Most of what we know about Tacitus and Florian comes from the Historia Augusta, a collection of (bogus) biographies of Roman emperors of the second and third centuries. The modern history buff would be well advised to take it with so many grains of salt his blood pressure would rise to apoplectic levels. What we do know about Tacitus is that he was an Illyrian soldier whom the army lured out of retirement -- he was in his fifties or sixties, in all likelihood -- and he assumed power after Aurelian was killed in October or November, AD 275. The concept of an "interregnum" from Spring through Fall, AD 275 during which time Severina ruled, is no longer accepted by most historians. Once Tacitus assumed power, he had Aurelian deified and executed all of the murderers of Aurelian who could be identified. Of his wife and several sons, we know nothing, but he did make his maternal half-brother, Florian, his praetorian prefect. The years 275 and 276 saw warfare for the Romans on multiple fronts. The Franks, Longiones and the Alemanni made serious incursions along the Rhine and the Danube. However, the brothers' most pressing concern was an upcoming campaign against the Sasanians in Asia which Aurelian had been planning. The brothers therefore marched east, where they gathered the army which Aurelian had already outfitted for war against the Sasanians. However, they never had the opportunity to engage the Sasanians, for the Heruli and other Goths decided to raid Asia Minor again, entering in Pontus and Cappodocia. These tribes advanced as far south as Cilicia before Tacitus and Florian could engage them. The most distressing aspect of this invasion was that Aurelian had mustered these tribes as allies for his anticipated war on the Sasanians and in the meantime, they had turned against Rome and back to piracy after Aurelian's death. Tacitus had considerable success against these Goths, including an important victory in Cilicia, prompting Tacitus to commemorate his victory on coins issued in the middle of his reign. See an example, below. However, Tacitus died at Tyana in Cappodocia in June or July, AD 276, from causes that remain unclear, with some sources suggesting he died of illness and others suggesting he was murdered, either by men loyal to Aurelian or in a mutiny instigated because of unfair taxes levied by a relative of his named Maximinus, whom he had appointed governor of Syria (and who himself was murdered). Tacitus, AD 275-276. Roman billon antoninianus, 3.57 gm, 21.1 mm, 11 h. Ticinum, officina 1; issue 2, early - June, AD 276. Obv: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right. Rev: VICTORIA GOTTHI, Victoria standing left, holding wreath and palm; P in exergue. Refs: RIC 172; MER/RIC temp 3400; Cohen 157; RCV 11821; Hunter 59; CBN 1676; La Venera hoard 1554-8. After his half-brother's death, Florian was hailed emperor by the soldiers. Afterward, the senate in Rome and most of the provinces confirmed his appointment. He accomplished little during his two-or-three-month reign. He seems to have engaged the Goths one last time, but serious troubles in the south soon diverted his attention. The Syrian and Egyptian armies did not approve of Florian and hailed their own general, Probus (also a soldier of Illyrian origin), as rival emperor. Florian marched his army through the Cilician Gates to Tarsus, where he awaited the legions of Probus, then advancing north. However, whether through poor provisioning or illness, Florian's army succumbed to the heat and were in no condition to fight the army of Probus, even though it was a smaller force. Despite coins issued by Florian proclaiming CONCORDIA MILITVM ("harmony of the army"), Probus convinced Florian's troops to avoid civil war and to depose their leader. So they did, killing Florian in August or September, AD 276, less than three months after hailing him emperor. Some historians prefer an even earlier date. Florian, AD 276. Roman billon Aurelianus, 3.28 g, 21.2 mm, 12 h. Cyzicus, officina 3; issue 1, AD 276. Obv: IMP FLORIANVS AVG, Bust right, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum. Rev: CONCORDIA MILITVM, Victory stg. r., holding wreath in r. hand and palm against l. shoulder, facing Emperor in military dress stg. l., r. hand outstretched and holding long sceptre in l. hand; T in exergue. Refs: RIC 116; MER/RIC temp #4530; Cohen 15; CBN 1982-3; RCV 11853; Hunter 20. Post anything you feel is relevant!
Great write up and nice coins! Coins with a direct tie in to history make this hobby so interesting. John
Nice narrative @Roman Collector ! Fun reading your posts with History brought to clarity. Very nice coins! Florian is usually a little tougher to find with his short reign. TACITUS: RI Tacitus 275-276 CE AE Ant Providentia FLORIAN: RI Florianus Jul-Aug 276 CE AE23 Concord-Milit
Sweet OP coins. Both interesting characters towards the end of the Crisis era. Unfortunately I don't yet have either, so I'll just share my Probus instead.
Your coin illustrates an interesting numismatic bit of trivia. Tacitus was the last emperor to issue provincial coinage outside of Alexandria, which continued to strike for another two decades.
Tacitus Billon Antoninianus Ticinum mint Obv: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG Rev: CONSERVATOR MILITVM - Emperor, standing on left, with helmet in military dress, receiving globe from Jupiter, on right, ;leaning on scepter P in exergue RIC 134 22mm, 4.4g. Florian Billon Antoninianus Rome mint Obv: IMP C FLORIANVS AVG Rev: SALVS AVG - Salus, standing left, holding scepter and feeding snake rising up from altar XXIΔ in exergue RIC 40 23mm, 3.7g.
You've been setting the bar high with some really fantastic posts lately @Roman Collector Thank you for putting these great write ups together.
Thank you for your kind words. One of the things I want to show is that even the most common and inexpensive of coins have fascinating stories behind them. That's what makes ancient numismatics so much fun.
I could not agree more. Oh, and on a somewhat unrelated note I was in the National Archeological museum of Rome at Palazzo Massimo the other day and I saw a display that made me stop and think to myself "Roman Collector would be drooling right now" (so was I btw )
