Tetradrachm - Tacitus ETOYC A

Tacitus ruled for barely eight months before dying in June 276 AD — of illness, according to most ancient sources, though assassination by his own soldiers remains a competing theory. The Alexandrian mint's first-year issues under his name, designated ETOYC A, were struck almost simultaneously with his proclamation as emperor, the Senate having selected him to fill the vacuum left by Aurelian's murder. That political urgency is reflected in how quickly the Alexandria mint aligned to the new regime despite being weeks of travel from Rome.

The references cluster around Milne 4502 and 4504 as distinct die groupings within this single regnal year — a reminder that even an eight-month reign generated enough mint activity to produce catalogued varieties.