Claudius Xenophon (or Xenephon) was a governor of Britannia Inferior, a province of Roman Britain around AD 223.
Epigraphic Evidence of Claudius Xenephon being Governor of Britannia Inferior
He is named on two milestones with nearly identical texts, which can be dated to that year.[1] He succeeded Marius Valerianus, whose rule is attested in AD 222; and his governorship must have ended by AD 225, when another governor is mentioned in a fragmentary inscription, which only provides part of the name (Maximus).
CILVRNVM (Chesters, Northumberland; RIB 1467; dated: 222-223AD) – … PER CL XENEPHONTEM LEG PR PR INSTANTE SEP NILO PRAEF EQVIT “[…] during [the administration of] Claudius Xenephon the pro-praetorian legate, supervised by Septimius Nilo, Prefect of Horse”.
VINDOLANDA (Chesterholm, Northumberland; RIB 1706; dated: 223AD) – … COH IIII GALLOR SEVERIANAE ALEXANDRIANAE DEVOTAE NVMINI EIVS PORTAM CVM TVRRIBVS A FVNDAMENTIS RESTITVERVNT SVB CL XENOPHONTE LEG AVG N PR PR BR INF CVRANTE … “”… the Fourth Cohort of Gauls, Severus Alexander’s own, devoted to his divinity, restored from ground-level this gateway together with its towers under Claudius Xenophon, pro-praetorian Legate of our Emperor in Lesser Britain, under the direction of …”.
Crindledykes Farm (milestone 1 mile E of Chesterholm/Vindolanda; RIB 2299; dated: 222-223AD) – IMP CAES M AVREL SEVERO ALEXANDRO PIO FEL AVG P M TR P II COS P P CVR CL XENOPH LEG AVG PR PRAET M P XIIII “For Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus, High Priest, holder of tribunician power for the second time, Consular, Father of the Fatherland, under the administration of Claudius Xenophon, legate of the emperor with pro-praetorian power. Fourteen thousand paces [to Corstopitum]”.
Hadrian’s Wall (milestone 200m ESE of MC 42, Cawfields, Northumberland; RIB 2306; dated: 222-223AD) – IMP CAES M AVREL SEVERO ALEXANDRO PI FEL AVG P M TR P II COS P P CVR CL XENEPHON TE LEG AVG PR PRAET M P XVIII “For Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Pius Felix Augustus, High Priest, holder of tribunician power for the second time, consul, Father of his Country; during the administration of Claudius Xenephon, pro-praetorian legate of the emperor, eighteen thousand paces [of road was built]”.
Vindolanda inscriptions for Claudius Xenophon
He is also mentioned in inscriptions in Vindolanda and perhaps at Chesters. His father is thought to be a T. Cl(audius) T. f(ilius) Papiria Xenophon, who is mentioned in inscriptions and papyri in various procuratorships in Egypt and Dacia under Commodus.