Roman Empire

Probus, Emperor AD 276-282

RIC -; Lyon 303; Pink -; Calicó -, Mint State

Lugdunum, AD 281. IMP C M AVR PROBVS AVG, laureate, helmeted and cuirassed bust of Probus right. Reverse: VICTO-RIA PROBI AVG, Victory advancing right, crowning trophy with wreath and holding palm branch; at base of trophy, two captives seated with their hands tied behind their backs.

Ex NAC 111 (24 September 2018), 207; Gemini VI (10 January 2010), 564

Following the death of Tacitus while on campaign, the army chose the skilled commander M. Aurelius Probus to be the new Emperor. He spent his entire reign moving from frontier to frontier to fend off the external enemies of the Roman Empire. In AD 277-280 he was on the Rhine and Danube driving back the Franks, Vandals, and Burgundians before moving to the East to deal with Isaurian bandits, nomadic invasions of Egypt and plan the next war against the Sasanian Persians. In AD 281 he celebrated a triumph at Rome for these many campaigns as well as the repression of the usurpers Julius Saturninus, Proculus and Bonosus. Unfortunately, victory was not enough to keep power. In AD 282, M. Aurelius Carus was proclaimed emperor by the Praetorian Guard. As Probus made preparations to crush this fourth usurper he was murdered by his own troops who had become disaffected through his use of soldiers as agricultural and construction laborers.