Tetricus I

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Tetricus I
Pontifex Maximus

Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was the emperor of the

senator and corrector (governor) of Lucania et Bruttium
. Tetricus died of natural causes a few years after 274.

Background

A colored map of the Gallic Empire in 260, showing the core territory of the Gallic Empire (red), loosely loyal territory of the Gallic Empire (purple), and the territory of the Roman Empire (green).
A map of the Gallic Empire in 260, showing the core territory of the Gallic Empire (red), loosely loyal territory of the Gallic Empire (purple), and the territory of the Roman Empire (green)

The

Sassanids in 260. Gallienus's rule occurred during the Crisis of the Third Century (235–284), a period of intense political and military power struggles. Gallienus was overwhelmed by numerous issues, including several usurpers, and barbarian attacks in the Balkans and along the Rhine — one attack by the Franks pushed as far as Tarraco (modern-day Tarragona) in Hispania. Because Gallienus was unable to prevent the raids, Postumus, a military commander on the Rhine frontier, rose up and declared himself emperor; at about the same time, he assassinated Saloninus, Gallenius's son and co-emperor, in Colonia (modern-day Cologne).[1][2] Postumus focused on defending the Gallic Empire, and, in the words of ancient Roman historian Eutropius, "restored the almost exhausted provinces through his enormous vigour and moderation."[1]

Gallienus attempted to invade the Gallic Empire twice but was repulsed both times, forcing him to acquiesce to the secession. Although he was unable to conquer the Gallic Empire, Gallienus did ensure that the Roman Empire was defended; he posted

praetorian guard) under Postumus, the number of coins issued by Marius indicate that he must have served for a longer time, a period of roughly three months. Victorinus declared himself emperor in mid-269 in Augusta Treverorum (modern-day Trier), two days after killing Marius.[1][3][4] Victorinus's rule was recognized by the provinces of Britannia and Gaul, but not by those of Hispania.[5]

Life

A colored map of Europe showing the Gallic Empire in green, Roman Empire in red, and Palmyrene Empire in yellow, during the rule of Tetricus I.
A map of the Gallic Empire (green), Roman Empire (red), and Palmyrene Empire (yellow), during the reign of Tetricus I
Antoninianus of Tetricus II

Gaius Pius Esuvius Tetricus, commonly referred to as Tetricus I, was born in Gaul, on an unknown date, to a noble family of

Burdigala (modern-day Bordeaux), although Tetricus was not present for the proclamation.[13][10]

The Gallic Empire mirrored the Roman imperial administrative traditions, and as such each Gallic emperor adopted a Roman regnal title upon his accession; after becoming emperor, Tetricus's name was changed to Imperator Caesar Esuvius Tetricus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus Pontifex Maximus.[1][14] The Gallic Empire also followed the Roman tradition of emperors appointing themselves as consul, with Tetricus appointing himself as consul in 271, 272, 273, and 274; the names of the other consuls for 271–273 are not known, but it is known that Tetricus's son, Tetricus II, served as his colleague in 274.[1][15][16] Tetricus was also tribune from 271 to 274.[17] Tetricus elevated Tetricus II as caesar in 273[b] to increase the legitimacy of his reign by founding a dynasty;[19] he may have also elevated his son to co-emperor during the last days of his reign, but this is uncertain.[20][21] The unreliable Historia Augusta, in its biography of Emperor Aurelian, states that Tetricus elevated his son at an unspecified date, however neither of the ancient historians Aurelius Victor or Eutropius mention such an event.[22]

During Tetricus's reign, the main threats to the Gallic Empire came from the Roman Empire and

quinquennalia, public games that took place every four years.[24]

After Aurelian had succeeded in his reconquest of the Palmyrene Empire, he turned his attention to the Gallic Empire, beginning preparations for an invasion in 273. In early 274, Aurelian began to march into northern Gaul, while Tetricus led his troops southward from Augusta Treverorum to meet him. The armies of Aurelian and Tetricus met in February or March 274 at the Battle of Châlons, near modern-day Châlons.[10][19] The army of Tetricus was soundly defeated, and Tetricus surrendered either directly after his defeat or later; the latest possible date for his surrender was March 274, when the Gallic mints switched from minting coins of Tetricus I and II to those of Aurelian.[10][25][26][27] Ancient sources including Aurelius Victor, Eutropius, the Historia Augusta, and Orosius report that Tetricus had already made a deal with Aurelian, offering to surrender in exchange for an honourable defeat and no punishment, quoting Virgil: "eripe me his invicte malis" (rescue me undefeated from these troubles). However, this is believed by modern historians to be a product of Roman imperial propaganda;[10][25][26] Aurelian, who was attempting to stabilise his fragile empire, benefited from the account that Tetricus had planned to betray his army, as his troops would then be less likely to rise up again.[10]

Upon Tetricus's surrender, the Gallic Empire rejoined the Roman Empire, once more restored to its former borders, and Aurelian held a triumph in Rome

