He was reportedly a maternal half-brother to the Emperor Tacitus - and as the appointed Praetorian Prefect in Tacitus's army in his campaign against the Goths, he was chosen by the army in the West to succeed Tacitus in 276, without the consensus of the Roman Senate.
The army in the East elected Probus emperor, and the two rival emperors met in battle in Cilicia. Florianus had the larger army, but Probus was a more experienced general and likely secured a small victory. Florian was then assassinated by his own troops near Tarsus once their confidence was lost.
He died in September 276, having been emperor for only eighty-eight days.
Reverse: CONCORDIA MILITVM, Victory standing right presenting wreath to Florian standing left, T in exergue
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 3.43 g
Faint traces of silvering.
Reverse: SECVRITAS SAECVLI, Securitas seated left, holding scepter and resting arm on back of chair, XXIV in exergue
Die Orientation: 0 H
Weight: 4.1 g
Reverse: PROVIDEN DEOR, Fides standing facing right, holding standard in each hand, Sol standing facing left, hand raised and holding globe in left hand, star in between; KAA in exergue
Die Orientation: 5 H
Weight: 3.4 g
So the obverse inscription varies from RIC 111 on the ANNIVS bit, RIC 111 is just ANN.
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Reverse: AETERNITAS AVG, Aeternitas standing left, holding globe and rudder; IIII in exergue
Die Orientation: 7 H
Weight: 3.87 g
Reverse: Victory standing right, presenting wreath of victory to Florian standing opposite, holding spear; CONCORDIA MILITVM / P
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 4.19 g
Reverse: PROVIDEN DEOR, Providentia on left, holding two standards; Sol on right, standing left, raising right hand and holding globe, star between
Die Orientation: -
Weight: 3.2 g