Tetricus I
270 - 273 AD
MS - 62
Roman Bronze Antoninianus Coin, Slabbed and Graded
Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was Emperor of the Gallic Empire (Imperium Galliarum) from 271 to 274, following the murder of Victorinus. Tetricus, who ruled with his son, Tetricus II, was the last of the Gallic emperors following his surrender to the Roman emperor Aurelian.
Regardless of his difficulties with the Germanic invasions, Tetricus was recognised as emperor throughout Britain and most of Gaul apart from Narbonensis, where Placidianus had reclaimed some territory under Claudius II Gothicus. Although Tetricus made no move to expand his territorial reach, he did invest time and resources reclaiming some provinces that had been reconquered by the central empire, such as south-eastern Aquitania and the western parts of Narbonensis. Nevertheless, his regime was destabilised by attempts of certain areas to declare their allegiance to the Roman emperor Aurelian, such as the city of Argentoratum in 272
According to literary sources, after being displayed as trophies at Aurelian's triumph in Rome, the lives of Tetricus and his son were spared by Aurelian, and Tetricus was even given the title of corrector Lucaniae et Bruttiorum, that is governor of a southern region of Italia. Tetricus died at an unknown date in Italy. He is listed as one of Rome's Thirty Tyrants in the Historia Augusta.
The antoninianus was a coin used during the Roman Empire thought to have been valued at 2 denarii. It was initially silver, but was slowly debased to bronze. The coin was introduced by Caracalla in early 215 and was a silver coin similar to the denarius except that it was slightly larger and featured the emperor wearing a radiate crown, indicating that it was valued at twice as much.
The reverse of the coin depicts the radiate and draped bust of Tetricus facing right, with the obverse depicting Laetitia, the Roman Goddess of joy, standing and facing left, holding a wreath and an anchor.
Reverse legend : "IMP C TETRICVS P F AVG"
Obverse Legend : "LAETITIA AVGG"
The coin is listed in the following major references :
RIC 87
Cohen 72
Sear - 11239
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