Florian was the brother of Tacitus, and had fought alongside him while he had been campaigning in the east. Appointed praetorian prefect by his brother, upon his death Florian proclaimed himself Emperor - an act accepted by the western legions and the Senate. However, Probus, who had been given command of the east by Tacitus, also was proclaimed Emperor by his eastern legions - Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Phoenicia. Florian had a great numerical advantage, but Probus cut off the grain supply from Egypt, and was a greatly experienced commander. Probus fought a war of attrition, and when Florian billeted his men in Tarsus where illness swiftly set in, Probus harrassed and raided them until morale broke. Florian either took his own life, or was slain by his soldiers.

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