After Aurelian had succeeded in his reconquest of the Palmyrene Empire, he turned his attention to the Gallic Empire, beginning preparations for an invasion in either early or late 273. In early 274, Aurelian began to march into northern Gaul, while Tetricus led his troops southward from Augusta Treverorum to meet him. The armies of Aurelian and Tetricus met in February or March 274 at the Battle of Châlons, near modern-day Châlons. The army of Tetricus was soundly defeated, and Tetricus surrendered either directly after his defeat or later, with the last possible date for his surrender being in March 274, when the Gallic mints switched from minting coins of Tetricus I and II to those of Aurelian. Ancient sources including Aurelius Victor, Eutropius, the "Historia Augusta", and Orosius, report that Tetricus had already made a deal with Aurelian, offering to surrender in exchange for an honorable defeat and no punishment, quoting Virgil: "eripe me his invicte malis" (rescue me undefeated from these troubles). However, this is believed by modern historians to be a product of Roman imperial propaganda; Aurelian, who was attempting to stabilize his fragile empire, benefited from the account that Tetricus had planned to betray his army, as his troops would then be less likely to rise up again.