Tacitus was born in 200 in Interamna, in Italy. A Senator, Tacitus served with distinction in the Senate, twice serving as Consul; once for Valerian, and again for Aurelian in 273 AD. After Aurelian was killed by his men, the army decided to give the power to name the emperor back to Senate. After an interregnum of six months, Tacitus was elected Emperor by the Senate, and immediately deified Aurelian and executed his killers. He also swiftly restored many rights to the Senate, empowering them to name the Emperor, Consuls, and provincial governors once more, as we reaffirming judicial and administrative prerogatives. Tacitus earned the name Gothicus Maximus by campaigning against barbarians such as the Goths and the Heruli in the eastern provinces of the empire, but died there less than a year into this rule. Tacitus was either assassinated by his men, or died of an illness.

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