In my impossible quest to get all Emperors in my collection, I sometimes decide to upgrade some coins I already have but that are quite worn. So my latest acquisition is this one : Tacitus Antoninianus 22 mm 4.07 g IMP CL TACITVS AVG TEMPORVM FELICITAS Felicitas holding long caduceus & cornucopiae RIC 65 A-star While I was checking the attribution of my new baby, I realized I didn’t remembered the details about his short reign. Then the references I read taught me that many important events in the life of Tacitus are very controversial. The ancient historians do not agree on several part of the time he held the power, and modern ones neither. So here is what I found... « Sure » facts : He was a Consul in 273 AD and a very rich senator ( To bail out the coffers of the state, he transferred all his personal wealth, 280 million sesterces according to some sources ). In 275 AD he became Emperor and died in 276 AD. He is also the last Emperor to be nominated by the Senate. During his short reign he campaigned against the Goths and the Heruli, for which he received the title Gothicus Maximus. Tacitus promoted Probus commander of the Eastern army (dux orientis), to ensure the protection of Syria and Egypt. « Debated » facts : How long was the duration of the interregnum between Aurelian and Tacitus ; 8 months, 6 months or only few weeks ? Is it still true that Ulpia Severina ( Aurelian’s wife ) ruled in her own right before the election of Tacitus ? How old was he ? 75 when he ascended the supreme power. But in recent years it was disputed. It seems that it was unlikely that the soldiers would accept a man of this canonical age. Also he would have been 73 at the time of his first consulship in 273 AD. But the Senators arrived much earlier at their consular office, between 40-45 years old at the latest , if they are of plebeian origin... How did he die? Eutrope and Aurelius-Victor simply say that he died; Victor the younger adds that it was a fever. According to Zozime and Zonare, he was killed by the soldiers. He was Emperor for less than a year ; like we said before, he was consul in 273, his second consulship began in 276. So why Ticinum mint did issue aurei and aureliani with the legend Cos III ? Is it only a scalptores mistake ? I would love to get your expertise on these questions, and if you feel like it, show us your Tacitus coin ! Tacitus, Musée le Louvre Paris. Or is it really him ???
Excellent portrait! Like you, I've become very selective when upgrading later emps... Though really like the silvering on mine, so likely will not be replacing this guy. Here's mine: Tacitus 275-276 CE Antoninianus Rome mint, 4th officina. 2nd emission, November-December AD 275. Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Salus standing left, holding scepter and feeding out of patera serpent coiled around and rising from altar to left. RIC V 93 corr. (standing, not seated); BN 1562. Near EF, silvering, toned
I don't know much about Tacitus beyond what his portion on History of Rome podcast and a little bit I read on him afterwards. I have one Tacitus in my small collection and I think it's quite a looker Tacitus AE Antoninianus Ticinum Obverse: IMP CM CL TACITVS P AVG, radiate, cuirassed bust right Reverse: SALVS PVBLI, Salus standing right, feeding serpent in arms Mintmark T
Nice portrait on that one! I don't know the answers to the questions, but thanks for asking them, and also for the rest of the info... happy to know more about Tacitus today than I did yesterday. TACITUS Billon Double Antoninianus. 3.84g, 23.5mm. Antioch mint. New RIC V/1 Online temp no. 4087 (6 spec); Esty, Equall, Smith, "The Alloy of the 'XI' Coins of Tacitus", 91.68 (this coin). O: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: CLEMENTIA TEMP, Emperor standing right holding sceptre, receiving globe from Jupiter standing left, holding sceptre; A between, XI in exergue. Ex Warren Esty Collection
TACITUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right REVERSE: CLEMENTIA TEMP, Tacitus receiving globe from Jupiter, Z in lower centre, XXI in ex. Struck at Antioch, 275-6 AD 3.2g, 22mm RIC 210, Z TACITUS Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate cuirassed bust right REVERSE: PROVIDE AVG, Providentia standing left, holding globe & transverse sceptre, Q in ex Struck at Ticinum, 275-6 AD 3.6g, 23mm RIC 152f, C 90
