R20120 Tacitus

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Roman Empire

Ruler:

Tacitus

Reigned:

275 - 276 AD

Denomination:

AE Antoninianus/Aurelianus

Mint:

Rome

Date of Issue:

early 276 - June 276

Obverse:

Head right, radiate, with traces of drapery to front and rear of truncation. "IMP. CM. CL. TACITVS AVG"

Reverse:

Uberitas standing. left, holding purse in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand. "VBERTAS AVG."

Mint marks:


XXIE

Reference:

RCVM 11818, Estiot 902, RIC V.1 95, New RIC temp. no. #3557

Weight:

3.8 gms

Diameter:

21.4 mm

TACITUS (M. Claudius Tacitus)

When Aurelian was murdered in September 275, the soldiers who were with him, unusually, wrote to the senate in Rome, asking it to nominate one of its own members as emperor. This they did, electing their leading member, the elderly Marcus Claudius Tacitus.

His claim to be related to the famous historian Tacitus, was untrue.

Early in 276 he joined the army in Thrace, probably the same that Aurelian had assembled for a Persian offensive.

He advanced into Asia Minor claiming a victory over the Heruli in the spring of 276, and winning the title of 'Gothicus Maximus'

In July 276 he was murdered at Tyana in Cappadocia (southern Turkey), while preparing to return to Europe, after a reign of only six months.

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R20120