Claudius Tacitus
Emperor of the Roman Empire
Reign	September 25 275 - June 276
Full name	Marcus Claudius Tacitus (from birth to accession); Caesar Marcus Claudius Tacitus Augustus (as emperor)
Born	ca. 200
Birthplace	Interamna
Died	June 276 (aged 76)
Place of death	Tyana
Predecessor	Aurelian
Successor	Florianus

Marcus Claudius Tacitus (ca. 200 - June 276) was a Roman Emperor from September 25 275, to June 276.

[edit] Biography

He was born in Interamna (Terni), in Italia. He circulated copies of the historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus' work, which was barely read at the time, and so we perhaps have him to thank for the partial survival of Tacitus' work; however, modern historiography[1] rejects his claimed descent from the historian as forgery. In the course of his long life he discharged the duties of various civil offices, including that of consul in 273, with universal respect.

Emperor Tacitus on a coin. The reverse celebrates his victory over the Eastern tribes (VICTORIA GOTTHI).

After the assassination of Aurelian, he was chosen by the Senate to succeed him, and the choice was cordially ratified by the army. His first action was to move against the barbarian tribes that had been gathered by Aurelian for his Eastern campaign, and which had plundered the Eastern Roman provinces after Aurelian had been murdered and the campaign cancelled. His half-brother, the Praetorian Prefect Florianus, and Tacitus himself won a victory against these tribes, among which Heruli, which granted the emperor the title Gothicus Maximus.

Tacitus probably died of fever (according to Aurelius Victor, Eutropius and the Historia Augusta) - though Zosimus claims he was assassinated - at Tyana in Cappadocia in June 276.

[edit] References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (June 2008)

[edit] Primary sources

• Historia Augusta, Vita Taciti

English version of Historia Augusta

• Eutropius, Breviarium ab urbe condita, ix. 16

"…After him TACITUS succeeded to the throne; a man of excellent morals, and well qualified to govern the empire. He was unable, however, to show the world anything remarkable, being cut off by death in the sixth month of his reign..…"

English version of Breviarium ab Urbe Condita

• Aurelius Victor, "Epitome de Caesaribus"

English version of Epitome de Caesaribus

"After him, Tacitus took power, a man of singular character, who died at Tarsus from a fever in the two hundredth day of his reign."

• Zosimus, "Historia Nova"

English version of Historia Nova Book 1

• Joannes Zonaras, "Compendium of History"

Compendium extract: Alexander Severus to Diocletian: 222-284

[edit] Secondary sources

•  "Tacitus, Marcus Claudius". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. 
• Tacitus in De Imperatoribus Romanis, giving the modern view

[edit] External links

• Media related to Marcus Claudius Tacitus at Wikimedia Commons