Tetricus I
Augustus  AD 271 - 274

Caius Pius Esuvius Tetricus:
Father of Tetricus II.

Tetricus inherited the break-away Gallo-Roman state founded by Postumus which, although in a diminished form, still survived into the reign of Aurelian. He was given a breathing space by Aurelian's decision to first eliminate the threat of Zenobia in the east, and the administrative reforms, among them the abandonment of Dacia, which became necessary for the allocation of resources Aurelian had to concentrate for the task. After Aurelian mounted two expeditions and extinguished the danger in Syria, however, he set off for Gaul and the reign of Tetricus came to end. In the face of the overwhelming forces that Aurelian mustered before the battle on the Campi Catalauni, Tetricus took stock of his options and decided to submit. In the middle of the battle he deserted his troops and came over to Aurelian, no doubt acting on a previous agreement. The victorious Aurelian took him back to Rome, where he marched, together with his son and next to Zenobia, in the emperor's triumph. His life was spared though, and Aurelian appointed him governor of Lucania in south-western Italy.

Mints: Gaul

List all Tetricus I coins in the Catalog.

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