Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 132 30-31 May 2022
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Tetricus I, 271 – 274
Aureus, Treviri 272, AV 4.07 g. IMP TETRI – CVS PIVS AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust l. Rev. VIRTVS AVG Emperor standing l. in military dress, holding globe in his r. hand and parazonium in his l.; to his l., captive seated l. C 205. RIC 41. Schulte 35a (this coin). Calicó 3919 (this coin illustrated).
Extremely rare. A portrait of great elegance, the work of a very skilled engraver,
struck on a full flan. Two unobtrusive scrapes, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Leu 53, 1991, 319; Leu 83, 2002, 823 and Tkalec 7 May 2006, 228 sales. From the duplicates of the collection of the Cabinet des Médailles in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris (disposed of after the acquisition of the Côte piece in 1960), and of M.d'Ennery, auctioned in Paris in 1788.
C. Pius Esuvius Tetricus, the governor of Gallia Aquitania, succeeded Victorinus as Gallic Emperor following the murder of the latter in AD 271. Although the capital of the Gallic Empire had formerly been located at Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (Cologne), increasing invasions of Germanic peoples across the Rhine convinced Tetricus to relocate his court to Augusta Treverorum (Trier) in order to better defend the Rhine frontier. Although he enjoyed some early successes, in 272-273 his attention shifted to reconquering the parts of southern Gaul lost by Victorinus to the central Roman Empire once Aurelian became fully committed to the war against Zenobia and the Palmyrene Empire in the East. The present aureus probably celebrates one of his victories on the Rhine frontier as the captive seems a little inappropriate for the recapture of Gallic territory from Roman control. Having restored Roman authority in the East, Aurelian quickly marched West to deal with Tetricus I and his son, Tetricus II, who had been appointed Caesar in the meantime. In February or March AD 274, the armies of Tetricus I and Aurelian met near what is now Châlons. The Gallic Emperor was soundly defeated, but Tetricus I negotiated a surrender to Aurelian that would save the lives of both himself and his son. Once the agreement was made, Tetricus is reported to have quoted a line from Virgil's Aeneid (eripe me his invicte malis, "save me undefeated from these troubles") and promptly handed himself and his son over to the Roman Emperor. With the surrender of the Tetrici the breakaway Gallic Empire came to an end and its territories were restored to the central Roman Empire. Tetricus I and Tetricus II were brought to Rome to be paraded in Aurelian's great triumph, but did not suffer the indignity of wearing chains. Following the triumph, father and son were pardoned by Aurelian and Tetricus lived out the rest of his days as a governor in Italy.
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Aureus, Treviri 272, AV 4.07 g. IMP TETRI – CVS PIVS AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust l. Rev. VIRTVS AVG Emperor standing l. in military dress, holding globe in his r. hand and parazonium in his l.; to his l., captive seated l. C 205. RIC 41. Schulte 35a (this coin). Calicó 3919 (this coin illustrated).
Extremely rare. A portrait of great elegance, the work of a very skilled engraver,
struck on a full flan. Two unobtrusive scrapes, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Leu 53, 1991, 319; Leu 83, 2002, 823 and Tkalec 7 May 2006, 228 sales. From the duplicates of the collection of the Cabinet des Médailles in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris (disposed of after the acquisition of the Côte piece in 1960), and of M.d'Ennery, auctioned in Paris in 1788.
C. Pius Esuvius Tetricus, the governor of Gallia Aquitania, succeeded Victorinus as Gallic Emperor following the murder of the latter in AD 271. Although the capital of the Gallic Empire had formerly been located at Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (Cologne), increasing invasions of Germanic peoples across the Rhine convinced Tetricus to relocate his court to Augusta Treverorum (Trier) in order to better defend the Rhine frontier. Although he enjoyed some early successes, in 272-273 his attention shifted to reconquering the parts of southern Gaul lost by Victorinus to the central Roman Empire once Aurelian became fully committed to the war against Zenobia and the Palmyrene Empire in the East. The present aureus probably celebrates one of his victories on the Rhine frontier as the captive seems a little inappropriate for the recapture of Gallic territory from Roman control. Having restored Roman authority in the East, Aurelian quickly marched West to deal with Tetricus I and his son, Tetricus II, who had been appointed Caesar in the meantime. In February or March AD 274, the armies of Tetricus I and Aurelian met near what is now Châlons. The Gallic Emperor was soundly defeated, but Tetricus I negotiated a surrender to Aurelian that would save the lives of both himself and his son. Once the agreement was made, Tetricus is reported to have quoted a line from Virgil's Aeneid (eripe me his invicte malis, "save me undefeated from these troubles") and promptly handed himself and his son over to the Roman Emperor. With the surrender of the Tetrici the breakaway Gallic Empire came to an end and its territories were restored to the central Roman Empire. Tetricus I and Tetricus II were brought to Rome to be paraded in Aurelian's great triumph, but did not suffer the indignity of wearing chains. Following the triumph, father and son were pardoned by Aurelian and Tetricus lived out the rest of his days as a governor in Italy.
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