserting not only that the rumours were false, but that the tribunes themselves were responsible for them, as an excuse to banish other young aristocrats in the same manner that they had Quinctius.

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