R20210 Florianus

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Roman Empire

Ruler:

Florianus

Reigned:

Augustus 276 AD

Denomination:

Billon Double Aurelianus

Mint:

Rome

Date of Issue:

276 AD

Obverse:

Bust right, radiate, cuirassed and draped with paludamentum. "IMP. C. FLORIANVS AVG."

Reverse:

Aequitas standing. Left, holding scales in right hand and cornucopiae in left hand. "AEQVITAS AVG.

Reference:

RIC V.1 25 var., Numismatic Chronicle 2007, pp.165-169, New RIC temp. no. #4223

Mint marks:

	Γ
XI

Weight:

5.4 gms

Diameter:

23.8 mm

Comment:

This coin is the same as RIC 25, except for one crucial detail. That is that the legend in the exergue is "XI" rather than "XXI". The coin is also exceptionally heavy for an Antoninianus. It was tentatively identified as a Double Antoninianus (Radiate), which would make it the only known example of this denomination for Florian. See Tacitus XI and Tacitus IA for examples of this denomination for Tacitus.

This coin and the background to it is described in "A Double Radiate of Florian" in The Numismatic Chronicle 2007, pp.165-169.

FLORIANUS (Marcus Annius Florianus)

"Florianus, who had succeeded Tacitus, was in power for two months and twenty days and did nothing worth remembering." - Eutropius Breviarium IX. 16

In July 276 Tacitus was murdered at Tyana in Cappadocia and power passed to the praetorian commander Marcus Annius Florianus, recognised by the senate and by most of the provinces.

Little is known of about Florianus, but he may have been the half-brother of Tacitus.

He immediately set out to bring the Heruli to heel, which he quickly did.

In the East, Marcus Aurelius Probus , commander on the eastern frontier was declared a rival emperor, and Florianus moved to Tarsus to meet him.

Heat and disease sapped the morale of Florianus's European troops and they began to desert.

Florianus was killed in September 276, after a reign of just 88 days.

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R20210