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| | '''Marcus Claudius Tacitus''' (full name: ''Imperator Caesar Marcus Claudius Tacitus Augustus'') was [[Emperor]] of the [[Roman Empire]] from AD 275 to AD 276. | | '''Marcus Claudius Tacitus''' (full name: ''Imperator Caesar Marcus Claudius Tacitus Augustus'') was [[Emperor]] of the [[Roman Empire]] from AD 275 to AD 276. |
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| − | == Life == | + | == '''Life''' == |
| | Not much is known about the life of Tacitus but there are some details. He was a seventy five year old Italian Senator who claimed to be a descendant of the famous first/second century historian, | | Not much is known about the life of Tacitus but there are some details. He was a seventy five year old Italian Senator who claimed to be a descendant of the famous first/second century historian, |
| | Publius/Gaius Cornelius Tacitus. Tacitus was probably the senator made Consul by Aurelian in AD 273. He was said to be a kind man with outstanding morals. | | Publius/Gaius Cornelius Tacitus. Tacitus was probably the senator made Consul by Aurelian in AD 273. He was said to be a kind man with outstanding morals. |
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| − | == Emperor == | + | == '''Emperor''' == |
| | In AD 275, [[Aurelian]] was murdered by high officials who were tricked by a Secretary of Aurelian name Eros. The army did not chose a Emperor, for they were shocked that members of their own murdered Aurelian. They asked the Senate to elect a Emperor, the Senate being long ignored and knowing that any appointment might possibly get overthrown by the Army told the Army to choose a Emperor. But the Army consulted the Senate again and the Senate chose a Emperor. The old Senator, Marcus Claudius Tacitus was chosen as Emperor. His first actions were to deify Aurelian and make arrangements for commemorations of the late Emperor with monuments and statues. He apparently made it illegal to produce certain alloys of precious metals which might relate to the problems with the Roman coinage at the time. | | In AD 275, [[Aurelian]] was murdered by high officials who were tricked by a Secretary of Aurelian name Eros. The army did not chose a Emperor, for they were shocked that members of their own murdered Aurelian. They asked the Senate to elect a Emperor, the Senate being long ignored and knowing that any appointment might possibly get overthrown by the Army told the Army to choose a Emperor. But the Army consulted the Senate again and the Senate chose a Emperor. The old Senator, Marcus Claudius Tacitus was chosen as Emperor. His first actions were to deify Aurelian and make arrangements for commemorations of the late Emperor with monuments and statues. He apparently made it illegal to produce certain alloys of precious metals which might relate to the problems with the Roman coinage at the time. |
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| | + | === Barbarian invasions === |
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| | He also ordered the punishment and execution of Aurelian's murderers. Some however, apparently survived. Reports of barbarian invasions from Gaul and raids in the region of Pontus in Asia Minor by the Herculi and several other tribes. They claimed that they were recruited by Aurelian to aid in the campaign against Persia and when they came from the Black sea, they received no pay. They raided many cities and managed to even reach Cilicia. Tacitus and the legions were close and they bought off many of the raiders as they can with the fee agreed by Aurelian. The ones who did not quit the raiding were defeated by the army led by the Praetorian Prefect, Florianus. The maternal half-brother of Tacitus. For this, Tacitus received the title of Gothicus Maximus | | He also ordered the punishment and execution of Aurelian's murderers. Some however, apparently survived. Reports of barbarian invasions from Gaul and raids in the region of Pontus in Asia Minor by the Herculi and several other tribes. They claimed that they were recruited by Aurelian to aid in the campaign against Persia and when they came from the Black sea, they received no pay. They raided many cities and managed to even reach Cilicia. Tacitus and the legions were close and they bought off many of the raiders as they can with the fee agreed by Aurelian. The ones who did not quit the raiding were defeated by the army led by the Praetorian Prefect, Florianus. The maternal half-brother of Tacitus. For this, Tacitus received the title of Gothicus Maximus |
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| − | == Death == | + | == '''Death''' == |
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| | After a short reign of only six months, Tacitus died in AD 276 at Tyana in the eastern province of Cappadocia, probably in the month of June. He may have died of natural causes due to old age of seventy five or of illness. | | After a short reign of only six months, Tacitus died in AD 276 at Tyana in the eastern province of Cappadocia, probably in the month of June. He may have died of natural causes due to old age of seventy five or of illness. |