Great new coin, Ocat! I don't have any answers to your questions, and my only Tacitus is this provincial from Alexandria: Tacitus, Ruled 275-276 AD AE Tetradrachm, Egypt, Alexandria, Struck 275/276 AD Obverse: A K K A TAKITOC CEB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: Elpis advancing left, holding flower, raising hem of skirt, ЄTOVC A to right and left, RY 1. References: Emmett 3975, Dattari 5516 Size: 21.3mm, 9.1g Ex: X6 Collection
The generally easy availability of coins of this emperor is due solely to the hyperactive mints during his reign that placed millions of Antoniniani in circulation. Tacitus’ coins are straddled by the even more prolific coins of Aurelian preceding and Probus succeeding him. Despite the brief rule, Tacitus’ coins are readily available in all grades. That is, so long as you don’t expect anything more than Antoniniani. Coinage in other metals and denominations are considerably more difficult to find. I have only one Tacitus Antoniniani, Gallia, Lugdunum, 275 - 276 AD; 2nd Officina, 7th emission 20 mm, 3.46 g Ref.: RIC V Tacitus 34; Cohen 65; Sear88 3308; Bastien 98; Ob.: IMP CL TACITVS AVG Tacitus, radiate, draped, cuirassed, right Rev.: PAX AETERNA Pax, draped, standing left, holding olive-branch in right hand and scepter in left hand Mintmark: B / *//-
I did used to actively chase after Tacitus coins and still have many (far too many). I like the Lugdunum style for some reason and there are several already in this thread. Here are a couple more:- Same Id as the OP. A mixed up reverse legend with the engraver having started with PROVID DEOR and then ending in AVG after engraving PROVID D. And a standard (but nice looking) PROVID DEOR Now you need to keep your eyes open for a nice Florian to go with it
Furthermore, he looks much younger than 75 in his portraits. More like middle age: 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.
Nice coins all - getting a Tacitus is next on my need-to-acquire list. I have so far bid on his coins in two auctions but I didn't win either of those lots that were available.
I made research about this question and find some answers. In 1973, M.J Price saw in the coins of Tacitus COS III erroneous products of a provincial workshop. A.Alföldi ( Ticinum: le monnayage de l’empereur Tacite ) assumed that the scalptores of Ticinum based their mintage on the notion that Tacitus had taken a suffect consulship when Aurelian died in autumn of 275 AD and that the one of 276 was therefore the third. In 2005, S. Estiot brought another hypothesis : she believed that in north Italy a third consulship was wrongly counted to Tacitus because of his great germanic victory. There is another example of a “mint computus” in Ticinum 14 months earlier : they attributed to Aurelian a 7th Tribunician power for his triumph and the celebrations of the quinquennalia , while the usual count was only of six. So many many theories, you choose the one you like the most !
Some coins of Tacitus are very nice: 22 mm. Tacitus, 275-276 IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG CLEMENTIA TEMP, Δ, XXI in exergue RIC 210 Antioch. Only a few years before this coin the quality of workmanship was much lower. The coin, post Aurelian's reform, still has a low percentage of silver (c. 5%), but that is significantly higher than under Claudius II (268-270). Most coins of Tacitus, not just this one, are struck well from well-engraved dies. Things were looking up, numismatically.
Yes but on some others he looks like an old man Tacitus, Antoninianus - Ticinium mint AD 275-276 IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, Radiate bust of Tacitus right SECVRIT PERP, Securitas standing left leaning on column, retrograde µ at exergue 4.03 gr Ref : RCV #11812, Cohen #131, RIC V (1) 163 BTW excellent post Ocat' Q
Tacitus minted at Ticinum between 275-276 A.D. Obv: IMP.C.M.CL.TACITVS.AVG. Rev: PROVIDE.AVG. Providential stg. l. Holding globe and Sceptre.[/ATTACH]
My one and only is below. This is the only coin in my collection with Mars holding an olive branch instead of advancing. I wish the bust was a bit clearer...that will have to be my next one. Tacitus, AD 275-276 AE, antoninianus, 22.5mm, 3.77g; 11h Obv.: IMP CM CL TACITVS AVG; radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev.: CLEM-ENTIA TEMP; Mars standing left holding olive branch in right, spear and shield in left In Ex.: xIS
I love the post, Ocat! I waited to pile on in hopes that I could first cherrypick what I thought was an IA "double antoninianus" (Tripolis, higher silver content) hitting the block today. I did manage to snag it. And here's my XI double (Antioch): Plus a couple singles: Do I really need all these?