Tacitus, Roman emperor

Tacitus (Marcus Claudius Tacitus) tăsˈĭtəs [key], d. 276, Roman emperor (275–76). An elderly senator with a reputation for honesty and vigor, he was chosen by the senate to succeed the murdered Aurelian. He failed to restore the glory of the senate, and after reigning only a few months he died when on campaign in Asia. He was almost certainly murdered. Probus succeeded him.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Ancient History, Rome: Biographies