350 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1753. 



Boze, keeper of the medals in the French King's Cabinet, &c. By John f^Fard, 

 LL.D., F.P.R.S. p. 124. 



As the emperor Tetricus governed some years in Gaul, his reign makes part of 

 the history of that country. But the accounts given of him by ancient writers 

 being very confused and imperfect, this learned antiquary has attempted to clear 

 them up from medals. And as to those of Tetricus himself, the gold ones, as 

 he observes, are in general exceedingly scarce , and no medallion of this emperor 

 in any metal was known, till very lately, when he procured one in gold, for the 

 French king's cabinet, which is represented, fig. 2, pi. 8. But though M. de 

 Boze professes only to give the history of the Emperor Tetricus ; yet such was 

 the unsettled state of the Roman affairs at that time, he thought it necessary 

 for him to introduce it, by reciting a variety of incidents relating to other per- 

 sons, which prepared the way for his advancement to that dignity. It would be 

 unprofitable however to reprint here details of ancient writers. Suffice it there- 

 fore to observe, that after relating the historical events preceding the elevation 

 of Tetricus, it is shown that he was a governor of Gaul as a Roman province, 

 and that on occasion of the death of Marius, the emperor of the western part of 

 the Roman empire, he was elected his successor, according to M. de Boze, about 

 the beginning of the year 268 of Christ. 



The ^dui, who applied to Claudius for his assistance, opposed at that time 

 the government of Tetricus ; whose medals give us a more noble idea of him, 

 from the use he made of his victories. For in some of these he is represented 

 not as a warrior, but in a state of peace and plenty, with the legend Salvs Au- 

 GVSTORVM, intimating that moderation in success is the true grandeur and safety 

 of princes. And in others are seen the figures of several temples erected by him, 

 some of them in a circular form like the Pantheon, with the legend Pact. 

 And to these happy times Mr. de Boze refers the curious gold medallion men- 

 tioned above, which represents Tetricus as crowned with laurel, and dressed in 

 the toga palmata, or consular robe, which was also worn in triumphs. In his 

 right hand he holds an olive branch, and a scepter, with the Roman eagle on the 

 top, in his left, and round his image is this inscription, Imperator Tetricvs 

 AvGVSTVS. But the reverse, if it has one, must remain unknown ; since the 

 medal is so fixed in the gold box, which contains it, that they cannot be sepa- 

 rated without endangering both. And the radiated circle of gold, with which it 

 is encompassed, is designed only to adorn and enlarge it. 



After some notice of the struggles of the contending parties in the Roman 

 empire, M. de Boze adds, that in the mean while Tetricus, who remained un- 

 molested, was constantly employed in studying the welfare and prosperity of the 

 Gauls. And as both the situation, and natural fertility, of the country are very 