Epigraphic evidence exists for correctores totius Italiae who predate Tetricus, whereas the first epigraphic evidence for a corrector of a smaller region comes in c. 283, ten years after Aurelian appointed Tetricus as corrector. Because of the contradictions within the Historia Augusta, the opinion of modern scholars is divided. Some, such as David Magie, who edited the Loeb edition of the Historia Augusta, favor Tetricus's having been made corrector totius Italiae, while others, such as Alaric Watson, support his having been made corrector Lucaniae.[31] Tetricus died of natural causes several years later in Italia.[10]

Numismatics

A golden coin bearing the inscription of a standing Felicitas, facing left
Reverse of an Aureus bearing the inscription of a standing Felicitas

The gold

Jupiter, a standing Laetitia, a standing Pax, him holding an olive branch and a scepter, or a standing Spes. One features his face on the obverse and a standing Hilaritas on the reverse. Another displays his head on the obverse and a depiction of the Roman goddess Victoria walking to the right on the reverse. There are two aureus types that depicted Tetricus I and Tetricus II together; both feature jugate images of them on the obverse, with one having a standing Aeternitas on the reverse and the other having a standing Felicitas. A rare quinarius (a silver coin) issued during his reign has a three-quarter facing image of Tetricus on the obverse and Victoria standing with her foot on a globe on the reverse.[32]

Most of the coins minted during Tetricus's reign were of low quality; his antoninianus contained so little silver content that imitations were easy to make, leading to the market being flooded with fakes.[33]

The coinage of the Gallic Empire does not give any evidence of public games or festivals, as was common in the Roman Empire, although it is believed that similar games and festivals were held. There are a number of issues of coins in which the emperor's head faces left, rather than the usual right, which are believed to have been used for donatives granted to soldiers upon the emperor's accession or consulships.[1]

Historiography

The ancient sources for the Gallic Empire are poor, made up largely of brief notes from late-fourth-century Latin authors who depended heavily on the theorised

Thirty Tyrants" in the Historia Augusta.[34] The Historia Augusta states that Tetricus was recognized in Hispania, but modern historians have rejected this.[10][35]

Epigraphic sources also provide some information, however, the usage of epigraphs was in decline during the period, and many are undated.[36] Inscriptions bearing Tetricus' name are very common throughout Gaul, although these are broken into two regions by a vertical line of inscriptions bearing Aurelian's name, which were made after the surrender of Tetricus; no Tetrican inscriptions overlap with Aurelianic inscriptions.[37]

Notes

  1. ^ Some sources give the date as 270, and the end of his reign as 273.[7]
  2. inscription in Baeterrae (modern-day Béziers) associates Tetricus II with Tetricus' second tribunician period, moving the date back to 272, however this may be the result of a mason's error.[18]

References

Primary sources

These sources were written by early chroniclers and have been drawn upon by modern scholars.

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Nicholson 2018.
  2. ^ Southern 2015, p. 140.
  3. ^ PolferA 1999.
  4. ^ Southern 2015, p. 118.
  5. ^ a b PolferA 2000.
  6. ^ Potter 2004, p. 257.
  7. ^ a b Jones, Martindale & Morris 1980, p. 885.
  8. ^ Potter 2004, p. 261.
  9. ^ Wightman 1985, p. 194.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Polfer 2000.
  11. ^ Jones, Martindale & Morris 1980, p. 965.
  12. ^ Potter 2004, p. 272.
  13. ^ a b c Southern 2015, p. 119.
  14. ^ Drinkwater 1987, p. 125.
  15. ^ Jones, Martindale & Morris 1980, p. 1041.
  16. ^ Bourne 2000, pp. 59–60.
  17. ^ Bourne 2000, pp. 46 & 51.
  18. ^ Bourne 2000, p. 72.
  19. ^ a b c d e f Southern 2015, p. 175.
  20. ^ a b c Sayles 2007, p. 138.
  21. ^ Bourne 2000, p. 60.
  22. ^ Bourne 2000, pp. 60–61.
  23. ^ Polfer 1999.
  24. ^ Bourne 2000, p. 50.
  25. ^ a b c d e Southern 2015, p. 176.
  26. ^ a b c d Vagi 2000, p. 386.
  27. ^ Southern 2008, p. 194.
  28. ^ Latowsky 2013, p. 58.
  29. ^ a b White 2005, p. 116.
  30. ^ Matyszak 2014, p. 134.
  31. ^ Southern 2008, p. 160.
  32. ^ Friedberg, Friedberg & Friedberg 2017, p. 50.
  33. ^ Brulet 2018.
  34. ^ Gwynn 2018, p. 1496.
  35. ^ Drinkwater 1987, pp. 122–125.
  36. ^ Bourne 2000, pp. 46–48.
  37. ^ Bourne 2000, p. 68.

Bibliography

External links

Regnal titles
Preceded by Emperor of the Gallic Empire
271–274 AD
with Tetricus II (273–274)
Succeeded by
None
Political offices
Preceded by Consul of the Gallic Empire
271–274
with Tetricus II (274)
Succeeded by
None