TETRICUS II
Caesar 270 – 273AD
Son of the Last Usurper of Gaul
Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus II was the son of Tetricus I. He was raised to the rank of Caesar at the time of his father’s accession. Aurelian was determined to retake the Gallo-Roman Empire that Postumus had established. Upon Aurelian’s invasion of Gaul, Tetricus I surrendered, thus abdicating his throne to Aurelian, marking the Roman Empire’s reunification. Aurelian spared both his life and that of his father. Tetricus and his son were allowed to live in peace within Roman society. Tetricus II eventually became a Senator of Rome.
Monetary System
Æ Antoninianus
Mint: Vienna (?).
Obverse Legends:
C PIV ESV TETRICVS CAES
C P ESV TETRICVS CAES
DENOMINATIONS
AU Aureus
Æ Antoninianus (Radiated Head) (2.4 grams)
Æ Denarius (bare head)(Extremely Rare)(2.14 grams)
As Augustus
274AD
Note: Tetricus II as Augustus AE Antoninianus is Extremely Rare. It is not entirely certain that these very rare coins were the product of an official mint. We cannot be certain whether Tetricus I actually elevated his son from Caesar to Augustus during the final days of their reign in 274 AD. There are several coins that purport to be of Tetricus II as Augustus, but the authenticity of the coin as an official issue or a barbarous imitation is debatable. The barbarous imitations attempted to copy authentic issues. It has been argued that there may have simply been some confusion with the coinage of his father. Nevertheless, the appearance of AVG on any coin of Tetricus II, official or barbarous, is exceptionally rare.
Mint: Vienna (?).
Obverse Legends:
C PIV ESV TETRICVS AVG
DENOMINATIONS
Æ Antoninianus
Barbarous Radiates
Barbarous radiates are unofficial counterfeits or imitations of coin types of the Gallo-Roman emperors. A few are nearly full-sized, but most are smaller or much smaller than their prototypes. The majority imitate Tetricus I or Tetricus II, the last Gallo-Roman emperors. Barbarous radiates also exist for Claudius II and even Postumus as well as Victorinus. The numerous small minting operations that produced barbarous radiates were discontinued about 274AD when Aurelian reunited Gaul with the rest of the empire and launched an attack upon the abuses of those in the official mint of Rome who were stealing silver from the government.
