Tacitus
Imperator Caesar Marcus Claudius Tacitus Augustus
Marcus Claudius Tacitus was an elderly senator, reportedly aged 75, chosen by the Senate to succeed Aurelian after that emperor's assassination. This represented an attempt by the Senate to reassert its right to select emperors; Tacitus reportedly claimed descent from the historian Tacitus and ordered copies of his ancestor's works placed in public libraries. He campaigned in Asia Minor against the Heruli and Alans, dying of illness or assassination after barely six months.
Tacitus represents the Senate's final successful (if brief) assertion of its power to choose an emperor. His reign closed the Illyrian military dynasty without resolution and opened a brief period of instability before Probus consolidated control.
Key Events
Coinage
The coinage of Tacitus is moderately common relative to his short reign, struck at numerous mints across the empire. The antoninianus continues as the primary denomination. His portrait types, consistently showing an old, bearded man, are among the most recognisable of the late third century. The TEMPORVM FELICITAS (Happiness of the Times) reverse is the most frequently encountered type.
Denominations
Notable Types
- TEMPORVM FELICITAS (Happiness of the Times)
- MARS VLTOR types
- CLEMENTIA TEMP types
- FELICITAS SAECVLI types
Common Reverses
Active Mints
Related Resources
Further Reading
- Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume V, Part I,
- Roman Coins and Their Values, Volume III,