Gallic Empire AE Antoninianus Of Tetricus I / VIRTVS AVGG
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:10101872 | Ruler: Tetricus I |
| Denomination: Antoninianus |
Tetricus IAE AntoninianusVIRTVS AVGG, Mars standing right, holding spear and shield
After the sudden death of Victorinus in 271, Victoria seems to have enlisted Tetricus, who at the time was serving as the governor of Gallia Aquitania. His reign was deeply troubled, as the raids from the Germanic peoples had increased in frequency and ferocity, and Tetricus struggled to keep his troops paid--officially minted antoninianii dipped down to 1% silver or even less, and were supplemen...ted by a massive wave of unofficial token coinage, today called barbarous radiates, which are about as common as official coins. In 273 to bring some measure of political stability, Tetricus elevated his young son Tetricus II to the position of Caesar. The new Roman emperor, Aurelian, however, had just succeeded in bringing the Palmyrene empire back under imperial control, and was now poised to reclaim Gaul and Britannia. Their forces met at the Battle of Chalons, and surrendered without much fight. Some historians claim that the battle was just a show by Tetricus - he knew he would not win, and negotiated a surrender with Aurelian prior to the battle--if he surrendered, his troops would have surely murdered him and set up another in his place. Tetricus and his son were paraded through Rome in Aurelian's triumph, but afterward pardoned and allowed to retire to obscurity.
After the sudden death of Victorinus in 271, Victoria seems to have enlisted Tetricus, who at the time was serving as the governor of Gallia Aquitania. His reign was deeply troubled, as the raids from the Germanic peoples had increased in frequency and ferocity, and Tetricus struggled to keep his troops paid--officially minted antoninianii dipped down to 1% silver or even less, and were supplemen...ted by a massive wave of unofficial token coinage, today called barbarous radiates, which are about as common as official coins. In 273 to bring some measure of political stability, Tetricus elevated his young son Tetricus II to the position of Caesar. The new Roman emperor, Aurelian, however, had just succeeded in bringing the Palmyrene empire back under imperial control, and was now poised to reclaim Gaul and Britannia. Their forces met at the Battle of Chalons, and surrendered without much fight. Some historians claim that the battle was just a show by Tetricus - he knew he would not win, and negotiated a surrender with Aurelian prior to the battle--if he surrendered, his troops would have surely murdered him and set up another in his place. Tetricus and his son were paraded through Rome in Aurelian's triumph, but afterward pardoned and allowed to retire to obscurity.
